Cathodic Protection Power Supply Implementations Using Solar Photovoltaic System

Corrosion is a major problem for oil and gas operators as the cost consumed each year is fighting corrosion are staggeringly high. Along with the implementation of cost effective corrosion prevention methods, the race for reducing cost consumption still goes on. One of the common method used to prevent the corrosion is by implementing a cathodic protection system to control the environment of the protected object. It is controlled by an injected current which coming from a power supply. Common power supply is from transformer rectifier unit which get supply from Tenaga Nasional Berhad. An unexpected event such as lightning strike the power supply system may have chances to be interrupted. Interrupted by mean the earth leakage circuit breaker disconnect from the supply to the transformer rectifier unit. Once it being interrupted, the metal failed to be protected. Thus, corrosion can be occurred and lead to severe damage. The metal subjected to this project is the underground gas pipeline. This project propose a backup power supply by using solar photovoltaic (PV) system to have a continuous cathodic protection system.