A simulation software for the cathodic protection (CP) of underground pipeline networks is presented. This software uses an advanced model for the coating quality, taking into account the local soil resistivity, holiday ratio, average holiday size, coating thickness and coating resistance.

The model considers the ohmic voltage drop in the pipes and integrates aboveground structures like rail bars, sub-stations, electric trains or trams and overhead wires. As a result, the model calculates both the “on” and “off” pipe-to-soil potentials along a pipe, the axial currents flowing through the pipes as well as the radial current densities leaving or entering the pipe walls.

In this paper, the software will be applied to two different cases. The first one concerns the design of the cathodic protection of a 55 km pipeline section. The second one is the evaluation of an existing pipeline network in the north-west of The Netherlands.

Subject
Electric current, Piping, Voltage, Modeling, Groundbeds, Pipelines, Soil resistivity, Rectifiers, Electric potential, Attenuation, Polarization, Electrical resistance, Anodes
Keywords:
simulation software, cathodic protection, pipeline networks, interference, “off” potential, “on” potential
Government work published by the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) with permission of the author(s). Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
2003
GOV
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