Polymeric nanocomposite based sensor and coating systems and their applications

A sensor system comprising:

• a first layer and a second layer, the first layer comprising parallel conductive filaments oriented in a first direction, and the second layer comprising parallel conductive filaments oriented in a second direction different from the first direction, each of the first layer and the second layer including a stimulus sensitive material arranged to connect the parallel conductive filaments of the respective layer, the stimulus sensitive material having a resistivity which changes with exposure to a stimulus, the stimulus including at least one of:
• presence of a hydrocarbon, temperature, pressure, stress, or strain on the stimulus sensitive material;
• an insulating layer between and separating the first layer and the second layer;
• and
• a first signal conditioning module connected to the parallel conductive filaments of the first layer and configured to measure resistance between adjacent parallel conductive filaments of the first layer;
• and
• a second signal conditioning module connected to the parallel conductive filaments of the second layer and configured to measure resistance between adjacent parallel conductive filaments of the second layer.

A sensor system comprising:

• a first layer, a second layer and a third layer, the first layer comprising parallel conductive filaments oriented in a first direction, the second layer comprising parallel conductive filaments oriented in a second direction different from the first direction, and the third layer comprising parallel conductive filaments oriented in a third direction, each of the first layer, the second layer and the third layer including a stimulus sensitive material arranged to connect the parallel conductive filaments of the respective layer, the stimulus sensitive material having a resistivity which changes with exposure to a hydrocarbon;
• an insulating layer between and separating the first layer and the second layer;
• the third layer being separated from the first layer and the second layer by a known thickness of a medium permeable to the hydrocarbon;
• a first signal conditioning module connected to the parallel conductive filaments of the first layer and configured to measure resistance between adjacent parallel conductive filaments of the first layer;
• a second signal conditioning module connected to the parallel conductive filaments of the second layer and configured to measure resistance between adjacent parallel conductive filaments of the second layer;
• and
• a third signal conditioning module connected to the parallel conductive filaments of the third layer and configured to measure resistance between adjacent parallel conductive filaments of the third layer;

A sensor system comprising:

• a first layer and a second layer, the first layer comprising parallel conductive filaments oriented in a first direction, and the second layer comprising parallel conductive filaments oriented in a second direction, each of the first layer and the second layer including a stimulus sensitive material arranged to connect the parallel conductive filaments of the respective layer, the stimulus sensitive material having a resistivity which changes with exposure to a hydrocarbon;
• the first layer being separated from the third layer by a known thickness of a medium permeable to the hydrocarbon;
• and
• a first signal conditioning module connected to the parallel conductive filaments of the first layer and configured to measure resistance between adjacent parallel conductive filaments of the first layer;
• and
• a second signal conditioning module connected to the parallel conductive filaments of the second layer and configured to measure resistance between adjacent parallel conductive filaments of the second layer.

A coating for a pipeline, the coating comprising:

• a fusion bond epoxy layer adjacent to an outer surface of the pipeline;
• a sensor layer;
• and
• an adhesive layer bonding the sensor layer to the fusion bond epoxy layer.

A coating for a pipeline comprising:

• a fusion bond epoxy layer adjacent to an outer surface of the pipeline;
• a polyolefin layer;
• an adhesive layer bonding the polyolefin layer to the fusion bond epoxy layer;
• and
• a sensor layer bonded to the polyolefin layer.

A sensor system for an underground structure having a cathodic protection system, the sensor system comprising:

• a stimulus sensitive material with a resistance which changes with exposure to a stimulus, the stimulus including at least one of:
• presence of a hydrocarbon, temperature, pressure, stress, or strain on the stimulus sensitive material;
• a first electrical connection to a first part of the structure or of the cathodic protection system, and a second electrical connection to a second part of the structure or of the cathodic protection system, the first part and the second part caused to have different voltages by the cathodic protection system;
• the first electrical connection and the second electrical connection arranged to supply the different voltages to different locations separated by the stimulus sensitive material;
• and
• a measurement device configured to measure an electrical response to the supply of the different voltages to the different locations to measure the resistance of the stimulus sensitive material.

A method of detecting a liquid hydrocarbon leak, the method comprising:

• positioning a sensor to be exposed to a liquid hydrocarbon leak from a potential hydrocarbon leak source, the sensor including a stimulus sensitive material with a resistivity that changes with exposure to hydrocarbons;
• detecting a resistance change in the stimulus sensitive material;
• measuring a characteristic of an onset of the resistance change;
• comparing the characteristic of the onset of the resistance change to an expected characteristic of the onset of the resistance change for an expected contents of the potential hydrocarbon leak source;
• and
• signaling an alarm on the characteristic of the onset matching the expected characteristic.

A method of detecting a gaseous hydrocarbon leak, the method comprising:

• positioning a sensor to be exposed to a gaseous hydrocarbon leak from a potential hydrocarbon leak source, the sensor including a stimulus sensitive material with a resistivity that changes with exposure to hydrocarbons;
• detecting a resistance change in the stimulus sensitive material;
• measuring the amount of the resistance change;
• comparing the amount of the resistance change to an expected amount of resistance change for an expected contents of the potential hydrocarbon leak source;
• and
• signaling an alarm on the amount of the resistance change matching the expected amount of the resistance change.