Online monitoring of sedimentation in salt spray tests

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2022/5/25 Viewed：

Regarding salt spray tests, relevant test standards strictly regulate the testing conditions. For instance, GB/T 10125-2021 Salt Spray Tests for Corrosion Tests in Artificial Atmospheres (corresponding to ISO 9227-2017) specifies clear criteria for test temperature, sedimentation rate, concentration of collected solution, and pH value.

For salt spray test equipment, GB/T 5170.8-2017 Inspection Methods for Environmental Test Equipment, Part 8: Salt Spray Test Equipment, explicitly states eight inspection items: temperature deviation, temperature fluctuation, temperature uniformity, temperature indication error, temperature overshoot, temperature recovery time after overshoot, salt mist sedimentation rate, and noise.

Clearly, the sedimentation rate is an indispensable condition for salt spray tests and a critical parameter for the salt spray test equipment.Traditionally, monitoring the sedimentation rate involves fixing an 80cm² funnel near the spray device and another at a distance, connecting the funnel spout to tubing that leads the collected solution outside the test chamber and into a graduated cylinder for measurement. During each test, experimenters periodically check and record the volume of the collected solution before emptying the cylinder for continuous collection at the next time interval.

The traditional method for monitoring sedimentation rates involves installing funnels within the chamber, which takes up fixed physical space and impedes the full utilization of the testing area. The necessity for experimental staff to be present at specific locations and times to record sedimentation rate data means that anomalies cannot be promptly detected, and the data cannot be directly digitalized. Furthermore, instances of overflowing measuring cylinders can lead to invalidated data and potential contamination of either the equipment or the laboratory environment, especially when data is not recorded in a timely manner. Moreover, the need to drill holes in the testing equipment for drainage and allocate space for the placement of measuring cylinders can compromise the aesthetic unity and integrated appearance of the equipment.Therefore, if an online monitoring method were available, similar to how temperature sensors monitor temperature, sedimentation rates could be directly and intuitively displayed and recorded on the Human-Machine Interface . This would enable immediate detection of abnormal sedimentation rates during experiments, reduce the workload for laboratory personnel, and elevate the digitalization level of the equipment.

Against this backdrop, we have specifically developed an online sedimentation rate recorder, which, after multiple rounds of refinement, is now compatible with the latest systems. Standard equipment can accommodate up to two monitoring points, while customized devices can support up to eight monitoring points. The online sedimentation rate recorder allows for free movement within the test chamber, unconstrained by fixed positions. The sedimentation rate data is updated every 10 minutes and displayed and recorded on the Human-Machine Interface. Moreover, it is possible to set upper and lower limit alarm values for the sedimentation rate.

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