Anode for cathodic protection and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

It is described a metal anode for cathodic protection in form of mesh ribbon having meshes whose holes are of rhomboidal shape, characterised by having such holes of rhomboidal shape arranged with the major diagonal oriented along the direction of the ribbon length and by the fact that the side edges along the ribbon length are free from cutting protrusions. It is also described a method for obtaining such anode.

We claim: 
     
         1 . Anode for cathodic protection comprising an expanded metal ribbon with rhomboidal meshes free of longitudinally-extending solid sections, wherein said rhomboidal meshes are geometrically arranged with the major diagonal parallel to the direction of the ribbon length. 
     
     
         2 . Anode according to  claim 1 , wherein the lateral edge profiles along the length of said ribbon are free of discontinuities. 
     
     
         3 . Anode according to  claim 1 , wherein said metal is titanium. 
     
     
         4 . Anode according to  claim 1 , wherein said metal is coated with a catalytic layer. 
     
     
         5 . Anode according to  claim 4 , wherein said catalytic layer comprises noble metals or oxides thereof. 
     
     
         6 . Method of manufacturing the anode according to  claim 1  comprising:
 running of a metal ribbon through an expanding device equipped with at least one row of knives of a first predetermined length arranged parallel to the direction of the ribbon displacement, 
 expanding of the metal ribbon by means of pressing and punching action of said at least one row of knives, 
 forming of lateral edge profiles of the expanded metal ribbon by means of pressing and punching action of a last row of knives having blades of a second predetermined length higher than said first length. 
 
     
     
         7 . A cathodic protection system comprising at least one anode according to  claim 1  embedded in a cementitious structure equipped with metal reinforcement bars. 
     
     
         8 . Method for cathodic protection of a reinforced concrete structure comprising applying an anodic potential to said anodes of said cathodic protection system of  claim 7 .