Optimising The Location Of Anodes In Cathodic Protection Systems

Abstract

Since cathodic protection (CP) systems were first applied, engineers have used experience and intensive monitoring to optimise their design to prevent corrosion. The use of sacrificial and impressed anodes on shlp's hull, offshore structures and pipelines has become standard practice in order to preserve the structure and to protect coatings. However, the correct position and current of the anodes is a subject, which has been recently studied by the scientific community, since its adequacy is of vital importance to the performance of the CP system as a whole. Incorrect currents and positions would lead to unprotected or overprotected areas. Optimisation methods combined with the Boundary Elements Technology have become a useful technique to analyse this situation. Up to now, studies have been carried out using few anodes to optirnise their current and positions on flat surfaces. Since the real structure of a vessel, for instance, is not flat, it is necessary to develop a tool which allows the optimisation of the anode position and the current no matter the shape of the model. In this paper, the development of thls tool and its performance is analysed on the studied of the hull of a fiigate.