Method for measuring (micro) leakage from cans.

Mitsui, S.

Abstract
Microleakage from aluminium beer and carbonated beverage cans is a major problem in production control. Microleakage from cans is related to seaming control values, namely, thickness (T2) and overlap (OL) of seams. Existing data on the effects of T2 and OL values on microleakage from cans is meagre and contradictory. Since microleakage from cans is too insignificant and slow to be detected visually, a method was developed for measuring microleakage incorporating carbon dioxide detector tubes. The canned beverage is heated to an elevated temperature (40 degrees C) and shaken to increase the internal pressure because the gas leakage from the can is very insignificant and slow. The test can is then placed in a closed system (glass cylinder) for a certain time and the increase in the quantity of carbon dioxide which is due to leakage from the can is measured using carbon dioxide detector tubes. Cans were seamed with varying T2 and OL values using a commercial seamer. Micro-leakage was measured as a function of seaming values by the new method.
Keywords: aluminium beer can leakage