Sensor devices for structural health monitoring
First Claim
1. A device comprising:
- an electrochemical cell comprising a reference electrode, an ion selective electrode, and an electrolyte, wherein the electrolyte is configured to provide a medium for movement of ions and to maintain an electrical connection between the reference electrode and the ion selective electrode;
an enclosure including a permeable concrete membrane configured to allow an ion to pass into the electrolyte from outside of the device, wherein the enclosure contains the electrochemical cell;
a sensor configured to determine a potential difference between the reference electrode and the ion selective electrode; and
a transponder in electrical communication with the sensor, wherein the transponder is configured to transmit a wireless signal that includes the potential difference and an identifier associated with the device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Described herein are wireless interrogation systems and methods that rely on a complementary sensing device and interrogator. The sensing device is disposed to measure a parameter indicative of the health of a structure. A sensor reading from the sensor indicates the level of a parameter being monitored or whether one or more particular physical or chemical events have taken place. Using wireless techniques, the interrogator probes the device to determine its identity and its current sensor reading. This often includes transmission of a wireless signal through portions of the structure. When activated, the device responds with a wireless signal that identifies the device and contains information about the parameter being measured or a particular sensor state corresponding to the parameter. The identity of the device allows it to be distinguished from a number of similar devices. Thus this invention finds particular usefulness in the context of an array of devices that can be probed by a wireless interrogation unit. In one embodiment, the devices are passive and derive power from the interrogation signal.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A device comprising:
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an electrochemical cell comprising a reference electrode, an ion selective electrode, and an electrolyte, wherein the electrolyte is configured to provide a medium for movement of ions and to maintain an electrical connection between the reference electrode and the ion selective electrode; an enclosure including a permeable concrete membrane configured to allow an ion to pass into the electrolyte from outside of the device, wherein the enclosure contains the electrochemical cell; a sensor configured to determine a potential difference between the reference electrode and the ion selective electrode; and a transponder in electrical communication with the sensor, wherein the transponder is configured to transmit a wireless signal that includes the potential difference and an identifier associated with the device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for monitoring a health of a structure, the system comprising:
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an array of devices, wherein each device in the array of devices is embedded in the structure, and wherein each device in the array of devices comprises; an electrochemical cell comprising a reference electrode, an ion selective electrode, and an electrolyte, wherein the electrolyte is configured to provide a medium for movement of ions between the reference electrode and the ion selective electrode; an enclosure including a port configured to allow the ions to pass into the electrolyte from outside of the device, wherein the port includes a permeable concrete membrane and the enclosure contains the electrochemical cell; a sensor configured to detect a parameter relating to the health of the structure and based at least in part on the ions that pass into the electrolyte; and a transponder in electrical communication with the sensor and configured to transmit a wireless signal to an interrogator, wherein the wireless signal includes the parameter and an identifier associated with the device; and the interrogator configured to receive the wireless signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method comprising:
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embedding a sensor device in a structure, wherein the sensor device includes a sensor configured to detect a value of a parameter relating to a health of the structure, wherein the value of the parameter is based at least in part on ions in an electrolyte, and wherein the electrolyte is configured to provide a medium for movement of ions between a reference electrode of the sensor device and an ion selective electrode of the sensor device; receiving an ion at the sensor device through a permeable concrete membrane of an enclosure configured to allow the ion to pass into the electrolyte from outside of the sensor device, wherein the enclosure contains the electrolyte; detecting the value of the parameter using the sensor; communicating the value of the parameter to an interrogator in response to a wireless interrogation signal received from the interrogator. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification