Corrosion protection using a sacrificial anode

Abstract

Corrosion protection of steel in concrete is provided by locating an anode assembly including both a sacrificial anode and an impressed current anode in contact with the concrete and providing an impressed current from a power supply to the anode. The impressed current anode forms a perforated sleeve surrounding a rod of the sacrificial anode material with an activated ionically-conductive filler material between. The system can be used without the power supply in sacrificial mode or when the power supply is connected, the impressed current anode can be powered to provide an impressed current system and/or to recharge the sacrificial anode from sacrificial anode corrosion products.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for corrosion protection of a metal section in a cast body of an ionically conductive concrete or mortar material comprising:
 providing an anode assembly comprising:
 an impressed current anode; and 
 a sacrificial anode of a material which is less noble than the metal section; 
   maintaining the impressed current anode electrically separated from the sacrificial anode to prevent direct electrical communication therebetween;   prior to installation, positioning the impressed current anode and the sacrificial anode into an assembly, wherein the impressed current anode and the sacrificial anode are fixed at relative positions in the assembly;   installing the assembly, while the impressed current anode and said sacrificial anode are at said fixed positions, in contact with the cast body of ionically conductive concrete or mortar material so as to locate the impressed current anode in ionic contact with the cast body of ionically conductive concrete or mortar material and so as to locate the sacrificial anode in ionic contact with the cast body of ionically conductive concrete or mortar material;   providing a DC power supply having a first pole and a second pole; the assembly including electrical connecting components connected to the impressed current anode and the sacrificial anode; and providing corrosion protection to the metal section by:
 providing a connection by the electrical connecting components of the first pole of the DC power supply to the impressed current anode; 
 providing a connection of the second pole of the DC power supply to the metal section; and 
 providing a connection of the sacrificial anode to the metal section; 
 so that the impressed current anode by current from the DC power supply provides the corrosion protection of the metal section; 
 and when the DC power supply is not present a current between the metal section and the sacrificial anode provides the corrosion protection of the metal section. 
   
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1  wherein a voltage difference between the sacrificial anode and the impressed current anode caused by the DC power supply causes ions of the sacrificial anode material to move to the sacrificial anode so as to regenerate the sacrificial anode. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 2  including providing an additive which acts to limiting gassing from the sacrificial anode. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 3  wherein the additive is a surfactant. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 3  wherein the additive comprises cellulose. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 2  including restricting dendritic growth of sacrificial anode material on the sacrificial anode. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 2  including causing moisture movement towards the sacrificial anode. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 2  wherein there is an ionically conductive membrane separator between the sacrificial anode and the impressed current anode. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 8  wherein the ionically conductive membrane separator is located around or adjacent to the sacrificial anode. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 8  wherein the ionically conductive membrane separator acts to contain sacrificial material at the sacrificial anode, to avoid dendritic growth of sacrificial anode material on the sacrificial anode beyond the membrane and to allow moisture movement to the sacrificial anode. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the sacrificial anode material comprises particles or powder. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the sacrificial anode is connected to the metal section while the DC power supply is connected to the impressed current anode. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the sacrificial anode is connected to the metal section and the DC power supply is connected to the impressed current anode when the common assembly is installed. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 2  including increasing alkalinity at the surface of the sacrificial anode. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 14  wherein the sacrificial anode comprises zinc and wherein the increased alkalinity acts to dissolve zinc corrosion products from corrosion of the sacrificial anode into soluble zincate ions. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 1  wherein a current flowing to the sacrificial anode in response to a voltage difference between the sacrificial anode and the impressed current anode caused by the DC power supply is limited such that the sacrificial anode is reactivated without recharging the sacrificial anode with additional ions of the sacrificial material. 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 2  including increasing a total surface area of the sacrificial anode material at the sacrificial anode. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 1  including increasing a quantity of hydroxyl ions at the immediate vicinity of the sacrificial anode. 
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the sacrificial anode is formed of solid anode material. 
     
     
       20. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the sacrificial anode is formed of powdered or finely divided sacrificial anode material. 
     
     
       21. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the sacrificial anode comprises zinc oxide. 
     
