Corrosion sensor for monitoring and controlling lubricant acidity

A system comprising:

• a corrosion sensor comprising a metal-containing corrodible element which is corrodible in a lubricant having an acidity level, wherein the acidity level is a measure of lubricant degradation and the corrosion sensor is configured to measure lubricant degradation in real time, wherein, in response to increasing corrosion, the metal-containing corrodible element is configured to release metal ions into the lubricant to control the acidity level, further wherein the increasing corrosion is associated with increasing resistance of the metal-containing corrodible element, wherein the corrosion sensor further comprises a reference corrodible element having a corrosion level of substantially zero;
• an electronic module connected to the corrosion sensor for receiving and analyzing data from the corrosion sensor, including data about the acidity level;
• and
• an output device coupled to the electronic module to display information related to the acidity level, the information based on the increasing resistance of the metal-containing corrodible element.

A method comprising:

• with a corrosion sensor having a metal-containing corrodible element, sensing data pertaining to acidity of a lubricant, wherein the acidity level is a measure of lubricant degradation and the corrosion sensor is configured to measure lubricant degradation in real time;
• allowing the corrodible element to corrode, wherein, in response to increasing corrosion, the metal-containing corrodible element releases metal ions into the lubricant to control the acidity level, wherein the increasing corrosion is associated with increasing resistance of the metal-containing corrodible element;
• comparing an amount of corrosion with a reference corrodible element in communication with the corrosion sensor and having a corrosion level of substantially zero;
• determining an acidity level with the corrosion sensor;
• and
• providing acidity level data sensed by the corrosion sensor to an electronic module, the data based on the increasing resistance of the metal-containing corrodible element.