HAVN TORFINN (NO)
| US4749627A | 1988-06-07 | |||
| US4216070A | 1980-08-05 | |||
| GB1564621A | 1980-04-10 |
| 1. | A corrosionprotected metal construction, e. g. in the form of a pipeline consisting of interconnected/welded pipe lengths (10, lOa, lOb, lOc, lOd) and, possibly, includable in a larger pipe system, and wherein said metal construc tion, for the purpose of corrosionprotection, is assigned one or more sacrificial anodes in the form of one or more bodies of a metal or metal alloy which is ignoble in rela tion to the (more noble/precious) metal to be corrosion protected, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said sacrificial anode body or each sacrificial anode body con stitutes a functional part of the metal construction. |
| 2. | A corrosionprotected metal construction, e. g. in the form of a pipeline (10,10a, 10b, lOc, lOd), as set forth in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the sacrificial anode body (10) constituting a functional part of the metal construction, e. g. in the form of a pipe length, consists of carbon steel, and that the steel to be pro tected in the construction consists of steel of Type 316L SS which is noble in relation to carbon steel. |
| 3. | A corrosionprotected metal construction, e. g. in the form of a pipeline (10,10a, 10b, 10c, 10d), as set forth in claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that, in the sacrifi cial anode pipe length (10) or in each sacrificial anode pipe length, respectively, is formed a pipe wall thickness reduction in the form of a nonthroughgoing bore (18), where a radially inwardly positioned pipe wall portion (20) thereof has a substantially less pipe wall thickness than full pipe wall thickness in the sacrificial anode pipe length (s) (10). |
| 4. | A corrosionprotected metal construction, e. g. in the form of a pipeline (10,10a, 10b, 10c, 10d), as set forth in claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the pipe wall thickness reduction in the form of a nonthrough going bore (18) externally is assigned a shutoff valve (24). |
| 5. | A corrosionprotected metal construction, e. g. in the form of a pipeline (10,10a, 10b, 10c, 10d), as set forth in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that an electric resistance has been disposed between the pipe length (s) (10) constituting sacrificial anode and adjacent pipe lengths (10a, lOb). |
| 6. | A corrosionprotected metal construction, e. g. in the form of a pipeline (10,10a, lOb, 10c, 10d), as set forth in claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said electric resistance is shaped and designed as and, simultaneously, serves as packing (14) between pipe length (s) (10) consti tuting a sacrificial anode and adjacent pipe lengths (10a, lOb). |
| 7. | A corrosionprotected metal construction, e. g. in the form of a pipeline (10,10a, 10b, 10c, 10d), as set forth in any one of the preceding claims, and where the pipeline's pipe lengths (10,10a, lOb, lOc, lOd) have annular end flanges (12), the opposed end faces thereof being kept separated by means of annular packings (14), c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that neighbouring pipe flange portions are interconnected by means of electric conductors (16). |
To combat corrosion, corrosion-protective measures are often taken. Such a step could consist in the use of sacrificial anodes. Another measure is the use of corrosion-resistant (stainless) high-quality steel. The use of high-quality steel, such as Titan or Duplex, is, however, very expensive.
When using sacrificial anodes well known constructively and functionally in connection with metal structures, bodies, sacrificial anodes, are used in the form of metal pieces made from a metal which is ignoble in relation to the metal to be protected, and which connects to metal structures subsea or in moist environment above water, in order to protect the metal structure against corrosion.
Sacrificial anodes are usually made from zinc, aluminium or magnesium alloys. They are consumed through anodic solution.
During its corrosion-protecting action towards the metal con- struction, the sacrificial anode (s) is/are consumed.
According to the present invention, this utilisation of sac- rificial anodes as corrosion-protecting bodies is considered as insufficient and, thus, unsatisfactory, particularly with a view to their relatively short functional time before they are consumed.
Therefore, the object of the invention has been to indicate a better utilisation of sacrificial anodes used as corrosion- protecting bodies in metal constructions, steel pipeline sys- tems, pumps, valves, outboard engines of aluminium, etc.
According to the invention, this object is realised by means of a sacrificial anode assigned to the metal construction, etc., of the kind as defined in the preamble of claim 1 and which, moreover, distinguishes itself through the features defined in the characterizing clause of claim 1.
Substantially, the invention consists in that sacrificial an- ode body or bodies, respectively, disposed in association with said metal construction, etc., for corrosion-protecting purposes, is formed as and is included in the metal construc- tion as a functional part thereof. In a pipe system, e. g. consisting of a plurality of interconnected pipe sections, each of the sacrificial anode bodies may be formed as a pipe section included in the pipe system, insofar as the remaining pipe section of special steel (noble metal). Then, the con- structions of special steel will be protected against corro- sion by means of sacrificial anode bodies formed as pipe sec- tions.
Usually, the sacrificial anode pipe sections are regularly distributed along the length of a pipeline built up through the interconnection of special (noble) steel pipe sections
and sacrificial anode pipe sections, the latter, ordinarily, appearing in a substantially smaller number than the number of special steel pipe sections.