     
       22. An anode apparatus for cathodically protecting a metal section in an ionically conductive material, the anode apparatus comprising:
 a sacrificial anode of a material which is less noble than the metal section;   an impressed current anode with a DC power supply connected thereto;   the DC power supply is a battery and is included with the sacrificial anode and the impressed current anode comprising common components of a common preassembled unit forming the anode apparatus;   the impressed current anode and the sacrificial anode being electrically separated to prevent electrical communication therebetween;   an electrical connection to the sacrificial anode;   and an electrical connection to the impressed current anode.    
     
     
       23. The anode apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the impressed current anode and the sacrificial anode comprise side by side elements.  
     
     
       24. The anode apparatus according to claim 22 wherein there is provided an ionically conductive filler material adjacent to the sacrificial anode.  
     
     
       25. The anode apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the ionically conductive filler material contains at least one activator to ensure continued corrosion of the sacrificial anode.  
     
     
       26. The anode apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the ionically conductive filler material has a pH sufficiently high for corrosion of the sacrificial anode to occur and for passive film formation on the sacrificial anode to be avoided.  
     
     
       27. The anode apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the ionically conductive filler material comprises a porous or deformable material to absorb corrosion products from the sacrificial anode.  
     
     
       28. The anode apparatus according to claim 24 wherein at least the impressed current anode and the sacrificial anode are surrounded by the ionically conductive filler material as an encapsulating material.  
     
     
       29. The anode apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the metal section is a reinforcing steel member and the ionically conductive material is concrete or mortar material.  
     
     
       30. An anode apparatus for cathodically protecting a metal section in an ionically conductive material, the anode apparatus comprising:
 a sacrificial anode of a material which is less noble than the metal section;   an impressed current anode with a DC power supply connected thereto;   the impressed current anode and the sacrificial anode being electrically separated to prevent electrical communication therebetween;   an electrical connection to the sacrificial anode;   and an electrical connection to the impressed current anode;   an ionically conductive filler material;   the DC power supply is a battery and is included with the sacrificial anode and the impressed current anode comprising common components of a common pre-assembled unit forming the anode apparatus;   wherein the common pre-assembled unit is at least partly surrounded by the ionically conductive filler material.    
     
     
       31. The anode apparatus according to claim 30 wherein the ionically conductive filler material contains at least one activator to ensure continued corrosion of the sacrificial anode.  
     
     
       32. The anode apparatus according to claim 30 wherein the ionically conductive filler material has a pH sufficiently high for corrosion of the sacrificial anode to occur and for passive film formation on the sacrificial anode to be avoided.  
     
     
       33. The anode apparatus according to claim 30 wherein the ionically conductive filler material comprises a porous or deformable material to absorb corrosion products from the sacrificial anode.  
     
     
       34. The anode apparatus according to claim 30 wherein at least the sacrificial anode and the impressed current anode of the common pre-assembled unit are surrounded by the ionically conductive filler material as an encapsulating material.  
     
     
       35. An anode apparatus for cathodically protecting a metal section in an ionically conductive material, the anode apparatus comprising:
 a sacrificial anode of a material which is less noble than the metal section;   an impressed current anode with a DC power supply connected thereto;   the impressed current anode and the sacrificial anode being electrically separated to prevent electrical communication therebetween;   an electrical connection to the sacrificial anode;   and an electrical connection to the impressed current anode;   an ionically conductive filler material;   wherein at least the sacrificial anode and the impressed current anode comprise common components of a common pre-assembled unit;   and wherein at least the common preassembled unit comprising the sacrificial anode and the impressed current anode is surrounded by the ionically conductive filler material.    
     
     
       36. The anode apparatus according to claim 35 wherein the impressed current anode and the sacrificial anode comprise side by side elements.  
     
     
       37. The anode apparatus according to claim 35 wherein the ionically conductive filler material contains at least one activator to ensure continued corrosion of the sacrificial anode.  
     
     
       38. The anode apparatus according to claim 35 wherein the ionically conductive filler material has a pH sufficiently high for corrosion of the sacrificial anode to occur and for passive film formation on the sacrificial anode to be avoided.  
     
     
       39. The anode apparatus according to claim 35 wherein the ionically conductive filler material comprises a porous or deformable material to absorb corrosion products from the sacrificial anode.  
     
     
       40. The anode apparatus according to claim 30 wherein the metal section is a reinforcing steel member and the ionically conductive material is concrete or mortar material.  
     
     
       41. The anode apparatus according to claim 35 wherein the metal section is a reinforcing steel member and the ionically conductive material is concrete or mortar material.