The field of corrosion measurement, control, and prevention covers a very broad spectrum of technical activities. Within the sphere of corrosion control and prevention, there are technical options such as cathodic and anodic protection, materials selection, chemical dosing and the application of internal and external coatings. Corrosion measurement employs a variety of techniques to determine how corrosive the environment is and at what rate metal loss is being experienced. Corrosion measurement is the quantitative method by which the effectiveness of corrosion control and prevention techniques can be evaluated and provides the feedback to enable corrosion control and prevention methods to be optimized.
Corrosion monitoring is the practice of measuring the corrosivity of process stream conditions by the use of "probes" which are inserted into the process stream and which are continuously exposed to the process stream condition. Corrosion monitoring "probes" can be mechanical, electrical, or electrochemical devices. Corrosion monitoring techniques alone provide direct and online measurement of metal loss/corrosion rate in industrial process systems.
Some corrosion measurement techniques can be used on-line. In a well controlled and coordinated program, data from each source will be used to draw meaningful conclusions about the operational corrosion rates with the process system and how these are most effectively minimized. |
