Proteção catódica de estrutura metálica semisubmersível de captação de água. Estudo de caso: Açude Gavião

Abstract

As part of the water resources policy of the state of Ceará, in Northeast Brazil, COGERH, as an operational instrument, has among its tasks the distribution of bulk water for various uses. Among the water systems that COGERH operates are the pumping stations, which are responsible for supplying water for cities, industries, irrigation, etc. It is vital that these structures operate satisfactorily and efficiently. Among the many devices that make up the pumping stations are the semisubmersible floating metal chambers that are located on the water surface of the reservoirs, providing support to the pumps and motors such that they can be set and operated reliably and efficiently. However, these structures are made from steel and therefore are subject to severe corrosion processes, making it necessary for the painting of the submerged areas to ensure the necessary protection to avoid oxidation of them. As painting alone is not a process that ensures 100% efficiency in terms of coating and has a relatively short lifespan, complementary processes are necessary to ensure safe protection against corrosion. Among these processes is the Cathodic Protection, which ensures that, while a difference in electrochemical potential is being generated between the structure to be protected and a sacrificial anode, the structure will not undergo corrosion processes. For this study, it has been designed and installed an Impressed Current Cathodic Protection System with a potential ON of protection of -2.67 Volts (DC) for the Pumping Station known as "EB Gavião” chosen due to its strategic importance within the state infrastructure of water resources, responsible for supplying water for major cities and industries. Keywords