System for Wireless Corrosion Monitoring

• US 20140306725A1
• Filed: 04/15/2013
• Published: 10/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: William N. Carr
• Original Assignee: William N. Carr
• Inventors: Carr, William N.
• Application Number:
  US13/863,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20140306725A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/700
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 17/04 Corrosion probes

Abstract

A system is disclosed for wireless monitoring of corrosion as it occurs in a corrodible object. The system comprises one or more wireless corrosion sensors. A wireless corrosion sensor comprises an antenna assembly for transmitting and receiving radio signals. In the antenna assembly, at least part of the antenna assembly is made out of a corrodible material, such that, as the corrodible material undergoes corrosion, radio signals that are transmitted or received are affected. A remote system can estimate the extent of corrosion that has occurred by monitoring radio signals that are transmitted through the antenna assembly as it undergoes corrosion.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sensing extent of corrosion;

the apparatus comprising;

an antenna assembly; and

a radio circuit for receiving a first radio-frequency signal from the antenna assembly, and for transmitting a second radio-frequency signal to the antenna assembly;

wherein the second radio-frequency signal is based on the first radio-frequency signal;

wherein the antenna assembly generates the first radio-frequency signal based on a received first radio signal;

wherein the antenna assembly generates a transmitted second radio signal based on the second radio-frequency signal;

wherein the antenna assembly comprises a corrodible material;

wherein the corrodible material affects a radio-frequency characteristic of the antenna assembly;

wherein the radio-frequency characteristic of the antenna assembly affects at least one of the first radio-frequency signal and the second radio signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising

a radio transmitter for transmitting the first radio signal;

a radio receiver for receiving the second radio signal;

an electronic circuit for estimating the radio-frequency characteristic of the antenna assembly based on the second radio signal; and

a transmitter, coupled with the electronic circuit, for transmitting the estimated radio-frequency characteristic of the antenna assembly to a corrosion estimator;

wherein the corrosion estimator estimates a corrosion of the corrodible material based on the estimated radio-frequency characteristic of the antenna assembly.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a processor for implementing the corrosion estimator.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the radio-frequency characteristic of the antenna assembly is a center frequency.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the radio-frequency characteristic of the antenna assembly is an impedance.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the radio-frequency characteristic of the antenna assembly is an attenuation.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein estimating the radio-frequency characteristic of the antenna assembly is based on the strength of the second radio signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein estimating the radio-frequency characteristic of the antenna assembly is based on the phase of the second radio signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a reference radio transceiver for receiving a third radio signal and transmitting a fourth radio signal;

wherein the third radio signal is transmitted by the radio transmitter; and

wherein estimating the radio-frequency characteristic of the antenna assembly is also based on comparing the second radio signal to the fourth radio signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the first radio signal and the third radio signal are the same signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a corrodible serpentine pattern that comprises the corrodible material.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the antenna assembly comprises a single-cavity antenna that comprises the corrodible serpentine pattern.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the antenna assembly comprises a dual-cavity antenna that comprises the corrodible serpentine pattern.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the antenna assembly comprises a dipole antenna that comprises the corrodible serpentine pattern.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the antenna assembly comprises a patch antenna that comprises the corrodible serpentine pattern.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the corrodible serpentine pattern is supported by a dielectric substrate.

17. An apparatus for sensing extent of corrosion;

the apparatus comprising;

an antenna; and

a bimetallic junction coupled with the antenna;

wherein the bimetallic junction comprises a corrodible material;

wherein the corrodible material affects a radio-frequency characteristic of the bimetallic junction;

wherein the radio-frequency characteristic is a non-linearity; and

wherein the non-linearity is affected by the extent of corrosion.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising

a radio transmitter for transmitting a first radio signal;

a radio receiver for receiving a second radio signal, wherein the second radio signal comprises a first harmonic of the first radio signal;

an electronic circuit for estimating the non-linearity of the bimetallic junction based on the first harmonic; and

a transmitter, coupled with the electronic circuit, for transmitting the estimated non-linearity of the bimetallic junction to a corrosion estimator;

wherein the corrosion estimator estimates a corrosion of the corrodible material based on the estimated non-linearity of the bimetallic junction.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first harmonic is a so-called second harmonic.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first harmonic is a so-called third harmonic.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein estimating the non-linearity of the bimetallic junction is also based on comparing the first harmonic of the first radio signal to a second harmonic of the first radio signal.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising

a radio transmitter for transmitting a first radio signal;

a radio receiver for receiving a second radio signal, wherein the second radio signal comprises an intermodulation product of the first radio signal;

an electronic circuit for estimating the non-linearity of the bimetallic junction based on the first intermodulation product; and

a transmitter, coupled with the electronic circuit, for transmitting the estimated non-linearity of the bimetallic junction to a corrosion estimator;

wherein the corrosion estimator estimates a corrosion of the corrodible material based on the estimated non-linearity of the bimetallic junction.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the first radio signal is a two-tone signal, and the intermodulation product is a third-order intermodulation product.

24. A method for sensing extent of corrosion;

the method comprising;

receiving, by an antenna assembly, a first radio signal; and

transmitting, by an antenna assembly, a second radio signal based on the first radio signal;

wherein a characteristic of the second radio signal is affected by an extent of corrosion of a corrodible portion of the antenna assembly.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

transmitting, by a radio transmitter, the first radio signal;

receiving, by a radio receiver, the second radio signal; and

estimating, by a corrosion estimator, the extent of corrosion of the corrodible portion of the antenna assembly;

wherein estimating the extent of corrosion is based on the second radio signal as received by the radio receiver.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein estimating the extent of corrosion is based on an estimated center frequency of the antenna assembly;

and

wherein the estimated center frequency of the antenna assembly is based on the second radio signal.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein estimating the extent of corrosion is based on an estimated attenuation of the antenna assembly;

and

wherein the estimated attenuation of the antenna assembly is based on the second radio signal.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein estimating the extent of corrosion is based on an estimated impedance of the antenna assembly;

and

wherein the estimated impedance of the antenna assembly is based on the second radio signal.

29. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

transmitting, by the radio transmitter, a third radio signal;

receiving, by a reference radio transceiver, the third radio signal; and

transmitting, by the reference radio transceiver, a fourth radio signal;

wherein estimating the extent of corrosion of the corrodible portion of the antenna assembly is also based on comparing the second radio signal to the fourth radio signal.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the first radio signal and the third radio signal are the same signal.