Low cost, on-line corrosion monitor and smart corrosion probe

• US 20020105346A1
• Filed: 01/12/2001
• Published: 08/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ONDEO Nalco Company (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Banks, Rodney H.
• Granted Patent: US 6,556,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/700
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 17/02 Electrochemical measuring systems for weathering, corrosion or corrosion-protection measurement

Abstract

Devices, methods and systems are provided for monitoring of industrial processes. Devices and systems are provided which include a controller module connected to a probe module having a specified metallurgy and a resistor module capable of determining a specified resistance value to identify the metallurgy of the probe module for the controller module. A resistor device comprising a resistor capable of determining a resistance value which identifies a type of metallurgical material is also provided. The devices and systems provided are inexpensive, portable, electrically safe, easy to set-up and operate by unskilled personnel, may be connected to both desktop and portable computerized devices and can provide real-time monitoring of industrial processes.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a controller module;

a probe module which operably communicates with the controller module; and

a resistor module which operably communicates with the controller module, wherein the resistor module is capable of identifying the type of probe module to the controller module.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the probe module includes at least two metallurgical probe electrodes.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the resistor module includes a resistance value which identifies the type of metallurgy of the probe electrodes to the controller module.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the device further includes a display device which operably communicates with the controller module.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is portable.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the device battery powered.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a corrosion monitoring device.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the controller module further includes a microcontroller capable of determining corrosion rate.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the microcontroller is capable of providing and storing corrosion rate data.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the controller module is capable of operably communicating with desktop and portable computerized devices.

11. A corrosion monitoring system comprising:

a controller module;

a probe module having at least one metallurgical probe electrode which operably communicates with the controller module; and

a resistor module having a resistance value which operably communicates with the controller module, wherein the resistance value identifies to the controller module the type of material that comprises the probe electrode.

12. The corrosion monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the system further includes a display device which operably communicates with the controller module.

13. The corrosion monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the controller module is capable of determining corrosion rate and storing corrosion rate data.

14. The corrosion monitoring system of claim 13, wherein the controller module is capable of operably communicating with desktop and portable computerized devices.

15. The corrosion monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the system is portable.

16. The corrosion monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the system is battery powered.

19. The probe device of claim 18, wherein the electrode is constructed from a material selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, copper and nickel alloys, steel, admiralty brass, derivatives thereof and combinations thereof.

20. The probe device of claim 18, wherein the device is portable.

17. A method of determining corrosion rate comprising the steps of:

providing a corrosion monitoring device comprising a controller module, a probe module which operably communicates with the controller module, and a resistor module which operably communicates with the controller module;

placing the probe module within a solution;

charging the resistor module with a current via the controller module;

identifying the type of probe module by the controller module based upon the resistance value of the charged resistor module; and

determining the rate of corrosion by the controller module after the probe module has been identified.

18. A probe device comprising:

an electrode;

a resistor having a resistance value which identifies the electrode.