Patent Grant
12110599
Not applicable
REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX”
Not applicable
The present invention relates to a sacrificial anode for use in the anti-corrosive protection of production vessels.
Sacrificial anodes are used for protection against corrosion of production vessels, such as heater treaters, tanks, pressure vessels, and other production vessels. Anodes for these applications should be simple to replace when consumed.
In typical embodiments, 3 inch diameter×30 inch length and 3 inch diameter×60 inch length cylindrically shaped anodes are mounted in a holder or head such as a commercially available Adair “Red-Head” or “Blue-Head” anode mounting head. These types of anodes can be easily installed in a standard schedule 40 or schedule 80 pipe nipple (e.g., four inch (4″)) with a coupling such as a Victualic® coupling.
In prior art applications, aluminum anodes contain nominal amounts of indium, zinc, and silicon that deliver −1.10 volts (with respect to Ag/AgCL reference cell). These anodes deliver protection in produced brines with elevated temperatures. Nominal anode capacity in ambient sea-water is 1150 ampere hours per pound. Zinc and Magnesium Anodes in various configurations are also available. Typical applications include internal protection of salt water storage tanks, heater treaters, ChemElectric units, skimmers, heat exchangers, oil-separation vessels, and storage tanks. There can also be custom anodes, mounting assemblies can be fabricated to fit any installation requirement. Elimination of a red head or blue head or other mounting head would simplify the product and potentially reduce the cost.
In the prior art a fiberglass cap is bolted to the end of a cast anode. The space between the anode and the cap is filled with epoxy. The anode is then inserted into an anode tube in the tank and a two-piece sleeve with a rubber gasket is used to attach the anode to the tank (or other vessel to be protected from corrosion). A wire can be run from a bolt to a portion of the tank to provide good electrical contact between the anode and the tank.
The following possibly relevant U.S. Patents are incorporated herein by reference:
The apparatus of the present invention provides a sacrificial anode for production vessels. In one embodiment, it can be designed to accommodate standard pipes.
The present invention simplifies the installation of anodes in heater treater tanks or like vessels. An anode is preferably cast in a shape to fit directly into an anode tube mounted to the tank, without a fiberglass cap (though it could for example be machined down from a larger piece of metal). Another option might be to add the ribs to a cylindrical anode using for example steel, neoprene, vinyl, phenolic, acrylic, high-temperature plastic shrink wrap, or ceramic (in other words, the ribs can be made of for example steel, neoprene, vinyl, phenolic, acrylic, high-temperature plastic shrink wrap, or ceramic). In such a case, one might make for example a steel sleeve having steel ribs protruding outwardly from the sleeve. Alternatively, one could make a steel cage acting as a centralizer with ribs connected to one another and to the anode. High temperature heat shrink tubing technology exists that should work and can endure the conditions where anodes of the present invention are intended to be used (extreme, harsh, continuous high temperature environments). A few examples can be found at http://www.texloc.com/hs_home.html, http://www.insultab.com/products/extreme-environment-hst.html, and https://www.zeusinc.com/products/heat-shrinkable-tubing/peekshrink.
The anode has a shape that approximates that of the combination of the prior art anode and the fiberglass cap. A metal end cap can be clamped to the tank in the same manner as in the prior art. A wire can be attached from the metal end cap to the tank to enable electrical contact between the anode and the tank.
The end of the anode may be coated with red or blue material to make it easier for workers to use them without learning a new system (red is slightly larger in diameter than blue, as it is used in thinner gauge tanks which have slightly larger diameter openings for the anodes).
The anodes can be cast to encapsulate an iron rod or connect with an iron rod. The rod can be threaded to allow a metal cap to be screwed to the proximal end. The cap can be included in the mold when the anode is cast. The cap is preferably threaded to the rod, though the cap could be attached to a stem which would attach to the rod (such as via a coupling).
Currently red heads are fiberglass caps that are placed on the anode and then filled with epoxy in between cap and anode (a time intensive process). The outer limits of the centralizing fins of the blue heads are slightly smaller in diameter than the centralizing fins of the red heads. The blue heads are sometimes just a shaved-down red head.
The present invention comprises an anode that has the centralizer fins cast into the anode, thereby eliminating the need for a separate cap and epoxy. One can add an epoxy or other material paint coating over the anodes of the present invention to indicate size differences and/or create such as a seal between the anode and cap.
Those sized to replace red heads could be painted red in the same area where the red head fiberglass normally would be located. Those sized to replace blue heads could be painted blue in the same area where the blue head fiberglass normally would be.
Typically, one cannot monitor an anode such as the present invention without the epoxy coating and a wire connection. Monitoring is not typically needed; however, a gasket could be added to allow for the monitoring if desired.
The present invention allows for more efficient and cost-effective manufacture of anodes. The figures show preferred embodiments of the present invention, including a ribbed heater treater anode metal end cap with ribs cast into anode body. The present invention is a sacrificial anode for production, storage, other vessels or other steel structures, for example, designed to accommodate standard and nonstandard pipes, nozzles, and couplings. The anode may be from materials such as aluminum, zinc, magnesium, graphite, silicon-iron, or any other anodic materials, for example. In some embodiments, a phenolic (or electrical isolator) gasket may be included.
