Corrosion-erosion-cavitation protection for marine propellers

Claim 1

A METHOD OF ELECTRICALLY PROTECTING A SHIP''S PROPELLER AGAINST CORROSION AND CAVAITATION DAMAGE IN SEA WATER ELECTROLYTE BY A HYDROGEN EVOLUTION PROCESS, WHICH COMPRISES RENDERING THE PROPELLER THE CATHODE IN AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT, LOCATING AN ANODE OF THE ELECTRIC CIRCUIT IN A POSITION RELATIVE TO THE CATHODE PROPELLER SUCH THAT A MAJOR PART OF AN ELECTRIC CURRENT IMPRESSED ON THE ANODE FLOWS THEREFROM THROUGH THE SEA WATER ELECTROLYTE TO THE PROPELLER, IMPRESSING UPON THE ANODE AN ELECTRIC CURRENT OF A RELATIVELY HIGH ORDER OF CURRENT DENSITY AND IN EXCESS OF THAT REQUIRED FOR CATHODIC PROTECTION OF THE PROPELLER AGAINST CORROSION, THE ACTUAL CURRENT DENSITY IMPRESSED UPON THE PROPELLER BEING IN EXCESS OF ABOUT 10 MA. PER SQ. FT. OF PROPELLER SURFACE AND ALSO BEING AT LEAST 30 TIMES THE CURRENT DENSITY OF ANY PORTION OF THE CATHODIC ELECTRIC CURRENT WHICH PASSES THROUGH THE SURFACE OF THE SHIP''S HULL, WHEREBY THE SEA WATER ELECTROLYTE IS IONIZED AND HYDROGEN GENERATED THEREBY MAINTAINS THE PROPELLER IN A PROTECTIVE CATHODIC CONDITION WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY PROVIDING EXCESS HYDROGEN IN THE FORM OF BUBBLES ON THE PROPELLER SURFACES WHICH HYDROGEN BUBBLES CUSHION CAVITATION VAPOR BUBBLES TENDING A COLLAPSE ON THE PROPELLER SURFACE.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF ELECTRICALLY PROTECTING A SHIP''S PROPELLER AGAINST CORROSION AND CAVAITATION DAMAGE IN SEA WATER ELECTROLYTE BY A HYDROGEN EVOLUTION PROCESS, WHICH COMPRISES RENDERING THE PROPELLER THE CATHODE IN AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT, LOCATING AN ANODE OF THE ELECTRIC CIRCUIT IN A POSITION RELATIVE TO THE CATHODE PROPELLER SUCH THAT A MAJOR PART OF AN ELECTRIC CURRENT IMPRESSED ON THE ANODE FLOWS THEREFROM THROUGH THE SEA WATER ELECTROLYTE TO THE PROPELLER, IMPRESSING UPON THE ANODE AN ELECTRIC CURRENT OF A RELATIVELY HIGH ORDER OF CURRENT DENSITY AND IN EXCESS OF THAT REQUIRED FOR CATHODIC PROTECTION OF THE PROPELLER AGAINST CORROSION, THE ACTUAL CURRENT DENSITY IMPRESSED UPON THE PROPELLER BEING IN EXCESS OF ABOUT 10 MA. PER SQ. FT. OF PROPELLER SURFACE AND ALSO BEING AT LEAST 30 TIMES THE CURRENT DENSITY OF ANY PORTION OF THE CATHODIC ELECTRIC CURRENT WHICH PASSES THROUGH THE SURFACE OF THE SHIP''S HULL, WHEREBY THE SEA WATER ELECTROLYTE IS IONIZED AND HYDROGEN GENERATED THEREBY MAINTAINS THE PROPELLER IN A PROTECTIVE CATHODIC CONDITION WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY PROVIDING EXCESS HYDROGEN IN THE FORM OF BUBBLES ON THE PROPELLER SURFACES WHICH HYDROGEN BUBBLES CUSHION CAVITATION VAPOR BUBBLES TENDING A COLLAPSE ON THE PROPELLER SURFACE.