Solid State Reference Electrodes

Refex (Ireland) reference sensors are designed for arduous application particularly where fouling or poisoning conditions exist. The reference uses a highly stable non-porous polymeric interface in place of the traditional porous liquid junction used by all conventional reference electrodes.

The active reference area is the whole of the outside surface of the electrode, this super large contact area means that the electrode is supremely resistant to coatings. Poisoning effects are eliminated because the polymeric reference material is ionically conductive, but is not porous,
consequently electrolyte and process fluids are not exchanged.

The Refex electrode is exceptionally resistant to applications containing poisons such as cyanide, ammonia and sulphides. This immunity is achieved because the polymeric reference is ionically conductive but not porous and prevents elements of the process from contaminating the electrode causing drift and inevitable failure.

Petrolium Refining - Sour Water Stripper
Used to remove ammonia and dissolved hydrogen sulphide from sour water the stripper prevents a challenging pH measurement application. The stripper is operated at around 80ºC to facilitate removal of the gases. Hydrogen sulphide can block the reference by precipitating silver whilst ammonia and cyanide poison the reference by forming a complex with the silver ion. These effects can be so severe that traditional references may last only days. The Refex sensor is not porous so does not suffer these effects because the polymeric reference is a non porous, impermiable barrier to the poisoning process chemicals. Refex lifetime in this application typically exceeds 12 months.

Municiple Waste Water Treatment
Sulphides also build up in waste water systems due to the anaerobic (without oxygen) conditions that commonly occur. As with sour water in the petroluim industry the non porous Refex reference is a barrier to the disolved sulfides, it prevents any precipitation of silver and so is not effected by the pronounced drift and failure that will rapidly destroy traditional porous reference systems.