In accordance with the invention, the sacrificial anode body is a multipurpose-means, where its corrosionprotecting prop- erties towards a metal construction are utilised in a well known manner, where the metal in the original construction is more noble than the metal from which the sacrificial anode bodies is made, simultaneously as each of said bodies is in- cluded in the metal construction as a functional part (a pipe section) thereof.
In pipelines/systems built up in accordance with the inven- tion and e. g. consisting of pipe lengths of steel of the type 316L SS (relatively cheap special steel), and in the pipeline regularly inserted pipe lengths of carbon steel as sacrifi- cial anodes, very large savings can be achieved, the carbon steel functioning as sacrificial anode and, thus, preventing that the more noble metal, steel, corrodes.
Connecting flanges between noble steel and carbon steel (or zinc alloy) may be electrically divided with an electric resistance between said flanges. This electric resistance can be a plastic package having an appropriate electric resis- tance value. Such a package would be producible from a mate- rial consisting of polyester admixed carbon powder.
The pipe lengths of precious steel will be protected against pitting, spot and crevice corrosion. In addition to its cor- rosion-protecting effect towards the precious steel pipe lengths, the sacrificial anodes in such a pipeline/system have the obvious additional function that they are fluid con- veying in the same way as the other pipe lengths. In immersed devices such as e. g. pumps which, in prior art designs and structures, are connected to a sacrificial anode in the form of a metal piece, the latter may be shaped and designed as a
functional pump part, e. g. as a housing or a cover included in the remainder of the pump structure, to which it is con- nected.
The invention is further explained in the following in con- nection with a non-limiting exemplary embodiment in the form of a fluid conducting, corrosion-protected pipeline built up of interconnected pipe lengths and includable in a larger pipe system.
Reference is made to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows an axial section through a rectilinear, longi- tudinal portion of said pipeline, in which one pipe length constitutes a sacrificial anode; Figure 2 shows, on a considerable larger scale, a portion of a sacrificial anode pipe length and an assigned indicator transmitting a warning signal when a substantial portion of the sacrificial anode pipe length has corroded away.
In figure 1, of an elongated pipeline includable into a larger pipe system, only a short portion of the pipeline has been shown, comprising five interconnected pipe lengths, of which the central one is a sacrificial anode formed as a flange pipe 10 (preferably of carbon steel). At each end thereof, the flange pipe 10 is coupled to an ordinary flange pipe 10a and lOb respectively of stainless steel (preferably of the steel type 316L SS). At the outer ends, these rust- proof steel pipes 10a and lOb are each coupled to a further flange pipe lOc and 10d, respectively, each of rustproof steel. Then, the latter are, at the outer ends thereof, cou- pled to further pipes (not shown) which may be stainless steel pipes or sacrificial anode pipes such as 10. In a long pipeline, there will be several sacrificial anode pipes
present therein, preferably regularly distributed along the pipeline length.
In order that the sacrificial anode pipe length 10, at such a positioning in the pipeline as shown in the exemplary embodi- ment, shall exert its corrosion-protecting effect to both sides, i. e. to the same extent towards the adjacent pipe lengths 10a, 10c and 10b, 10d, electrically insulating annular packings 14 are mounted in between adjacent annular end flanges 12 belonging to the pipe 10 and end flanges 12'be- longing to the rest of the pipes. An electric conductor 16 establishes connection between the pipe length 10 and adja- cent pipe lengths. The packings 14 constitute electric resis- tances between the pipe 10 constituting the sacrificial anode and its adjacent pipes 10a, 10b and reduce, thus, gal- vanic corrosion in the pipe 10.
Reference is made to figure 2 showing a portion of the pipe length 10 in figure 1 in axial section and greater scale.
In order to acquire knowledge of those corrosion attacks to which the sacrificial anode pipe length 10 is subjected in the form of a pipe wall thickness reduction in good time be- fore the sacrificial anode pipe length 10 has become so thin- walled that it has to be replaced by a new sacrificial anode pipe length, a weakening has been formed in the wall of the pipe length 10, namely in the form of a non-through-going bore (blind hole) 18 with a radially inwardly positioned, thickness-reduced pipe wall portion 20. The radially outer- most positioned mouth of the blind hole 18 at the pipe mantle face is surrounded by a socket 22 welded to the pipe length 10 and accommodating a shut-off valve 24, e. g. in the form of a ball valve.
When corrosion has eaten away the portion 20 radially in- wardly of the bore 18, so that the latter becomes through- going in radial direction, the conveyed seawater, etc., will
squirt out through the ball valve 24 which, during operation occupies an open position of readiness. When water squirts out through the valve 24, the latter is closed, so that the plant is sealed and tight again. The blind bore 18 may have a depth corresponding to several years corrosion attack before a real leakage could arise. Consequently, one has plenty of time to replace the sacrificial anode pipe length 10 on an adequate occasion.
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