Introduction of Metal Bellows:

The bellows in a helium mass spectrometer leak detector (commonly referred to as metal bellows) is a key flexible connecting component, primarily used to achieve sealed connections, compensate for misalignment, and provide vibration damping.

Functions of Metal Bellows:

The bellows play an indispensable role in helium mass spectrometer leak detectors, with their primary functions including:
Compensating for Misalignment and Displacement:
This is the most critical function. It is difficult to achieve perfect concentricity and alignment when connecting vacuum pipelines, valves, and the workpiece under test. The flexibility of the bellows can absorb and compensate for these installation deviations, ensuring that connections do not leak or become damaged due to stress.
Vibration Damping and Isolation:
Vacuum pumps (especially mechanical pumps) inside the leak detector generate vibrations during operation. Acting as a flexible component, the bellows effectively isolate and reduce the transmission of vibrations to other parts of the system, protecting the delicate mass spectrometer probe and preventing loose connections that could lead to leak points due to vibration.
Enabling Flexible Connections and Angular Deflection:
In addition to axial compression and extension, the bellows also allow for a certain degree of lateral displacement and angular deflection, providing flexibility for complex pipeline layouts.
Thermal Expansion and Contraction Compensation:
Temperature variations during system evacuation or operation can cause pipelines to expand or contract. The bellows can absorb these dimensional changes, preventing thermal stress from damaging the system.