The anode may be mounted in horizontal or vertical positions, for example. In some embodiments, the anode is designed for use with a Victaulic® coupling (e.g., see U.S. Pat. No. 7,996,981 which is incorporated herein by reference).
The present invention allows for elimination of the “red” head or “blue” head distinctions of the prior art through the addition of cast-on ribs or mechanically attached or installed ribs or centralizers (which can be made of the same material as the anodes or other materials such as described above). The ribs facilitate installation and also support, holding the anode in place like a centralizer. The elimination of a red head or blue head fiberglass cap simplifies the product and potentially reduces the cost.
Several advantages of the present invention all for the elimination of complex assembly and the elimination of potential leakage. The substitution of the present invention for the epoxy, plastic, fiberglass red head/blue head system of the prior art would be an improvement with regard to safety, performance, quality, reliability, longevity, simplicity, storage space, and fabrication time. It is also more environmentally friendly as the resin of the fiberglass caps is not needed. Also, the metal caps could be reused.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a sacrificial anode system for the cathodic protection of vessels or tanks having a sacrificial anode that may be composed of aluminum, zinc, magnesium, graphite, silicon-iron, or other anodic material that has ribs that are cast on, cast in, machined or otherwise affixed. Anode ribs may run the entire length of the anode or extend to a predetermined length.
A ribbed sacrificial anode assembly may include a solid steel cap where the ribbed anode may be directly cast onto steel end cap. A ribbed sacrificial anode assembly may include a solid steel cap where ribbed anode may be attached mechanically to steel end cap by threads or other assembly techniques. The ribbed sacrificial anode assembly of the present invention may include a solid steel cap and electrical isolation. A ribbed sacrificial anode assembly of the present invention may include a solid steel cap without electrical isolation. A ribbed sacrificial anode assembly of the present invention can be designed to be used in conjunction with Victaulic® coupling or other type of couplings. The cap can be made of any suitably strong and high temperature resistant material, such as fiberglass or phenolic sheet material, but is preferably made of steel (and preferably it is not made of anodic material, as it might corrode).
A preferred embodiment of the present invention may include ribs cast onto sacrificial anode body act as centralizer and support for the anode upon insertion into vessel nozzle or insertion port. A solid steel cap can be used to eliminate any potential leaking and eliminate the need for quality control leak testing in a pressure chamber. Improvements from prior art include elimination of epoxy and plastic/fiberglass assembly which is a known to break down over time and develop leaks. The solid steel anode cap is preferably impact resistant, pressure resistant and temperature resistant, which provides a clear advantage over prior art. In certain embodiments, there is no loose or additional hardware required to fix the cap to the anode with current invention.
Typical sizes of a preferred embodiment of the present invention may be 3 inches in diameter×30 inches in length and 3 inches in diameter×60 inches in length. However, a person having the ordinary skill in the art will understand that other sizes may be fabricated. The anode is typically connected to the vessel via a standard coupling such as a Victaulic® Coupling. An electrical connection may be attained by a connection wire lead from the outside of the anode to the tank.
In a typical field application, the invention may be used for the cathodic protection of the internal portion of water storage tanks, heater treaters, chem electric units, skimmers, heat exchangers, oil separation vessels, and storage tanks, for example. The sacrificial anode assembly may be placed into a couple, nozzle, or port specifically designed to utilize a clamp or support such as a Victaulic® (or similar) coupling. The anode material may be less noble than the steel wall of the vessel it protects and will become sacrificial, thus providing the protective current required to protect the internal submerged portion of the vessel from corrosion.
For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein:
Pipe section 15 can be generally cylindrically shaped, providing a generally cylindrically shaped pipe section bore 19. A weld 16 can be used to join pipe section 15 to vessel or tank wall 12. In
In
Pipe section 15 has outer end 21 and inner end 22 as shown in
Anode 20 has a cylindrically shaped section 25 that extends over a majority of its length as seen in
Circular plate 28 can be fitted to anode 20 outer end 23 wherein plate opening 29 enables the passage of rod 30 therethrough. See for example,
Although the anode 20 is shown in the figures as generally cylindrical with ribs at one end, the anodes could instead, for example, be rectangular in cross section, have ribs extending the entire length, or be of any other shape in cross section that would allow for easy insertion into the pipe section 15 of the vessel (such as the shape shown in
The present invention preferably includes a vessel corrosion protection apparatus 20 for a vessel 11 having a vessel wall 12 surrounding a vessel interior 13, a wall opening 9 through the vessel wall 12, a section of pipe 15 connected to the vessel wall 12 at the wall opening 9, said section of pipe 15 having inner and outer end portions and a pipe section inner surface 42 surrounding a pipe section bore 19, the apparatus comprising:
The present invention preferably includes a vessel 11 and vessel corrosion protection apparatus, or anode 20, as shown in
Preferably, each projection 26 has a curved outer surface 41 spaced farthest from said central longitudinal axis, as shown in
Preferably, the anode 20 is of a sacrificial metallic material, such as magnesium, aluminum, zinc, and alloys thereof.
