An entrepreneurial PhD student has been supported in his efforts to market breakthrough sensing technology in response to the industrial need for remote corrosion inspection and monitoring. We also supported him to develop and file a patent application for this new technology.

Key Facts

    • Breakthrough sensing technology has been developed and a patent application filed by us in response to the industrial need for remote corrosion inspection and monitoring.

    • It was based on an idea by one of our PhD students, Prafull Sharma, and Emeritus Professor Hoi Yeung.

    • A spin out company, Corrosion Radar, was runner-up in the Excellence in the field of Environmental Technology Research Award at CleanEquity Monaco 2016.

  • Funded by Prafull received a £15,000 loan from our Pre-seed Fund.

Impact of our research

Based on an idea by one of our PhD students, Prafull Sharma, breakthrough sensing technology has been developed and a patent application filed by us.

This means large cost savings for owners and operators of natural gas and oil pipelines, power plants and refineries, utilities, and other facilities with buried or insulated pipe and storage tanks.

A spin out company, Corrosion Radar, was runner-up at CleanEquity Monaco 2016 in the Excellence in the field of Environmental Technology Research Award.

Why the research was commissioned

There is an industrial need for remote corrosion inspection and monitoring which enables the pinpointing of corrosion in the most difficult, inhospitable and inaccessible environments including pipe racks, pipe bends and buried pipelines.

Why Cranfield?

Once Prafull’s initial idea had been proven in the laboratory, he attended one of the Bettany Centre’s startup weekends to explore routes to market.

Then when the potential for commercialisation was clear, the idea was pitched at Cranfield Venture Day where it attracted a £15,000 loan from our Pre-seed Fund.

With continued mentoring from the Bettany Centre for the entrepreneur and his venture, our Research and Innovation Office (RIO) has coordinated the ongoing patent application and the process of spinning out.

Facilities used

Prafull’s passion for the idea prompted him to put his own money in the proof of concept and he then went on to develop the prototype. Backed by his prior industrial experience, Prafull’s belief in the idea was so strong that he himself bought some of the measurement equipment to prove the technology.