LF-8117 - RH and Temp Control in Standards

In LF-8116, "A New Era in Corrosion Testing," we discussed a short history of modern atmospheric corrosion testing and recent advances in the field. In this article we will cover a topic which generates many questions from laboratory technicians and researchers who operate corrosion test chambers: how relative humidity and temperature are measured and controlled in these devices. The loose, and sometimes poor, descriptions of relative humidity measurement and control in corrosion test standards have led to significant confusion in the testing community. Device manufacturers have implemented various measurement techniques, each representing a reasonable interpretation of the standards but which may or may not yield similar results to one another. Adding to the confusion, the very need for control of relative humidity is not as clear as one might expect of a modern test standard. Finally, what is the role of laboratory conditions in meeting the requirements of the standards?

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