Patent ID: 8888976
Filing Date: 2014-11-18
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A corrosion resistance evaluator comprising: (i) a chamber for retaining an electrolyte therein; (ii) an anode holder located on said chamber for testing corrosion resistance of an anode coating applied over a surface of an anode such that when said anode is sealably positioned in said anode holder, a portion of said anode coating is exposed to said electrolyte, said portion of said anode coating having an anode defect thereon; (iii) a cathode holder located on said chamber for testing corrosion resistance of a cathode coating applied over a surface of a cathode such that when said cathode is sealably positioned in said cathode holder, a portion of said cathode coating is exposed to said electrolyte, said portion of said cathode coating having a cathode defect thereon; (iii) a direct current variable power generator with DC output leads that connect to said cathode and said anode for applying desired DC voltages for desired durations across said cathode, said electrolyte and said anode; (iv) a direct current measurement device for measuring DC voltage across said cathode, said electrolyte and said anode; (v) an alternating current variable power generator with AC output leads that connect to said cathode and anode for applying desired AC voltages at variable frequencies for desired durations across said cathode, said electrolyte and said anode; (vi) an impedance measurement device for measuring impedance across said cathode, said electrolyte and said anode; (vii) a computer usable storage medium located in a computer, which is in communication said direct current variable power generator, said direct current measurement device, said alternating current variable power generator and said impedance measurement device, wherein computer readable program code means reside in said computer usable storage medium, said computer readable program code means comprising: (a) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to subject said portions of said anode coating and said cathode coating to a start-up period; (b) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to direct said impedance measurement device to measure n1 set of impedances A during said start-up period at preset intervals, wherein each said set of ac impedances A are measured at preset frequencies ranging from 100000 to 10 (c) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to determine start-up solution resistances ( (d) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to determine start-up resistances ( (e) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to direct said direct current variable power generator to apply n2 preset DC voltages in a stepwise manner for n2 preset durations, wherein said direct current measurement device in communication with said computer and connected to said cathode and said anode is used to measure said preset DC voltages; (f) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to direct said impedance measurement device to measure a set of impedances B at the end of each of said preset duration at said preset frequencies of AC power supplied by said alternating current variable power generator to produce n2 said sets of said impedances B; (g) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to determine stepped-up solution resistances ( (h) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to determine stepped-up resistances ( (i) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to subject said portions of said anode coating and said cathode coating to n3 preset recovery periods in between each of said preset durations; (j) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to direct said impedance measurement device to measure a set of impedances C at the end of each of said preset recovery periods at said preset frequencies of AC power supplied by said alternating current variable power generator to produce n3 said sets of said impedances C; (k) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to determine recovery solution resistances ( (l) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to determine recovery resistances ( (m) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to calculate corrosion performance resistance (R  wherein n1, n2, n3 and n3 range from 1 to 100; and (n) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to: