Cathodic protection remote monitoring units are becoming more and more popular in the industry today. They offer a wide range of advantages over traditional methods. However, it’s important to understand that they aren’t a solution to everything. For example, you should consider the risks involved with these devices.
Measurement of pipe-to-soil potential
The invention relates to a remote monitoring unit for a pipeline that is used to measure pipe-to-soil potential. This invention can be used to identify the presence of cathodic protection circuits, and can also be used to determine the influence of these circuits.
A Cathodic Protection Remote Monitoring Unit (CPRM) can be installed in a strategic position along a pipeline. It is ideally placed to detect a cathodic protection circuit switching off. While the device can be positioned close to a CP location, it is preferred that it is at a distance.
The unit measures the potential between the reference electrode and the pipeline at the first connection point. The value is then sent to a central location. An additional measurement unit, called a pipeline current measurement unit, is incorporated into the remote monitoring unit.
The current measured by the pipeline current measurement unit can be used to predict the influence of the cathodic protection circuits. This is done by comparing the difference between the two measurements. If the difference is more than – 0.85V when using a copper/copper sulfate reference electrode, the pipe-to-soil potential is considered to be sufficiently negative.
Pipe-to-soil potential is typically -0.5 volts to -0.6 volts when a cathodic protection circuit is not in place. Using this information, a predictive curve can be generated that shows the influence of each cathodic protection circuit at each test station.
Advantages of the Pwatch-2
For example, Pwatch-2 is an environmentally friendly solution for a cathodic protection remote monitoring unit. This device is durable and easy to use.
PWATCH-2 transmits more data more frequently. Unlike traditional monitoring devices, it can measure and record both AC and DC potentials and transmit them in real time to the company’s data management platform. It offers a streamlined approach to CP monitoring and enables operators to monitor the performance of cathodic protection systems from any location.
RMFTEK is not the first remote monitoring unit to do this, it is the most innovative and can deliver better results than its predecessors. It can operate in wide
operating temperatures and includes a built-in GPS for precise positioning and timing.
