Cathodic protection system for reinforced concrete
OwnerKenneth C. Clearinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention resides in a method for cathodic protection of and/or chloride removal from a reinforced concrete structure. The method comprises the steps of: providing an anode comprising a conductive corrodible metal; providing a corrosive environment for said anode; electrically connecting the anode and the reinforcement of the concrete structure; distributing the current flow from the anode across a surface of the concrete structure; and positioning a humectant at said surface in an effective amount to increase the current flow from the anode. The present invention can also be used to migrate lithium into concrete, thus mitigating alkali-aggregate deterioration.
Claims34
A sacrificial cathodic protection, chloride removal, and/or realkalization system for a reinforced concrete structure having reinforcement comprising:
- (a) a preformed consumable conductive metal anode contiguous with a surface of said concrete structure;
- (b) an electrical connection between the anode and the reinforcement of the concrete structure wherein the anode and reinforcement form a galvanic cell;
- (c) a solution retention means pervious to the flow of water vapor;
- (d) a solution retained by said solution retention means;
- (e) a water soluble humectant in said solution, said humectant being sufficiently deliquescent that said solution, when exposed to ambient conditions, is a saturated or nearly saturated solution of said humectant, said solution and humectant being corrosive to said anode;
- (f) means positioning said solution retention means whereby said solution is in contact with said anode in an amount effective to increase the corrosion rate and output voltage of the anode.
A sacrificial cathodic protection system for a reinforced concrete structure having reinforcement comprising:
- (a) an assembly comprising:
- (1) a preformed consumable conductive metal anode of a corrodible metal;
- (2) an open cell sponge on a surface of said anode;
- (3) an aqueous solution contained by said sponge;
- (4) a water soluble humectant in said solution, said humectant being sufficiently deliquescent that said solution, when exposed to ambient conditions, is a saturated or nearly saturated solution of said humectant, said solution and humectant being corrosive to said anode;
- and
- (b) means positioning said assembly on a surface of said structure wherein said sponge is between the anode and said surface and said corrosive solution is present in said sponge and in contact with said anode in an effective amount to increase the corrosion rate of said consumable anode and the output voltage of the anode.
A method for cathodic protection of, chloride removal from and/or realkalization of a reinforced concrete structure having reinforcement comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a preformed consumable anode comprising a conductive corrodible metal contiguous with a surface of the concrete structure;
- (b) electrically connecting said anode and the reinforcement of the concrete structure wherein said anode and the reinforcement form a galvanic cell;
- (c) distributing the current flow from the anode across a surface of the concrete structure;
- (d) providing a solution retention means pervious to the flow of water vapor;
- (e) positioning a solution in said solution retention means, said solution comprising a humectant which is sufficiently deliquescent such that said solution, when exposed to ambient conditions, is a saturated or nearly saturated solution of said humectant, said solution and humectant being corrosive to said anode;
- and
- (f) positioning said solution retention means whereby said solution is in contact with said anode in an amount effective to increase the corrosion rate and output voltage of the anode.
A sacrificial cathodic protection, chloride removal, and/or realkalization system for a reinforced concrete structure having reinforcement comprising:
- (a) a consumable conductive metal anode remote from said reinforced concrete structure;
- (b) a liquid which is corrosive to said anode in corroding contact with said anode;
- (c) a current distributor at a surface of the concrete structure;
- and
- (d) a circuit connecting the current distributor, the anode and the reinforcement of the concrete structure to form a galvanic cell;
- said aqueous solution liquid increasing the corrosion rate and output voltage of the anode.
A sacrificial cathodic protection system for a reinforced concrete structure having reinforcement comprising:
- (a) an assembly comprising:
- (1) a current distributor;
- (2) an open cell sponge in contact with said current distributor;
- (3) a salt contained by said sponge in the form of a saturated or nearly saturated solution, said salt being a humectant;
- (4) an envelope pervious to the flow of water vapor and impervious to the flow of water containing said sponge and the current distributor;
- (b) means for positioning said assembly on a surface of said structure wherein said sponge is adjust the current distributor and said surface;
- (c) a consumable anode of a corrodible metal remote from said reinforced concrete structure;
- (d) a liquid corrosive to said anode in corroding contact with said anode increasing the corrosion rate and output voltage of the anode;
- (e) a first lead connecting said anode and said current distributor, said anode being immersed in said liquid of paragraph (d) and said lead comprising a salt bridge wherein said salt bridge comprises the liquid of paragraph (d);
- and
- (f) a second lead connecting said anode and the reinforcement of said concrete structure, wherein said leads, said anode, said reinforcement, and said current distributor form a galvanic cell in which the reinforcement is a cathode in said cell.
A method for cathodic protection of, chloride removal from, and/or realkalization of a reinforced concrete structure having reinforcement comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a consumable anode of a conductive corrodible metal, wherein said anode is remote from the reinforced concrete structure;
- (b) providing a liquid in corroding contact with said anode in an effective amount to increase the corrosion rate and output voltage of the anode;
- (c) providing a current distributor at a surface of the concrete structure;
- and
- (d) connecting the current distributor, the anode and the reinforcement of the concrete structure to form a galvanic cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.