Preferably, a majority of the length of the anode 20 does not have said projections 26, as shown in
Preferably, a majority of the length of the anode 20 is generally cylindrically shaped as shown in
In some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises an elongated rod 30 embedded in said anode 20, as shown in
Preferably, the rod 30 protrudes from one end of said anode 20.
Preferably, at least part of said rod 30 is externally threaded with threads 31, as shown in
In some embodiments, the present invention further comprises a plate 28, 33 connected to one end of said anode 20 and a coupling 35, 36 that attaches said plate 28, 33 to said pipe section 15. See
Preferably, the pipe section 15 has an annular groove 17 and the coupling 35, 36 attaches to said annular groove 17, as shown in
Preferably, the invention further comprises a gasket 37 positioned in between the annular groove 17 and the annular recess 45, 46, as shown in
Preferably, the plate 28 has a plate opening occupied by the rod 30 and wherein the plate 28 is bolted to the anode 20 with a nut 32 that attaches to the rod 30 as shown in
Preferably, the plate 28, 33 has a plate internally threaded opening 34 occupied by the rod 30 and wherein the plate 28, 33 is threaded to the rod 30 at said internally threaded opening 34.
In another preferred embodiment, the present invention is a vessel 11 and vessel corrosion protection apparatus or anode 20, comprising:
Preferably, each projection 26 has a curved outer surface 41 spaced farthest from said central longitudinal axis, as shown in
Preferably, a majority of the length of the anode 20 does not have said projections 26, as shown in
Preferably, a majority of the length of the anode 20 has a uniform diameter, as shown in
In some embodiments, the invention further comprises an elongated rod 30 embedded in said anode 20, as shown in
Preferably, the rod 30 protrudes from an end of said anode 20 next to said projections 26, as shown in
Preferably, an exposed part of said rod 30 is externally threaded 31 as shown in
In some embodiments, the invention further comprises a plate 28, 33 threadably connected to one end of said anode 20 and a coupling 35, 36 that attaches said plate 28, 33 to said pipe section 15, as shown in
Preferably, the pipe section 15 and plate 28, 33 each have an annular groove 17 and the coupling 35, 36 attaches to said annular groove 17.
More preferably, the pipe section 15 has an annular groove 17, the circular plate 28, 33 has an annular recess 45, 46 and the coupling 35, 36 attaches to both said annular groove 17 and said annular recess 45, 46, as shown in
In some embodiments (and most typically), the invention further comprises a gasket 37 positioned in between the coupling 35, 36 and the plate 28, 30, as shown in
Preferably, the plate 28 has a plate opening 29 occupied by the rod 33 and wherein the plate 28 is bolted to the anode 20 with a nut 32 that attaches to the rod 30, as shown in
Preferably, the plate 28, 33 has a plate internally threaded opening 34 occupied by the rod 30 and wherein the plate 28, 33 is threaded to the rod 30 at said internally threaded opening 34.
In some embodiments, the plate 28 has a plate internally threaded opening that extends through the entire thickness of the plate 28, as shown in
In some embodiments, the plate 33 has a plate internally threaded opening 34 that does not extend through the entire width of the plate 33, as shown in
The present invention preferably includes a vessel corrosion protection apparatus 20 for a vessel 11 having a vessel wall 12 surrounding a vessel interior 13, a wall opening 9 through the vessel wall 12, a section of pipe 15 connected to the vessel wall 12 at the wall opening 9, said section of pipe 15 having inner and outer end portions and a pipe section inner surface 42 surrounding a pipe section bore 19, and a coupling (including coupling parts 35, 35, bolted connection 50, and gasket 37—see
Sections 143 and 44 of plate 33 can be integral or somehow attached securely, as by welding. Sections 43 and 44 of plate 28 can be integral or somehow attached securely, as by welding.
The following is a list of parts and materials suitable for use in the present invention:
All measurements disclosed herein are at standard temperature and pressure, at sea level on Earth, unless indicated otherwise. All materials used or intended to be used in a human being are biocompatible, unless indicated otherwise.
The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.
This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/792,502, filed 17 Feb. 2020 (issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,578,412 on 14 Feb. 2023), which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/448,139, filed 2 Mar. 2017, (issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,604,851 on 31 Mar. 2020), which is a nonprovisional patent application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/302,492, filed 2 Mar. 2016, each of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Priority of our U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/302,492, filed 2 Mar. 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference, is hereby claimed.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3138549 | Adair | Jun 1964 | A |
| 10604851 | Garza | Mar 2020 | B1 |
| 11578412 | Garza | Feb 2023 | B1 |
| 11587412 | Perry | Feb 2023 | B1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62302492 | Mar 2016 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16792502 | Feb 2020 | US |
| Child | 18151975 | US | |
| Parent | 15448139 | Mar 2017 | US |
| Child | 16792502 | US |
