Cathodic Protection Simulation

World Leader in Corrosion modelling BEASY, provides a range of software services to engineers responsible for the design of cathodic protection (CP) systems and the integrity management of structures. BEASY provides both corrosion modelling and CP data management software and services.

Simulation is no longer just a performance validation tool. Simulation-driven design helps designers get immediate feedback on design performance by embedding simulation into the design processes.

BEASY Computer modelling provides the tools to predict how a CP system will perform even for the most complex situations. It can provide quantitative information on the protection potentials achieved and the life of the system, thus reducing the risk of systems not meeting the design goals and enabling future management of assets to be planned effectively. Companies can realise huge savings through proactive integrity management that not only reduces risk but also extends the working life of older facilities.

BEASY provides proven software and service to quickly develop full 3D virtual prototypes of CP systems to predict the degree of corrosion control provided by the system.

With today's need to reduce risk and uncertainty, BEASY can quickly provide the answers you need on the effectiveness and long term durability of corrosion control solutions.

A digital transformation can be achieved by Integrating BEASY CP modelling with BEASY Corrosion Data Management Services to facilitate a Digital Twin based proactive corrosion management strategy. See More Here

General Applications and Benefits

Typical applications include:

• Validation of CP designs to determine protection potentials provided by the system, anode consumption rates, and service life.
• Optimisation of designs by varying parameters such as anode location, reference electrode location and number of anodes, thus reducing cost of design and installation particularly for retrofits and life extensions.
• Investigations of interference effects caused by nearby CP systems, electrical sources, docks, pipelines or other metallic structures.
• Assessment of different operating environments on the effectiveness of the CP system.
• Evaluation of the performance of the CP system under various damage scenarios.
• Evaluation of electrical connections/isolations and attenuations on CP system performance.
• Design and optimisation of surveys to improve quality of information and reduce costs.
• Reduce costs through improved inspection strategies.
• Use computer models to determine what the data really means and optimise the planning of surveys.
• Predict Long Term Performance of CP Systems.

• Optimize CP System Designs.
  • Computer models are the ideal solution to test the sensitivity of a proposed design to environmental factors and long term coating degradation. The protection potential distribution achieved and the current demand on the anodes can be predicted, for example, under different coating conditions and the most cost effective system identified. Attenuation (e.g. in pipelines, ribbon anodes and cabling) losses can be addressed. Circuits representing components in an ICCP system can be constructed.
    
    
• Verify Performance of Retrofits.
  • Retrofits are a common requirement, driven by changing requirements such as the addition of new ‘tie-ins’ and the need to extend the life of structures. Computer modelling can provide the  information you need to identify the most cost effective solution which meets the design goals.
    
    
• Assess Anode Consumption Rates.
  • The service life of individual sacrificial anodes and their performance over the life of the structure can be predicted. Including anode consumption rate, life expectancy and remaining life. Change of anode size and mass loss follows DNV recommended practices for time stepping simulation.
    
    
• Predict Protection Potentials.
  • Computer modelling provides the tools to predict how a particular system will perform even for the most complex situations and provides quantitative information on the value, and distribution, of protection potentials achieved together with the current distribution.
    
    Output can be provided at defined intermediate dates between the installation/commissioning date and the design end-of-life date. These projections provide valuable input to targeting of subsequent survey activities (e.g. where measurements can be focused).
    
    
• Assess interference from adjacent structure and CP systems.
  • Computer models provide the information to determine the corrosion related electric fields and how they interfere with other nearby systems. They can provide the data to investigate the root cause of interference and the effectiveness of mitigation measures.

    Understanding the complex interaction between cathodic protection systems is becoming more complex as the industry moves to deeper water and remote environments where subsea technology is a key factor. Computer modelling can play a major role in predicting the level of interaction and providing the key data for the design of the system and its integrity management. BEASY engineers have extensive experience in modelling oil and gas facilities including the interaction with subsea equipment.

    A recent project has shown that interference currents can substantially reduce sacrificial anode life by factors of 3-4 and significant currents can flow in the lines connecting the components of the system unless the ICCP system is designed and operated correctly.

Benefits:

• Easy visualisation of protection potentials and identification of problem areas.
• Clear visualisation of the design and of the protection provided over the life of the structure, thus providing easily understandable verification to clients and design authorities using pictures rather than words and endless tables of results.
• Ability to understand and interpret field survey data.
• Models can also be used to simulate and identify the root causes of anomalies in survey data.
• The BEASY Wizard enables more effective use of corrosion engineers’ time and expertise by enabling tasks to be performed by the most appropriate staff. CAD engineers can use the tools for model building, while the corrosion expert can take up the model, make changes and assess the results using the Wizard Spreadsheet style interface.