Demonstration of Photovoltaic-Powered Cathodic Protection System with Remote Monitoring Capability

Abstract

This project demonstrated an application of photovoltaic (PV) technology to power cathodic protection (CP) systems for water tanks at Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA), HI. An impressed-current CP system was installed on each of three water tanks in iso-lated locations, where connecting with the local power grid would be expensive. The demonstrated system, powered only by PV arrays with a battery backup, uses ceramic anodes and includes a satellite-based remote-monitoring capability. This system provides uniform and reliable cathodic protection in the water tanks interior below the water line. Data collected by the remote mon-itoring system can be loaded into a spreadsheet, and performance can then be analyzed on a pass-fail basis. The installed PV-powered CP systems operate as designed and conform to NACE SP 0169 criteria. It is expected that little maintenance will be needed to keep the system operating properly. Required maintenance will include periodic cleaning solar arrays and monthly recording of electrical output using a digital meter. Once every year, a qualified CP specialist should survey the system to ensure proper CP levels.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 2014
Accession Number
ADA597424

Entities

People

  • Charles P. Marsh
  • David Butler
  • David M. Bailey
  • John Taylor
  • Larry David Stephenson
  • Lawrence T. Clark
  • Lindsay Millard

Organizations

  • Engineer Research and Development Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Cathodic Protection
  • Corrosion Inhibition
  • Energy
  • Energy Storage
  • Load Monitoring
  • Maintenance
  • Personnel Management
  • Power Supplies
  • Solar Cells
  • Solar Energy
  • Solar Panels
  • Storage
  • Training
  • Uninterruptible Power Supplies
  • Voltage
  • Water Tanks

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Computer Science/Computer Engineering/Data Science/Digital Signal Processing.
  • Materials Science and Engineering.
  • Solar Photovoltaics and Thermoelectric Devices.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Satellites