Multiple coupon apparatus for cathodic protection testing

Abstract

A test coupon package suitable for a cathodic protection system includes a native test coupon and first and second active coupons. The active coupons may be biased with respect to the soil or other electrolytic medium in which a pipeline protected by the system resides. The first active coupon may have a surface area that will contact an electrolytic medium that is approximately equal to a surface area of the native test coupon that will contact the electrolytic medium. The surface area of the first active coupon may be substantially greater than a surface area of the second active coupon that will contact the electrolytic medium. The test coupon package may include an electrochemically stable reference electrode positioned between the first active coupon and the native coupon. The test coupon package may be substantially cylindrical and, in at least one embodiment, may include a conical nose connected to a first end of the test coupon package with the second active coupon attached to a narrow end of the conical nose.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.