Mesofluidic impedimetric sensor for stainless steel scale analysis
The main object of this disclosure is to enable real-time impedimetric detection which provides greater sensitivity to scale formation in stainless steel tubes, as minimal changes on the capillary surface are detected in the form of an increase in the overall impedance of the system for systems in flow with real-time detection. Thus, the apparatus of the present disclosure includes at least one potentiostat, at least one working electrode (WE), at least one reference electrode (RE) and at least one counter electrode (CE), and at least one tube with an opening adapted to pass a fluid flow and at least two polymeric connectors at the ends, in which the working electrode is connected to the inlet of said tube.
1 . A mesofluidic impedimetric sensor comprising:
one or more potentiostat;
one or more working electrode (WE), one or more reference electrode (RE), and one or more counter electrode (CE);
one or more tubes having a diameter between 0.01 and 2.0 mm, an opening adapted to pass
a fluid flow, and two or more polymeric connectors at ends thereof;
wherein the one or more working electrode is connected to an entrance of the one or more tubes.
2 . The mesofluidic impedimetric sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more working electrode (WE) comprises a stainless steel capillary.
3 . The mesofluidic impedimetric sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more reference electrode (RE) comprises Ag/AgCl electrode.
4 . The mesofluidic impedimetric sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more counter electrode (CE) comprises a platinum wire.
5 . The mesofluidic impedimetric sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the two or more polymeric connectors each comprises a polypropylene material.
6 . The mesofluidic impedimetric sensor according to claim 1 , wherein a scale is formed on the one or more working electrode (WE) through chronoamperometry.
7 . The mesofluidic impedimetric sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the mesofluidic impedimetric sensor provides real-time impedimetric detection in a mesofluidic system when fluid flows through the opening and the one or more tubes.
8 . The mesofluidic impedimetric sensor according to claim 7 , wherein the mesofluidic system includes one or more pipelines, and wherein the fluid flow includes crude oil.
9 . A method using the mesofluidic impedimetric sensor according to claim 1 , the method comprising determining in real-time relative impedance changes in a mesofluidic system having the mesofluidic impedimetric sensor connected thereto as indicative of scaling along inner surfaces of the one or more tubes when fluid flows therethrough.
10 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising determining efficiency of one or more antifouling agents when present in the fluid flow through the one or more tubes.