Method and apparatus for anodic protection

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR INHIBITING THE CORROSION OF METALLIC SURFACES IN CONTACT WITH A HOT CORROSIVE LIQUID WHICH COMPRISES PASSING AN ELECTRIC CURRENT BETWEEN SAID METALLIC SURFACE AND A NORMALLY CORROSIVE CATHODE ELECTRICALLY INSULATED FROM SAID METALLIC SURFACE AND IN CONTACT WITH SAID CORROSIVE LIQUID, SIZING SAID CATHODE TO HAVE A SURFACE AREA SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE PRODUCT OF THE SURFACE AREA OF SAID METALLIC SURFACE CONNECTED AS ANODE TIMES THE RATIO OF THE CURRENT DENSITY REQUIRED FOR THE ANODIC PROTECTION OF SAID METALLIC SURFACES CONNECTED AS ANODE TO THE CURRENT DENSITY REQUIRED FOR THE CATHODIC PROTECTION OF THE CATHODES, SAID ELECTRIC CURRENT BEING OF A MAGNITUDE SUFFICIENT TO PASSIVATE THE METALLIC SURFACE CONNECTED AS AN ANODE, THEREAFTER SUPPLYING SUFFICIENT ELECTRIC CURRENT BETWEEN SAID CATHODE AND ANODE TO MAINTAIN THE AVERAGE POTENTIAL OF SAID METALLIC SURFACE WITHIN THE PASSIVE POTENTIAL RANGE AS MEASURED BY A PLATINUM REFERENCE ELECTRODE IMMERSED IN SAID CORROSIVE LIQUID.