Ruggedized Sensor System Monitoring Oceanographic Chemical Parameters

Impressed Current Cathodic Protection (ICCP) is the standard method utilized by the U.S. Navy for the corrosion protection of hulls of fleet ships and submarines in seawater. This control system responds to the electrochemical polarization demand of these surfaces, and employs feedback voltage from silver/silver chloride reference electrodes, measured against the voltage of the ships hull. Evolution of electrochemical cathodic surface polarization, as well as environmental instability of reference electrodes, is a direct product of seawater chemistry in the hydrodynamic boundary layer on the hull. In-situ monitoring of oceanographic chemical parameters is needed for accurate ICCP operation.Lynntech proposes the development of a ruggedized Lab on a Chip (LoC) sensor, which will be implemented into existing ICCP reference cell package. During the Phase I project, feasibility will be demonstrated through simultaneous sensing of the key oceanographic chemical parameters, pertinent to corrosion control, on an integrated circuit package in a laboratory environment. During the Phase II project, a prototype Lab on a Chip sensor package will be developed and integrated into a shipboard ICCP reference electrode holder to demonstrate sensor operation for a minimum of six months in a natural seawater environment.