This report summarizes an investigation into a failure of the cathodic protection system at a fertilizer plant. Testing found that transformer rectifier TR1 was not providing output current to anode well Y1, and some wires in wells Y3 and Y4 were also not receiving current. The root cause was determined to be a total failure of anode well Y1, with disconnected wires or failed anodes. Replacement of well Y1 and evaluation of wells Y3 and Y4 is recommended. Attached reports provide details of inspection tests conducted.
This report summarizes an investigation into a failure of the cathodic protection system at a fertilizer plant. Testing found that transformer rectifier TR1 was not providing output current to anode well Y1, and some wires in wells Y3 and Y4 were also not receiving current. The root cause was determined to be a total failure of anode well Y1, with disconnected wires or failed anodes. Replacement of well Y1 and evaluation of wells Y3 and Y4 is recommended. Attached reports provide details of inspection tests conducted.
This report summarizes an investigation into a failure of the cathodic protection system at a fertilizer plant. Testing found that transformer rectifier TR1 was not providing output current to anode well Y1, and some wires in wells Y3 and Y4 were also not receiving current. The root cause was determined to be a total failure of anode well Y1, with disconnected wires or failed anodes. Replacement of well Y1 and evaluation of wells Y3 and Y4 is recommended. Attached reports provide details of inspection tests conducted.
This report summarizes an investigation into a failure of the cathodic protection system at a fertilizer plant. Testing found that transformer rectifier TR1 was not providing output current to anode well Y1, and some wires in wells Y3 and Y4 were also not receiving current. The root cause was determined to be a total failure of anode well Y1, with disconnected wires or failed anodes. Replacement of well Y1 and evaluation of wells Y3 and Y4 is recommended. Attached reports provide details of inspection tests conducted.
The report details a failure of the cathodic protection system at a fertilizer plant, with potential causes being issues with the transformer rectifier or disconnects in the anode wells.
The system is failing to adequately protect the fresh cooling water supply, fresh cooling water return, fire fighting water, and other systems. Potential causes identified are opens in circuits from the transformer to piping/anodes or a malfunctioning transformer.
Voltage measurements were taken at test points on the systems, and current measurements were taken disconnecting and reconnecting different anode wells to the transformer to isolate issues. Additional tests looked at voltages between different junction boxes.
Cathodic Protection System Failure Report
Camau fertilizer Plant Page 1
Nov. 26
Cathodic Protection System Failure Report
1. INTRODUCTION The scope of this document is to provide a guide line to find out a Root Cause Analysis related to the cathodic protection system for tanks & underground piping system of Camau Fertilizer Plant, and to provide a quick reference in one document for investigation reports, and all data collected during inspection, test and cross-check at Site. 2. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM - Protection method: applying the impressed current cathodic protection system. - Anode type: High silicon chromium cast iron (chrome 4 ~5%) - Operation lifetime: 20 years - Protected Items/ systems: No. System Tagname 1 Fresh cooling water supply FCS 2 Fresh cooling water return FCR 3 Fire Fighting water FFW 4 Oily water OW 5 Portable water PTW 6 Tank Z27001 7 Tank Z26001 8 Tank T04302 9 Tank T04303 - Well type: the anode well is 36m depth - Number of nodes well: total 6 wells, each well is equipped 4 sets of subsection prefabricated anode body except well No.6 Cathodic Protection System Failure Report
Camau fertilizer Plant Page 2
Nov. 26 - Schematic of cathodic protection system.
3. INSPECTION The system is regularly inspected as operation and maintenance manual (OMM) of Vendor. All results of potential and protective current are in the working range as design until the last inspection. The results of last inspection are not totally met requirement. Details are as follows: 3.1 Measure voltage. The system No.1: Protection potential with reference electrode Cu/CuSO4 is out of range of protection value (-1150-850mV).
No. Anode Well Item/ System Test Point Result (mV) Ramark 1 Y1 FFW TPS1 -850 FFW 1 -879 FFW 2 -810 Out of protection FFW 3 -836 Out of protection FFW 4 -820 Out of protection FFW 5 -856 FFW 6 -855 FFW 7 -839 Out of protection Cathodic Protection System Failure Report
Nov. 26 FFW 42 -970 FFW 43 -850 T26001 44 -850 Z27001 45 -850 FFW TPS4 -850 FFW TPS4 -850 5 Y5 FFW 33 -900 FFW 34 -810 N/A FFW 35 -900 FFW 36 -900 FFW 37 -850 FCR 38 -850 FCS 39 -890 6 Y6 FFW TPS3 -900 This well is different from the original design. This well was additionally installed after commissioning system with unsatisfied results. FCR TPS3 -900 FCS TPS3 -900 FFW 11 -900 FFW 12 -950 FCS 13 -900 FFW 14 -900 FFW 15 -900 FFW 16 -900 FFW 17 -950 FFW 18 -850 3.2 Measure impressed current: There is not impressed current output of Transformer No.1. Please refer to the attached report No.1.
Cathodic Protection System Failure Report
Camau fertilizer Plant Page 5
Nov. 26 4. FINDING ERROR. 4.1 Probability of Failure The inspected results show that there is 3 reasons may happen: a. Circuit from transformer rectifier TR1 to piping may open b. Circuit from transformer rectifier TR1 to anode well Y1 may open c. Transformer rectifier TR1 got malfunction 4.2 Finding error. References to OMM of Vendor and carrying out some test by trial-error and cross-check methods, the following testes have been done: Test 1: Please refer to the attached report No. 2 for details: Disconnect anode well Y1 from transformer rectifier TR1 Disconnect anode well Y5 and connect anode well Y5 to TR1 Turn-on the TR1, there is output current of 15.5mA
Test 2: Please refer to the attached report No. 3 for details: Connect the TR1 to its anode and cathode and turn-on TR1 Measure the voltage between junction box of anode PJ B1 and junction box of cathode NJ B1: 60V Test 3: Please refer to the attached report No. 4 thru No. 9 for details Cathodic Protection System Failure Report
Camau fertilizer Plant Page 6
Nov. 26 According to above reason, additional test have been performed for the rest of anode well (Y2 Y6) to check the current through each wire of anode well and the result are: - Anode well Y3: there are 2 wires without protective current - Anode well Y4: there is 1 wire without protective current 4.3 Conclusion a. Circuit from transformer rectifier TR1 to piping is ok b. Anode well Y1 totally failed. The reason either all 4 wires have disconnected from anodes or anodes have been failed. c. Transformer rectifier TR1 is ok d. Anode well Y3: there are 2 wires being disconnected from nodes e. Anode well Y4: there is 1 wire being disconnected from node 5. RECOMENDATION In order to absolutely solve problem and prevent failure in future, It is strongly recommended that the following actions must be taken into account: 1. Verification design of whole system 2. Verification construction design in consideration of soil data and actual soil improvement result at site. 3. Carrying-out root cause analysis 4. Install new anode well Y1 (redesign and construction design need to consider) 5. Evaluation the remain working ability and likelihood of failure of well Y3 & Y4, and solution therefore (may it be modified or replaced with new well) 6. ATTACHMENTS: There are total 9 attached reports (named Report No.1 thru No. 9) which accompany to this document