Hydrogen patch cell

A hydrogen patch cell mountable on the diffusion side of a metallic wall being penetrated by hydrogen atoms, comprising:

• a. a body carrying an enclosure of insulating, impervious material forming a cavity, said cavity containing an electrolyte providing an electrochemical environment for conversion of hydrogen atoms to hydrogen ions;
• b. sealing means carried by an open end portion of said body for providing a fluid-tight seal to a metallic wall when said end portion is mounted in operative position on said metallic wall;
• c. a barrier carried in said body adjacent said open end portion, said barrier interposable between said cavity and the metallic wall and adjacent to said wall, said barrier being permeable to hydrogen atoms but inert and impermeable with respect to said electrolyte contained in said cavity;
• d. coupling material adapted to substantially fill all voids between said barrier and the metallic wall adjacent thereto, and said coupling material being noncorrosive to the metallic wall and permeable to hydrogen atoms;
• and
• e. electrode means internally carried by said body and extending externally for connection to external circuitry whereby electrochemical conversion of hydrogen atoms to hydrogen ions is produced in said electrolyte and hydrogen diffusion is determined, said electrode means including in said electrolyte a planar electrode coextensive with said barrier.

A hydrogen patch cell mountable on the diffusion side of a metallic wall being penetrated by hydrogen atoms, comprising:

• a. a body carrying an enclosure of insulating, impervious material forming a cavity, said cavity containing an electrolyte providing an electrochemical environment for conversion of hydrogen atoms to hydrogen ions, an open end portion on said body being adapted to conform to the surface configuration of a metallic wall;
• b. securing means associated with said body for holding said end portion in engagement with said metallic wall;
• c. sealing means on said body for providing a peripheral fluid-tight seal between said end portion and said metallic wall;
• d. a barrier integrally carried in said body adjacent said open end portion, said barrier being interposable between said cavity and said metallic wall and adjacent to said wall, said barrier being electrically conductive and permeable to hydrogen atoms but inert and impermeable with respect to said electrolyte;
• e. electrode means internally carried by said body and extending externally for connection to external circuitry whereby electrochemical conversion of hydrogen gas to hydrogen ions is produced in said electrolyte and hydrogen diffusion is determined;
• and
• f. means electrically insulating said electrode means from the metallic wall, said cell when mounted on a metallic wall, being separated therefrom only by pliant coupling material.

A hydrogen patch cell moutable on the diffusion side of a metallic wall being penetrated by hydrogen atoms, comprising:

• a. a body carrying an enclosure of insulating impervious material forming a cavity, said cavity containing an electrolyte, said electrolyte providing an electrochemical environment for conversion of hydrogen atoms to hydrogen ions;
• b. sealing means carried by an open end portion on said body for providing a fluid-tight seal between a metallic wall and said open end portion when said end portion is mounted in operative position on a metallic wall;
• c. a barrier integrally carried in said body adjacent said end portion and interposable between said cavity and the metallic wall, adjacent to said wall, said barrier being permeable to hydrogen atoms but inert and impermeable with respect to said electrolyte contained in said cavity;
• and
• d. electrode means internally carried by said body and extending externally for connection to external circuitry whereby electrochemical conversion of hydrogen atoms to hydrogen ions is produced in said electrolyte and hydrogen diffusion is determined, said electrode means including in said electrolyte a planar metal electrode coextensive with said barrier,
• said cell when mounted on a metallic wall, being separated therefrom only by pliant coupling material.

A hydrogen patch cell mountable on the diffusion side of a metallic wall being penetrated by hydrogen atoms, comprising:

• a. a body formed of an insulating material, said body defining a cavity, and having its open end portion adapted to conform to the surface configuration of a metallic wall, said cavity containing an electrolyte, said electrolyte providing an electrochemical environment for conversion of hydrogen atoms to hydrogen ions and said body being impervious to said electrolyte;
• b. sealing means on said body for providing a peripheral fluid-tight seal between said end portion and said metallic wall;
• c. a barrier adjacent said open end portion, said barrier being interposable between said cavity and said wall and adjacent thereto and separated from said wall only by pliant coupling material which substantially fills all voids between said barrier and said wall, said barrier being permeable to hydrogen atoms but inert and impermeable with respect to said electrolyte contained in said cavity;
• and
• d. electrode means carried internally by said body and extending externally for connection to external circuitry whereby electrochemical conversion of hydrogen atoms to hydrogen ions is produced in said electrolyte and hydrogen diffusion is determined, said electrode means including in said electrolyte a planar non-corroding metal electrode coextensive with said barrier.