Patent ID: 7388386
Filing Date: 2008-06-17
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A corrosion monitoring device for monitoring corrosion in equipment, comprising: a sensor element having a composition substantially the same as the equipment being monitored, said sensor element having a predetermined thickness; a backing element; a separator element disposed between said sensor element and said backing element, thereby forming a sensor assembly; a means for exposing said sensor element to a corrosion causing solution, wherein said sensor element undergoes a gradual loss of said predetermined thickness due to corrosive action of said solution; a means for applying an electric potential or current across said sensor assembly, wherein said separator element is configured to have a first impedance when corrosion has not penetrated through the thickness of said sensor element, and wherein said first impedance is reduced when said corrosion has penetrated through the thickness of said sensor element; and a digital output means for generating a binary signal having a first state when corrosion has not penetrated through the thickness of said sensor element and a second state when corrosion has penetrated through the thickness of said sensor element.