Apparatus and method for detecting the degradation of a coating using embedded sensors
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring the effectiveness of a coating on a substrate surface, the system comprising:
- (a) a sensor array positioned in contact with said coating, said sensor array comprising;
(i) a plurality of sensor pins in contact with said coating;
(ii) at least one sensor circuit connected across at least two of said sensor pins, said sensor circuit comprising signal generation circuitry for generating an electromagnetic signal across said at least two sensor pins, response signal metering circuitry for measuring a response electromagnetic signal across said at least two sensor pins, and first telemetry circuitry; and
(iii) at least one power supply circuit; and
(b) a data interrogation device positioned in proximity to said sensor array, said interrogation device comprising second telemetry circuitry for data communication with said first telemetry circuitry of said sensor array.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for monitoring the effectiveness of a coating on a substrate surface and indicating the failure of the coating to adequately protect the surface from corrosion, degradation, and the like. The system includes a sensor array positioned in contact with the coating utilizing a number of sensor electrodes connected to a single integrated circuit or a number of separate individual sensor circuits. The electrodes of the sensor array make measurements of the electrochemical impedance characteristics of the coating and provide such data by way of telemetry to a data interrogation device that is periodically be placed in proximity to the sensor array. The interrogation device may serve to both power the sensor array and trigger it to acquire data. A nominal parameter N′, which is the product of the impedance magnitude and the phase angle, is utilized as a direct indication of the resistance and capacitance characteristics of the coating and therefore a direct indication of the coatings effectiveness.
-
Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A system for monitoring the effectiveness of a coating on a substrate surface, the system comprising:
-
(a) a sensor array positioned in contact with said coating, said sensor array comprising; (i) a plurality of sensor pins in contact with said coating; (ii) at least one sensor circuit connected across at least two of said sensor pins, said sensor circuit comprising signal generation circuitry for generating an electromagnetic signal across said at least two sensor pins, response signal metering circuitry for measuring a response electromagnetic signal across said at least two sensor pins, and first telemetry circuitry; and (iii) at least one power supply circuit; and (b) a data interrogation device positioned in proximity to said sensor array, said interrogation device comprising second telemetry circuitry for data communication with said first telemetry circuitry of said sensor array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A system for monitoring the effectiveness of a coating on a substrate surface, the system comprising:
-
(a) a sensor array positioned in contact with said coating and proximate to said substrate surface, said sensor array comprising a plurality of discrete sensor packages, each of said sensor packages comprising; (i) a plurality of sensor pins in contact with said coating electrically insulated from said substrate; (ii) a sensor circuit connected across at least two of said sensor pins, said sensor circuit comprising signal generation circuitry for generating an electromagnetic signal across said at least two sensor pins, response signal metering circuitry for measuring a response electromagnetic signal across said at least two sensor pins, digital signal processing circuitry, data storage circuitry and first telemetry circuitry, said first telemetry circuitry comprising radio frequency wireless telecommunication circuitry; and (iii) at least one power supply circuit, said at least one power supply circuit comprising an electromagnetic wave receiver; and (b) a data interrogation device positioned in proximity to said sensor array, said interrogation device comprising second telemetry circuitry for data communication with said first telemetry circuitry of said sensor array, said second telemetry circuitry comprising radio frequency wireless telecommunication circuitry, said data interrogation device further comprising an electromagnetic wave transmitter, wherein power to said sensor array is wirelessly transmitted from said interrogation device to said at least one power supply circuit.
-
-
18. A method for monitoring the effectiveness of a coating on a substrate surface, the method comprising:
-
positioning a sensor array within said coating and proximate to said substrate surface; generating an interrogating electrical signal and directing it into said coating from said sensor array; measuring electrical impedance by measuring signal magnitude and phase angle values from said interrogating electrical signal, wherein said signal magnitude is indicative of the resistivity of said coating and said phase angle is indicative of the capacitance of said coating; and multiplying said impedance magnitude and phase angle values to establish a nominal parameter N′
, the magnitude of said nominal parameter N′
providing a direct indication of the resistance and capacitance of said coating and therefore of the effectiveness of said coating on said substrate surface. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
-
30. A method for monitoring the effectiveness of a coating on a substrate surface, the method comprising:
-
positioning a sensor array within said coating and proximate to said substrate surface; generating an interrogating AC electrical signal and directing it into said coating from said sensor array; measuring electrical impedance by measuring signal magnitude and phase angle values from said interrogating electrical signal at a plurality of distinct frequencies; retaining said measured impedance data in at least one signal storage device positioned in conjunction with said sensor array; positioning a data interrogation device in proximity to said at least one signal storage device; providing a power source for said sensor array by wirelessly transmitting an electromagnetic wave from said data interrogation device to said sensor array; transferring said measured impedance data by wirelessly transmitting a radio frequency signal from said signal storage device to said data interrogation device; and multiplying said impedance magnitude and phase angle values to establish a nominal parameter N, the magnitude of said nominal parameter N providing a direct indication of the effectiveness of said coating on said substrate surface.
-
Specification