Computerisation of cathodic protection

1. Technotoy 7
Close Interval Potential Survey

2. CIPS
• http://www.pipeline-corrosion-control.com/ProcHTML

3. Continuous ground contact
• The two electrodes are connected and that
single connection is plugged into the meter.
• One electrode is in contact with the ground at all
times.
• Lifting both electrodes is a convenient way of
marking the record with an event.
• The meter records that exact time of each
reading and this is synchronised with the GPS
location

4. Training Centre Guararema Brazil

5. Graph from 1981 in the UK

6. There are two traces on the graph.
• The top trace is recorded when the impressed
cathodic protection system is switched on.
• The lower trace is recorded when the impressed
current system is switched off.
• The baseline of the graph is set by the
instrument and is NOT zero.
• There is no such thing as no energy.
• The red line that represents -0.850v that is
marked on many reports is imaginary and
irrelevant.

7. Breakdown of the data

8. Elements to be measured.

9. Ability to measure real values.
• Technotoy is a development tool that
combines many instruments to measure
and synchronously record the data
required by science to determine the
corrosion status of each coating fault that
is identified on a buried or submerged
pipeline.

10. Facilities for measurements
• Total pipe to soil
voltage
• Pipe to soil without
Cu/CuSO4 in series.
• Pipe to soil without
‘telluric’ effects.
• EMF of corrosion
reaction.

11. Technotoy computer
• All data is fed into a spread sheet for analysis.
• This data is time stamped and location related.
• The computer is networked to the latest
communication technology.
• Data can be viewed in real time in the field as
well as at any control office.
• This data can be used to trigger adjustments to
the whole CP network to control the corrosion at
the location of the field survey team.

12. We must calculate corrosion

13. We must use the laws of physics

14. This is a screenshot of actual field
measurements

15. Instruments will enter the data

16. Technotoy is designed to do this

17. The Alexander Cell in field use.

18. The Alexander Cell is a corrosion
cell.

19. The trailing wire.

20. The trailing wire
• It can be seen in circuit in the above picture and those
who have carried out CIPS will be familiar with it’s use.
• It is ignored by many specialists and manufacturers but
has an effect on the measurements that must be
included in calculations.
• The resistance of a coil is normally somewhere in the
region of 600 Ohms.
• As the length of the wire is shortened during usage this
resistance is reduced.
• The wire itself acts as an aerial and picks up a variety of
electrical disturbances that must be considered.
• Technotoy must include the ability to include all these
influences.

21. Spool of wire