Innovations in corrosion mitigation promise long-term protection.
Preventing infrastructure corrosion is a top priority for many businesses in the process industry. Get it wrong and the impact of corrosion can be hugely costly to business. But get it right and not only can the impact be minimised, but organisations can save costs, increase system performance, and protect the environment. Abhishek Roy, sales manager at Xylem + Evoqua, outlines the technological advances in corrosion protection that can make these benefits a reality.
Enhanced performance
ICCP is an electrochemical process which prevents corrosion in metal structures. It uses mixed metal oxide (MMO) coated titanium anodes, connected to a power source. This creates the electrochemical reaction for cathodic protection and reduces corrosion of the system.
As well as highly effective corrosion protection, a significant benefit of ICCP systems is the long-term protection they offer. They can operate for periods of up to 15-20 years. When you compare this to traditional sacrificial anodes, which have a typical lifespan of around five years, the difference in the technology becomes clear. And, coupled with this, ICCP systems require fewer anodes than SAS to deliver more effective corrosion protection. This leads to reduced maintenance and replacement time and, importantly, lower costs over the life of the system. Additionally, the current through ICCP systems can be constantly and remotely monitored. It can also be automatically regulated by the ICCP system itself, optimising its use further. Each of these advantages reduces the amount of management time required for maintenance, A further area which delivers cost savings is logistics. ICCP anodes, such as Magneto’s Keramox MMO anodes, are significantly lighter and more compact than their large SAS equivalents.
A more sustainable solution
With sustainability a priority for organisations worldwide, ICCP systems are the technology of choice for improving environmental impact. Sacrificial anodes break down in a galvanic electrochemical reaction leaving the metal in the structure unprotected. This process can lead to the release of impurities from within the anode into the environment. However, ICCP systems operate without major material loss, thereby potentially reducing ecological harm.
With advances in technology, organisations that rely on a metal infrastructure can begin to demand more from corrosion protection. ICCP systems make it possible to improve whole life costs and reduce maintenance and engineering requirement while minimising the environmental impact.
