Control of industrial water treatment via digital imaging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10598574-B2
Application number	US-201715654003-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2017
Priority date	Jul 19, 2016
Publication date	Mar 24, 2020
Grant date	Mar 24, 2020

Abstract

A method of analyzing a substrate contacting a fluid present in an industrial system is provided. The method comprises creating a series of digital images of the substrate while contacting the fluid present in the industrial system. A region of interest in the series of digital images of the substrate is defined. A corrosion feature in the region of interest in the series of digital images of the substrate is identified. The corrosion feature in the region of interest in the series of digital images of the substrate is analyzed to determine a corrosion trend of the industrial system. In certain embodiments of the method, the fluid is industrial water, and the industrial system is an industrial water system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of analyzing a substrate contacting fluid present in an industrial system, the method comprising:
creating a digital image of the substrate while the substrate contacts the fluid present in the industrial system;
defining a region of interest in the digital image of the substrate;
identifying a corrosion feature in the region of interest in the digital image of the substrate; and
analyzing the corrosion feature in the region of interest in the digital image of the substrate.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving the substrate in the industrial system to expose a second region of interest to digital imaging; and repeating the steps of the method.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is industrial water and the industrial system is an industrial water system.

4. A method of analyzing a substrate contacting fluid present in an industrial system, the method comprising:
creating a series of digital images of the substrate while the substrate contacts the fluid present in the industrial system;
defining a region of interest in the series of digital images of the substrate;
identifying a corrosion feature in the region of interest in the series of digital images of the substrate; and
analyzing the corrosion feature in the region of interest in the series of digital images of the substrate to determine a corrosion trend of the industrial system.

5. A method of analyzing a substrate contacting industrial water present in an industrial water system, the method comprising:
treating the industrial water of the industrial water system with a corrosion inhibitor;
creating a series of digital images of the substrate while the substrate contacts the industrial water present in the industrial water system;
defining a region of interest in the series of digital images of the substrate;
identifying a corrosion feature in the region of interest in the series of digital images of the substrate;
analyzing the corrosion feature in the region of interest in the series of digital images of the substrate to determine a corrosion trend of the industrial water system; and
acting based on the analysis of the corrosion feature in the region of interest in the series of digital images of the substrate.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising measuring a parameter of the industrial water present in the industrial water system selected from pH, conductivity, oxidation-reduction potential, linear polarization resistance, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising estimating the surface area of the corrosion feature.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising estimating pit depth of the corrosion feature based on the estimated surface area of the corrosion feature.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising estimating pit depth of the corrosion feature based on a one-dimensional measurement of the corrosion feature.

10. The method of claim 5 , further comprising identifying a plurality of corrosion features in the region of interest.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising counting the plurality of corrosion features.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising counting and tracking the plurality of corrosion features.

13. The method of claim 5 , wherein the substrate is a corrosion coupon.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the corrosion coupon is capable of undergoing an ASTM corrosion test.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the corrosion coupon is constructed of a metal selected from steel, iron, aluminum, copper, brass, nickel, and related alloys.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the metal is steel selected from mild steel, stainless steel, carbon steel, and related alloys.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the steel is mild steel.

18. The method of claim 5 , wherein the acting comprises at least one of increasing dosage of corrosion inhibitor, selecting a different corrosion inhibitor, modifying the corrosion inhibitor, altering a physical property of the industrial water system, and shutting down the industrial water system.

19. The method of claim 5 , wherein the analyzing of the corrosion feature of the region of interest of the series of digital images comprises classifying corrosion on the substrate according to color profile of the region of interest or subregion thereof of at least one of the series of digital images.

20. The method of claim 5 , further comprising moving the substrate in the industrial system to expose a second region of interest to digital imaging; and repeating the steps of the method.

Assignees

• Ecolab Usa Inc

Inventors

• Von Drasek William A
• Wang Xuejun

Classifications

• G01J3/00

  Spectrometry; Spectrophotometry; Monochromators; Measuring colours · CPC title

• G01J3/2823

  Imaging spectrometer · CPC title

• G01N21/75

  Systems in which material is subjected to a chemical reaction, the progress or the result of the reaction being investigated (systems in which material is burnt in a flame or plasma G01N21/72, G01N21/73) · CPC title

• A61B5/00

  Measuring for diagnostic purposes (radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00); Identification of persons · CPC title

• G01N1/40 Primary

  Concentrating samples · CPC title