Underwater Anode Installation

Commercial Diving Services manage underwater anode installation or replacement of sacrificial anodes in all marine applications including, shipping, wharfs and bridges. Underwater anode installation can be through various methods from simply unbolting the old depleted anodes and bolting new units on. Concrete chemical anchoring systems can also be used underwater for developing a secure platform to bolt the anode to, in most shipping applications our divers conduct underwater wet welding to secure the anode straps to the vessels shell plating.

A galvanic anode is the main component of a galvanic cathodic protection (CP) system used to protect buried or submerged metal structures from corrosion. They are made from a metal alloy with a more “active” voltage (more negative electrochemical potential) than the metal of the structure. The difference in potential between the two metals means that the galvanic anode corrodes, so that the anode material is consumed in preference to the structure.

The advantages of sacrificial underwater anode installation are:

• No external power sources required.
• Relatively easy to install.
• Lower voltages and current, mean that the risk of causing stray current interference on other structures is low.
• Require less frequent monitoring than impressed current cathodic protection systems.
• Relatively low risk of overprotection.

Once installed, testing the system components is relatively simple for trained personnel.