Probe for measuring the corrosion rate with Grand Prix INTARG 2022 | Faculty of Chemistry at the Gdańsk University of Technology

We are pleased to inform you about the award for the invention of the team of scientists from the Gdańsk Tech Faculty of Chemistry, under the supervision of prof. Kazimierz Darowicki, composed of: Juliusz Orlikowski, PhD, DSc, Eng., Grzegorz Lentka, PhD, DSc, Eng., Mateusz Cieślik, MSc, Andrzej Dul, Eng.

The team was supplemented by employees of the PKN ORLEN concern, Iwona Łuksa, MSc and Radoslaw Gospoś, MSc. The invention "Probe for measuring the corrosion rate" was created as a result of the KORMON project acquired by Polski Koncern Naftowy ORLEN S.A. (Polish Oil Consortium) as part of the INNOCHEM program.

During the 15th edition of the International Trade Fair for Inventions and Innovations INTARG® 2022, which took place on 12 May, this invention was recognized by the international jury and was awarded a platinum medal for the most valuable invention in the industrial sector. Moreover, it received the highest award - Grand Prix among all submitted inventions, the award was presented during the final gala - 272 inventions from 13 industries were submitted to the competition.

The awarded probe is an innovative integrated system of dual corrosion sensors that allows simultaneous monitoring of the uniform corrosion rate and steel hydration in real time (on-line). Such monitoring makes it possible to predict the lifetime of construction materials and significantly reduces the likelihood of emergencies that result in unplanned shutdown of an industrial plant due to corrosion or hydrogen embrittlement.

It should be mentioned that the cooperation between the Department of Electrochemistry, Corrosion and Materials Engineering and the PKN ORLEN concern has a long tradition and an extremely fruitful history. As part of this cooperation, over 40 research works and expert opinions were carried out.

We would like to congratulate prof. Darowicki and his team and we wish them further great successes.