UCORR® MARINE UTILITY CAST IRON ANODE
Marine structures requiring corrosion control utilize various types of Cathodic Protection (CP) system designs. Typical marine Impressed Current Cathodic Protection (ICCP) systems utilize conventional anode sleds which are comprised of conventional cylindrical anodes (designed for soil applications) fastened to concrete weights utilizing steel hooks. Considering the type and quantity of anodes utilized, each anode sled has one or more wires which are routed to a rectifier.
- The steel hooks utilized to fasten the anodes to concrete weights are typically made of carbon steel. Since the carbon steel hooks are in direct contact with the anodes and electrolyte, they act themselves as anodes and quickly corrode. As the steel hooks corrode, the anodes will become loose and detach from the sled.
- The corrosion products generated from the steel hooks/rods will cause cracks to form in the concrete weights due to the higher volume of material within the concrete/transition locations and damage the sled.
- When anode wires become disconnected, the anode sled current will decrease and the levels of protection will drop. Locating and repairing disconnected anode wires is extremely difficult and costly.
- Since the anode sit on a concrete platform, they are not in direct contact with the underwater mud. This means the protective current travels mainly across the seawater and protects the portion of the structure that is in direct contact with the seawater. Therefore, the portions of the structure that are buried will not receive sufficient current/protection.
- Increasing the number of cylindrical anodes in close proximity will increase the crowding factor, which increases anode sled resistance, reduces current flow, and ultimately lowers the efficiency of the anode sled. In order to overcome increased anode sled resistance, increases in ICCP system voltage are required. This voltage increase could create stray current interference to nearby structures.
- Due to the limited current capacity of conventional anode sleds, multiple anode sleds may be required to achieve adequate protection. This creates various complications when designing CP systems in marine environments.
The Ucorr® Marine Utility Cast Iron Anode is designed in a manner that the entire volume of the sled is comprised of anode material (high silicon cast iron), which eliminates the need for concrete weights. Only two wire connections are required, which are designed to increase durability/longevity of wire connections.