Patent Number: 
Section: description

Illustrated schematically in FIG. 1 is an ECP sensor 10 configured for measuring electrochemical corrosion potential of reactor surfaces in circulating water 12 inside the pressure vessel of a conventional boiling water nuclear reactor 14, shown in relevant part. The sensor includes a tubular ceramic probe 16 having a closed tip 16a in the form of a cup at a distal end of the probe packed with a dry metal and metal oxide mixture or powder 18. A metal support tube 20 has a distal end receiving an opposite, proximal end of the probe for support thereof, and is joined thereto by a braze joint 22 therewith. The support tube 20 may be formed of conventional alloy 42 or Invar, for example. The braze joint may be a conventional alloy, such as silver, copper, and titanium alloy. The support tube 20 is typically welded coaxially with a secondary support tube 20b typically formed of stainless steel. An electrical conductor 24 extends coaxially through the support tubes 20, 20b and the probe 16, and has a distal end buried in the powder 18 for electrical contact therewith. A coaxially electrical cable 26 extends through a suitable sealing collar 28 at the proximal of the secondary tube 20b and is suitably joined to the electrical conductor 24 inside the sensor. The cable 26 is suitably routed to a conventional digital volt meter 30 for measuring electrochemical corrosion potential. The sensor 10 as above described is conventional in configuration and operation in the reactor. In one embodiment, the powder 18 is a mixture of iron and iron oxide (Fe/Fe3O4) for providing a constant reference potential of xe2x88x92820 mV vs standard hydrogen electrode (SHE) at 288xc2x0 C. in high purity water. As indicated above, this type of sensor is subject to thermal shock and corrosion at the braze joint 22 during operation, but for the improvement in accordance with the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, a ceramic band 32 is selectively applied around the perimeter of the sensor for bridging the probe and support tube at the braze joint for covering and sealing thereof. The band 32 preferably locally coats the probe and support tube at the braze joint and is spaced from the remainder of the probe including its tip 16a.  The ceramic probe 16 may be formed of magnesia-stabilized-zirconia (MSZ) or yttria-stabilized-zirconia (YSZ) which have different coefficients of thermal expansion than that of the metal support tube 20, and that of the braze joint 22. The ceramic band 32 is preferably also zirconia, such as MSZ or YSZ for matching the coefficient of thermal expansion of the ceramic probe. Since the band 32, like the probe 16, has a different coefficient of thermal expansion than that of the support tube 20 and braze joint 22, it is preferably applied locally or selectively solely at the exposed end of the braze joint 22 between the probe and support tube. In one embodiment, the ceramic band 32 is directly bonded to the probe and tube at the braze joint in a coating effected using conventional plasma spraying equipment. The band 32 thusly provides an intimate bond with the probe and support tube for providing an effective seal at the juncture therebetween in which is found the braze joint 22. A relatively thin coating of the ceramic band 32 of about 5-10 mils thick (0.13-0.25 mm) provides thermal shock and corrosion protection of the braze joint for extending the useful life of the sensor. The coating band may be applied using plasma spraying in vacuum or in air to produce a relatively high density coating of up to about 97% density. The thin and narrow band of ceramic coating accommodates differential thermal expansion and contraction between the probe and the support tube for reducing the likelihood of cracking thereat. FIG. 2 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the sensor illustrated in FIG. 1 in which a bond coating 34 is firstly applied at the junction of the probe and support tube for enhancing the adherence of the ceramic band 32 atop the metal support tube 20. In either embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the surfaces of the probe and support tube are prepared using conventional grit blasting, followed in turn by the bond coating 34, if used, and the ceramic band 32. The bond coating 34 may be about the same thickness as that of the ceramic band 32 and is also locally applied in the immediate region of the junction between the probe and the support tube. The bond coating may be conventionally applied, such as by plasma spraying. And any suitable bond coating may be used, such as Nickel 210, which is a nickel-chrome-iron-aluminum alloy, or MCrAlY alloy, where M is nickel-cobalt-iron or nickel-cobalt alloy. The bond coating 34 underlays in most part the ceramic band for improving its adherence to at least the metal support tube. In a preferred embodiment, the powder 18 is a mixture of iron and iron oxide trapped within a MSZ ceramic probe 16 brazed to an alloy 42 support tube 20. The ceramic band 32 is preferably YSZ. In alternate embodiments, the powder 18 may be a mixture of copper and copper oxide (Cu/Cu2O), or a mixture of nickel and nickel oxide (Ni/NiO), both in corresponding MSZ probes 16. The ceramic band 32 thusly provides a hermetic water seal at the braze joint, and a thermal barrier providing thermal insulation. YSZ is the preferred material for the band 32 as having had proven resistance to high temperature and high flow water under high radiation environments in nuclear reactors. The YSZ ceramic band 32 additionally provides electrical insulation for preventing the formation of a corrosion cell, even after long term exposure to high temperature water under various water chemistry conditions possible in a nuclear reactor environment. The YSZ ceramic coating therefore has proven stability for this hostile environment. While there have been described herein what are considered to be preferred and exemplary embodiments of the present invention, other modifications of the invention shall be apparent to those skilled in the art from the teachings herein, and it is, therefore, desired to be secured in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, what is desired to be secured by letters patent of the united states is the invention as defined and differentiated in the following claims in which we claim: