US 12,007,322 B2
Corrosion sensors suitable for corrosion under insulation (CUI) detection
Leonardo J. Caseres, Boerne, TX (US); James F. Dante, San Antonio, TX (US); and Sergey A. Vinogradov, San Antonio, TX (US)
Assigned to SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE, San Antonio, TX (US)
Filed by Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX (US)
Filed on Oct. 6, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/450,092.
Prior Publication US 2023/0109269 A1, Apr. 6, 2023
Int. Cl. G08B 7/06 (2006.01); G01N 17/04 (2006.01); G08B 3/10 (2006.01); G08B 5/36 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 17/04 (2013.01) [G08B 3/10 (2013.01); G08B 5/36 (2013.01); G08B 7/06 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sensor system for determining corrosion of a pipe/vessel, the pipe/vessel having a coating layer on the outer surface thereof and an insulating layer disposed over the coating layer, the sensor system comprising:
a sensor device comprising:
a first sensor element comprising a first metal;
a second sensor element comprising a second metal, the first metal being different from the second metal;
one or a plurality of sleeve members to maintain a first predetermined distance between the first and second sensor elements and provide at least one sensing region between the first and second sensor elements; and
wherein the first and second sensor elements are configured to electrically couple with each other based on an electrically conductive solution being disposed in the at least one sensing region and causing a galvanic current to be induced between the first and second sensor elements; and
a sensor dispenser having a bore with a diameter greater than the sensor device to house the sensor device, the sensor dispenser configured to penetrate the insulation of the pipe/vessel and deliver the sensor device to the pipe/vessel so that the sensor device is disposed between the coating layer on the outer surface of the pipe/vessel and the insulation.