Cordex Instruments have designed a sensing system that detects corrosion in pipes that are placed above the ground and carry toxic substances. The system functions along with high frequency passive RFID tags.
The important component of the system is the UT5000, which is a combination of an RFID reader and an ultrasonic transceiver. Passive RFID tags, which are supplied with the detection system, can be joined to the pipes. A software to load and compile the data at the users end is provided by Cordex. The monitoring system sends information about the condition of the pipes such as the rate of pipe degradation and the frequency of maintenance and inspection to be scheduled.
UT5000
By implementing the new sensing system, companies that use pipes in corrosive environments would be able to gather the data on the quality of pipes faster than before and the data supplied to the inspectors is organized and free from human errors.
After attaching the RFID tag to the pipes through screws or by sticking, the RFID tag is first read with the UT5000 and the unique ID number of the tag is deciphered. Next step is feeding in the information about the location of the pipe, its thickness etc. The UT5000 captures and records this information and can store up to 1,000 readings.
Cordex supplies a camera along with the system for inspectors to visually monitor the pipes. The captured image is then loaded into the office database along with the ID number and sensor data. The information is finally loaded into the Cordex Connect Predictive Maintenance System software, which gives alerts of different colors to indicate the extent of damage in the pipe and the need for replacement or maintenance. The data collected can be of great help in identifying the trends and chalking out a preventive-maintenance program.