Remote Detection and Analysis of AC Issues in Cathodic Protection Systems

摘要

Historically, protection voltages utilized in Cathodic Protection ( CP ) programs for gas pipelines have been considered to be DC voltages. However, long pipe runs, especially in proximity to power lines or other protected structures, make the pipes susceptible to undesirable induced voltages. Failure of individual diodes in the CP rectifiers can result in increases in the AC component of the applied voltage. Both of these unplanned electrical environmental circumstances can impact the protection of the pipe, and potentially create unsafe voltages on the pipe structures. This paper provides a basic look at the reality of protection voltages in the field, utilizing current generation wireless remote monitoring processes, showing the potential for remote diagnosis of geographically distributed CP problems.