Hot water tank and method of increasing the effectiveness of cathodic protection of the same

Claim 1

A METHOD OF INCREASING THE CATHODIC PROTECTION OF A CORROSION-RESISTANT LINED WATER STORAGE VESSEL CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF NATURALLY SOFT WATER AND WITH SAID WATER HAVING A CONCENTRATION OF DISSOLVED SOLIDS OF LESS THAN 100 P. P. M. AND BEING CAPABLE OF CONDUCTING A GIVEN ELECTRIC CURRENT BETWEEN AN ANODE DISPOSED WITHIN THE VESSEL AND ANY EXPOSED METAL AREAS OF THE LATTER BUT WITH SAID GIVEN CURRENT BEING INCAPABLE OF PROTECTING SAID METAL AREAS FROM CORROSION, COMPRISING, INTRODUCING INTO SAID VESSEL A SOLID ELECTROLYTE MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CALCIUM SULPHATE, MAGNESIUM CARBONATE AND CALCIUM HYDROXIDE, AND WITH SAID ELECTROLYTE BEING CAPABLE OF INCREASING THE DISSOLVED SOLIDS CONTENT OF SAID WATER WHEREBY THE CURRENT DENSITY OF SAID WATER MAY BE INCREASED; FLOWING WATER FROM SAID SOURCE INTO SAID VESSEL AND INTO CONTACT WITH SAID MATERIAL SO THAT THE DISSOLVED SOLIDS CONTENT OF THE WATER WITHIN THE VESSEL IS INCREASED TO A RANGE OF ABOUT 150 TO 400 P. P. M. FOR A PERIOD OF TIME SUFFICIENT FOR THE INCREASED CURRENT TO POLARIZE THE CATHODIC METAL AREAS OF THE VESSEL EXPOSED TO WATER, AND THEREAFTER FLOWING ADDITIONAL WATER FROM SAID SOURCE INTO AND THROUGH THE VESSEL WITH SAID CONCENTRATION OF DISSOLVED SOLIDS AND SAID CURRENT DENSITY RETURNING TO THEIR INITIAL VALUES WHEREBY THE POLARIZED CONDITION OF THE CATHODIC AREAS IS SUBSEQUENTLY MAINTAINED BY THE LESSER CURRENT TO PROTECT THE METAL AREAS OF THE VESSEL FROM CORROSION.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF INCREASING THE CATHODIC PROTECTION OF A CORROSION-RESISTANT LINED WATER STORAGE VESSEL CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF NATURALLY SOFT WATER AND WITH SAID WATER HAVING A CONCENTRATION OF DISSOLVED SOLIDS OF LESS THAN 100 P. P. M. AND BEING CAPABLE OF CONDUCTING A GIVEN ELECTRIC CURRENT BETWEEN AN ANODE DISPOSED WITHIN THE VESSEL AND ANY EXPOSED METAL AREAS OF THE LATTER BUT WITH SAID GIVEN CURRENT BEING INCAPABLE OF PROTECTING SAID METAL AREAS FROM CORROSION, COMPRISING, INTRODUCING INTO SAID VESSEL A SOLID ELECTROLYTE MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CALCIUM SULPHATE, MAGNESIUM CARBONATE AND CALCIUM HYDROXIDE, AND WITH SAID ELECTROLYTE BEING CAPABLE OF INCREASING THE DISSOLVED SOLIDS CONTENT OF SAID WATER WHEREBY THE CURRENT DENSITY OF SAID WATER MAY BE INCREASED; FLOWING WATER FROM SAID SOURCE INTO SAID VESSEL AND INTO CONTACT WITH SAID MATERIAL SO THAT THE DISSOLVED SOLIDS CONTENT OF THE WATER WITHIN THE VESSEL IS INCREASED TO A RANGE OF ABOUT 150 TO 400 P. P. M. FOR A PERIOD OF TIME SUFFICIENT FOR THE INCREASED CURRENT TO POLARIZE THE CATHODIC METAL AREAS OF THE VESSEL EXPOSED TO WATER, AND THEREAFTER FLOWING ADDITIONAL WATER FROM SAID SOURCE INTO AND THROUGH THE VESSEL WITH SAID CONCENTRATION OF DISSOLVED SOLIDS AND SAID CURRENT DENSITY RETURNING TO THEIR INITIAL VALUES WHEREBY THE POLARIZED CONDITION OF THE CATHODIC AREAS IS SUBSEQUENTLY MAINTAINED BY THE LESSER CURRENT TO PROTECT THE METAL AREAS OF THE VESSEL FROM CORROSION.