Method and structure of cathodically protecting metallic casings of heat distribution systems

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF PROTECTING A METALLIC CASING, OF A HEAT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM THAT INCLUDES A PIPE ADAPTED TO CARRY A HEATED FLUID THERETHROUGH, FROM THE CORROSIVE DETERIORATING EFFECTS OF MOISTURE WITHIN THE CASING, WHICH METHOD COMPRIESES: SURROUNDING THE PIPE WITH THE CASING AND A LAYER OF THERMALLY INSULATING MATERIAL INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE PIPE AND THE CASING THAT IS CHARACTERIZED BY HAVING GOOD DIELECTRIC JPROPERTIES WHEN DRY BUT HAVING SOME ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTING PROPERTIES WHEN WET, AND THAT IS FURTHER CHARACTERIZED BY HAVING AT LEAST ONE ELECTRODE IN CONTACT WITH THE INSULATING MATERIAL IN RADIALLY SPACED RELATION TO THE CASING, AND OPERATIVELY DISTRIBUTED ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE PIPE, WITH MEANS ASSOCIATED THEREWITH FOR MAKING THE CASING THE CATHODIC JKPORTION AND THE ELECTRODES THE ANODIC PORTION OF A CATHODIC PROTECTING SYSTEM, AND CIRCULATING A HEATED FLUID THROUGH THE PIPE TO CAUSE MOISTURE WITHIN THE THERMALLY INSULATING MATERIAL TO BE DRIVEN RADIALLY OUTWARDLY TOWARD THE CASING TO THEREBY OPEN CIRCUIT THE CATHODIC JPROTECTIVE SYSTEM, WHEREBY WHEN THE HEAT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM IS FIRST INSTALLED AND BEFORE THE CIRCULATION OF HEATED FLUID THERETHROUGH, AND WHEN THE CIRCULATION OF THE HEATED FLUID MAY BE SEASONABLY TERMINATED THEREBY CAUSING REDISTRIBUTION OF MOISTURE WITHIN THE TERMAL INSULATING MATERIAL, AND WHEN MISTURE AMAY OTHERWISE REACH THE PROXIMITY OF THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID CASING, THE CATHODIC KPROTECTION SYSTEM PROVIDES CONTINUAL PROTECTION FOR THE CASING INTERNAL SURFACE AGAINST CORROSION.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF PROTECTING A METALLIC CASING, OF A HEAT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM THAT INCLUDES A PIPE ADAPTED TO CARRY A HEATED FLUID THERETHROUGH, FROM THE CORROSIVE DETERIORATING EFFECTS OF MOISTURE WITHIN THE CASING, WHICH METHOD COMPRIESES: SURROUNDING THE PIPE WITH THE CASING AND A LAYER OF THERMALLY INSULATING MATERIAL INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE PIPE AND THE CASING THAT IS CHARACTERIZED BY HAVING GOOD DIELECTRIC JPROPERTIES WHEN DRY BUT HAVING SOME ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTING PROPERTIES WHEN WET, AND THAT IS FURTHER CHARACTERIZED BY HAVING AT LEAST ONE ELECTRODE IN CONTACT WITH THE INSULATING MATERIAL IN RADIALLY SPACED RELATION TO THE CASING, AND OPERATIVELY DISTRIBUTED ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE PIPE, WITH MEANS ASSOCIATED THEREWITH FOR MAKING THE CASING THE CATHODIC JKPORTION AND THE ELECTRODES THE ANODIC PORTION OF A CATHODIC PROTECTING SYSTEM, AND CIRCULATING A HEATED FLUID THROUGH THE PIPE TO CAUSE MOISTURE WITHIN THE THERMALLY INSULATING MATERIAL TO BE DRIVEN RADIALLY OUTWARDLY TOWARD THE CASING TO THEREBY OPEN CIRCUIT THE CATHODIC JPROTECTIVE SYSTEM, WHEREBY WHEN THE HEAT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM IS FIRST INSTALLED AND BEFORE THE CIRCULATION OF HEATED FLUID THERETHROUGH, AND WHEN THE CIRCULATION OF THE HEATED FLUID MAY BE SEASONABLY TERMINATED THEREBY CAUSING REDISTRIBUTION OF MOISTURE WITHIN THE TERMAL INSULATING MATERIAL, AND WHEN MISTURE AMAY OTHERWISE REACH THE PROXIMITY OF THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID CASING, THE CATHODIC KPROTECTION SYSTEM PROVIDES CONTINUAL PROTECTION FOR THE CASING INTERNAL SURFACE AGAINST CORROSION.