Monitoring of stress corrosion cracking
AssigneeCC Technologies Systems, Inc.
InventorsJohn A. Beavers, Neil G. Thompson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A corrosion monitoring apparatus and method for determining the corrosive effects of a chemical environment, having an environmental pressure, on a vessel containing the chemical environment. A probe is exposed to the environment and is made of a material substantially similar to that of which the vessel is made. The probe has a sealed internal chamber which contains a pressurized fluid which is monitored. A pressure transducer is in communication with the sealed internal chamber of the first probe for translating any pressure change within the chamber into a (preferably electrical) signal which is indicated by an electrical meter or similar device. Stress corrosion cracking of the probe causes fluid leakage and, therefore, a pressure change.
Claims15
An apparatus for monitoring corrosion of a first material exposed to a chemical environment having an environmental pressure, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a first probe exposed to said environment, the probe being made of a material substantially similar to the first material, and having a sealed internal chamber containing a pressurized fluid;
- (b) a second probe exposed to said environment, the probe being made of a material substantially similar to the first material, and having a sealed internal chamber containing a pressurized fluid, wherein the fluid is pressurized to a fluid pressure different than the fluid pressure in the first probe;
- and
- (c) a pressure transducer in communication with at least one of the sealed internal chambers.
A method of monitoring the corrosion of a first material exposed to a chemical environment having an environmental pressure, the method comprising:
- (a) pressurizing a fluid contained in a sealed internal chamber of a first probe to a first fluid pressure, the first probe being made of a material substantially similar to the first material;
- (b) pressurizing a fluid contained in a sealed internal chamber of a second probe to a second fluid pressure, said second pressure different from the first pressure, and the second probe being made of a material substantially similar to the first material;
- (c) exposing the first and second probes to said environment;
- and
- (d) monitoring the fluid pressure within at least one of the chambers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.