Early detection of environmental conditions that will lead to creep corrosion on printed circuit boards in data centers

摘要

Apparatus and method for directly detecting the atmospheric conditions leading to creep corrosion of printed circuit boards (PCBs) well before the PCBs in the computers start suffering from creep corrosion. The embodiment indicates the propensity of the air towards creep corrosion on PCBs. Additionally, to avoid the false reading due to condensed moisture, condensed moisture may be avoided by using a heater attached to the creep corrosion monitor that keeps the creep corrosion monitor above the dew point temperature.

主权项

1. An apparatus to monitor environmental conditions that may lead to creep corrosion, the apparatus comprising:
a printed circuit board with inter-digitated comb patterns having spacing in between the patterns and a controlled level of organic acid flux contamination; a power supply and a high resistance resistor connected to the printed circuit board in series; a microprocessor connected across the high resistance resistor for monitoring changes in resistance of the circuit; and an alarm connected to the microprocessor wherein the alarm is activated when voltage in the circuit exceeds a threshold value.