Disposable witness corrosion sensor
First Claim
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1. A low power wireless sensor system for monitoring a state of corrosion of a target material, the low power wireless sensor system comprising:
- a witness corrosion sensor comprising a first resistive arm with a first resistance and a second resistive arm with a second resistance, the first resistive arm comprising a sensor element and at least one resistor comprising carbon nanotubes, wherein the sensor element is connected in parallel with the at least one resistor comprising carbon nanotubes, and the second resistive arm comprising at least one resistor comprising carbon nanotubes;
processing circuitry configured to measure a difference between the first resistance and the second resistance and to determine a state of corrosion of the target material based on a difference between the first resistance and the second resistance;
an energy storage module configured to store electrical energy and to provide power to at least a portion of the processing circuitry; and
a wireless communication module coupled to the processing circuitry and configured to wirelessly communicate information external to the low power wireless sensor system.
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Abstract
Corrosion sensors are described. The corrosion sensors may include components formed from carbon nanotube structures and a corroding element formed of a material which corrodes more quickly than a target material being monitored by the corrosion sensor. The corroding material may be exposed to the environment to which the target material being monitored is exposed. The corrosion sensor may be passive, thus consuming little power.
46 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A low power wireless sensor system for monitoring a state of corrosion of a target material, the low power wireless sensor system comprising:
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a witness corrosion sensor comprising a first resistive arm with a first resistance and a second resistive arm with a second resistance, the first resistive arm comprising a sensor element and at least one resistor comprising carbon nanotubes, wherein the sensor element is connected in parallel with the at least one resistor comprising carbon nanotubes, and the second resistive arm comprising at least one resistor comprising carbon nanotubes; processing circuitry configured to measure a difference between the first resistance and the second resistance and to determine a state of corrosion of the target material based on a difference between the first resistance and the second resistance; an energy storage module configured to store electrical energy and to provide power to at least a portion of the processing circuitry; and a wireless communication module coupled to the processing circuitry and configured to wirelessly communicate information external to the low power wireless sensor system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A wireless sensor system for monitoring a state of corrosion of a target material, the wireless sensor system comprising:
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a passive sensor apparatus comprising a first resistive arm with a first resistance and a second resistive arm with a second resistance, the first resistive arm comprising a sensor element and at least one resistor comprising carbon nanotubes, wherein the sensor element is connected in parallel with the at least one resistor comprising carbon nanotubes, and the second resistive arm comprising at least one resistor comprising carbon nanotubes; a circuit configured to measure a difference between the first resistance and the second resistance; a processor configured to determine a state of corrosion of the target material based on a difference between the first resistance and the second resistance measured by the circuit; an energy storage module configured to store electrical energy and to provide power to at least a portion of the circuit; and transmit circuitry coupled to the circuit and configured to transmit corrosion information. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for operating a low power wireless sensor system comprising:
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measuring, with processing circuitry disposed in the low power wireless sensor system, a difference between a resistance of a first resistive arm and a resistance of a second resistive arm of a witness corrosion sensor comprising the first resistive arm and the second resistive arm, the first resistive arm comprising a sensor element and at least one resistor comprising carbon nanotubes, wherein the sensor element is connected in parallel with the at least one resistor comprising carbon nanotubes, and the second resistive arm comprising at least one resistor comprising carbon nanotubes; determining, with the processing circuitry, a state of a target material based at least in part on the measured difference; providing, with an energy storage module configured to store electrical energy, power to at least a portion of the processing circuitry; and wirelessly communicating, with a wireless communication module, information external to the low power wireless sensor system. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification