Three main corrosion monitoring techniques are used to measure process fluid corrosivity. For the majority of industrial applications, Electrical Resistance (ER) Probes and Corrosion Coupons (CC) are most widely used, since these techniques can be applied to nearly all process environments. These devices provide a basic measurement of metal loss, but require that a significant time base be used before an accurate value of corrosion rate can be determined. In conductive electrolytes, the Lkar Polarization Resistance (LPR) probe technique maybe employed. This technique has the advantage of providing instantaneous measurement of corrosion rate, but because of its electrochemical nature, cannot be applied in many process environments where monitoring is required. Newer techniques seek to provide both the instantaneous corrosion rate information offered by the LPR technique, as well as the universal applicability of the ER technique. This paper describes initial test results of a new corrosion monitoring technology which shows considerable promise in achieving these objectives. Under trial testing, sensitivities considerably greater than that of ER
technology have been apparent. For industrial monitoring situations, this technology now approaches the instantaneous corrosion rate measurement offered by the LPR technique. In addition, since the
fundamental parameter measured by this new technique is metal loss, it has the advantage of being applicable to all process environments.
Keywords: corrosion monitoring, rapid technique, electrical resistance, linear polarization resistance