Eltech Systems Corporation

Diamond Shamrock Corporation

Thomas A Mitchell

John E Bennett

Gerald R Pohto

Lynne M Ernes

Richard C Carlson

Richard J Coin

John J Bartholomew

Thomas J Schue

Thomas R Turk

Barry L Martin

David E Harney

Donald S Novak

Albert R Prasnikar

Jacob R Blasius

Catherine M Lezan

Claude M Brown

Roger M Hawk

This invention relates generally to an electrically conductive valve metal mesh of extreme void fraction. More particularly the invention relates in a most important aspect to an application thereof for an electrode structure in such a way as to prevent the corrosion of steel, including reinforcing steel in concrete, by cathodic protection.

Expanded titanium metal mesh

An electrode is disclosed having a coating on part of the electrode, e.g., a front face, comprising the oxides of tin, antimony, at least one platinum group metal and at least one valve metal. Another part of the electrode, such as a back face, has a coating comprising the oxides of at least one valve metal and at least one platinum group metal. The electrode can be generally plate-shaped and most desirably has at least one chamfered corner. The electrode is particularly useful in a cell wherein brine electrolyte is electrolyzed to prepare a disinfectant solution containing hypochlorite. The disinfectant solution can be especially serviceable, such as in maritime application, for treating water, e.g., freshwater as represented by desalinated water.

Electrode and electrolytic cell containing same

An anode for cathodically-protected steel-reinforced concrete is embedded in an ion-conductive overlay on the concrete structure. The anode comprises at least one sheet of highly expanded valve metal mesh having a pattern of voids defined by a network of valve metal strands connected at a multiplicity of nodes. This provides a redundancy of current-carrying paths through the mesh which ensures effective current distribution throughout the mesh even in the event of possible breakage of a number of individual strands. The surface of the valve metal mesh carries an electrochemically active coating. At least one current distribution member is welded to the valve metal mesh. The entire area of the structure to be protected, excluding non-protected openings for obstacles and the like, is covered by a single piece of the mesh, or several pieces in close proximity with one another.

Cathodic protection system for a steel-reinforced concrete structure

Expanded metal mesh and anode structure

The present invention resides in an apparatus for removing chloride ions from a reinforced concrete structure. The apparatus comprises an integrated anode assembly which includes an anode and an electrolyte, the anode being immersed in the electrolyte. The integrated anode assembly is flexible and conformable to the surface configuration of the concrete structure to which it is applied. Means are provided for removably adhering the integrated anode assembly to the concrete structure, conformed to said surface configuration, and for establishing an electric current between said anode and the reinforcement of said concrete structure.

Apparatus for the removal of chloride from reinforced concrete structures

Cathodic protection of a reinforced concrete structure utilizes a metal anode such as a zinc anode in combination with a pressure sensitive ionically conductive hydrogel in contact with at least a portion of the surface of the anode. Preferably, the anode and ionically conductive hydrogel are flexible and supplied in roll form. The combination may further include the addition of salt to the hydrogel as well as application to the metal-hydrogel combination of Type III cement. The cathodic protection may be carried out with or without a power source.

Method and apparatus for cathodically protecting reinforced concrete

A method for detecting exposed steel in the surface of reinforced concrete, comprising the steps of: moving an electrode across an exposed surface of said concrete; connecting said electrode to one terminal of a power source; connecting the other terminal of said power source to the reinforcement of said concrete; said power source providing a high voltage current effective to produce a spark across an air gap occurring when exposed steel is detected, said spark initiating a means to signal the occurrence of said exposed steel.

Detection of exposed steel in the surface of reinforced concrete

A method of installing a coated valve metal electrode as impressed-current anode in a cathodic protection system for a steel-reinforced concrete structure comprises providing a roll of coated valve metal mesh, unrolling the mesh and installing it in conformity with the structure, fixing the mesh to the structure and embedding the mesh in an ion-conductive overlay. The mesh is a highly expanded valve metal sheet providing multiple current paths and therefore enhanced redundancy. Current distributor strips can be welded to the mesh after unrolling.

Method of installing a cathodic protection system for a steel-reinforced

A catalytic polymer electrode compries a current conducting polymer body forming an electrode base which is provided with catalytic valve metal particles fixed to its surface. A current conducting body of carbon filled thermoplastic polymer is heated to soften its outer surface, and the catalytic valve metal particles are pressed onto its softened surface and thereby attached to the surface of the polymer body. Such a catalytic polymer electrode used as an anode in an impressed-current cathodic protection system comprises a catalyst to provide a reduced oxygen potential. Such catalytic polymer anodes may be applied in systems for impressed current cathodic protection of reinforced concrete structures, such as bridge decks, support members, parking garages, or of buried or submerged steel structrues such as gas and oil pipelines, offshore production platforms, fuel storage tanks, well casings.

Catalytic polymer electrode for cathodic protection and cathodic

Coiled valve metal mesh of great void fraction and lengthy dimension and having a continuum of interconnected metal strands is coated with an electrocatalytic coating from liquid composition. The coating operation proceeds by contacting the mesh with liquid coating composition while the mesh is maintained in coiled form. This highly efficient coating method is continued through a curing operation while further maintaining the coated mesh in coiled form. Pretreatment preceding coating operation, e.g., degreasing and etching, may also be accomplished without uncoiling of the mesh. The coated mesh can later be uncoiled and current distributors welded to it for use as an electrode, e.g., in cathodic protection.

Coating metal mesh

A rechargeable ambient temperature electrical storage cell utilizing an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal and sulfur electrochemical reaction pair. The cell includes an anhdyrous liquid anode separated from an anhydrous, sulfur containing catholyte by a cationic permeable partition.

Rechargeable lithium/sulfur ammoniate battery

An apparatus and process for measuring the percent concentration of an electrolyte in solution is disclosed. The apparatus includes a crystal oscillator generating a square wave and a wave shaper to transform the wave into a monochromatic sine wave which passes through a two stage temperature compensated first buffer amplifier. The sine wave passes between electrodes which project into the solution under investigation and generates an output. A second buffer amplifier operates on the A.C. component of the output from the solution and is operatively connected to a half wave rectifier. The output of the half wave rectifier is proportional to the percent caustic. A temperature control device is utilized to hold the solution at a constant temperature. An alternate embodiment utilizes two identical circuits with two different solutions. One circuit is used with a solution having a known concentration and one with an unknown concentration. The outputs are compared in a differential amplifier. The process of this disclosure includes generating a square wave, converting the square wave to a monochromatic sine wave and amplifying the wave. The process further includes passing the monochromatic sine wave through a solution of an unknown concentration at a known temperature by means of electrodes projecting into the solution, removing any D.C. components, amplifying the output and converting it to a direct voltage repesenting the average of the A.C. wave. The magnitude of the output is then compared to a standard curve to note the concentration. Alternately, the monochromatic sine wave may be split and passed through a solution of unknown concentration to a solution of known concentration. The difference of the electrical outputs is taken and compared to calibration curves to determine the concentration.

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Mentor, OH, United States of America

Thomas A Mitchell