Key terms:

Anode ground bed (anode) is a conductor immersed in an electrolytic medium (soil, electrolyte solution) and connected to the positive terminal of a DC source.
Cathodic protection is an electrochemical means of corrosion control based on the application of a negative potential to the protected item. Cathodic protection, as a rule, is supplemented by the application of protective coatings.
Potential shift of a protected metal object is made by means of an external DC source (cathode station) or a compound with a sacrificial anode made of a metal, which is more electronegative in relation to the object. At the same time the surface of a protected sample (details of a construction) becomes equipotential and only a cathodic process proceeds on all its areas. The anodic process causing corrosion is carried over to the auxiliary electrodes. Hence the name (a sacrificial anode, a sacrificial electrode) has occurred. If, however, the potential shift in the negative direction exceeds a certain value, the so-called overprotection connected with the release of hydrogen, the near-electrode layer consistency change and other effects may trigger, which can lead to the protective (insulating) coating degradation and stress corrosion of a cathodically protected object.
Cathode stationis intended to create a direct electric current between an anode ground bed and underground objects (pipelines, tanks etc.) with a cathodic protection against the corrosion of the latter. There are network cathode stations (most common), the electric power source of which are power transmission lines (PTL), and autonomous ones. The network cathode stations include one or more step-down AC transformers, a semiconductor rectifier, a switching, control and measuring and regulating equipment as well as a protection device safeguarding from switching overvoltage and atmospheric discharge influence.
Cathode station is designed as a metal cabinet with a power transformer, a rectifier unit and automation units inside it. The output power of a cathode station is 5 kW, a DC voltage is 96 V and a DC power is 104 A. The stations are designed to operate in the field. Automatic cathode stations are divided into the cathode stations with the protective current stabilization (contains an electric current sensor) and the cathode stations with an underground facility protective potential stabilization (with a potential sensor installed in the ground directly at the wall of a protected facility).
Autonomous cathode stations are mainly used in the areas where there are no power transmission lines. They consist of an autonomous power source as well as a conversion, measurement, switching and protective equipment. The main electrical power source is a thermoelectric generator, wind power generators, photoelectric generators as well as generators driven by internal combustion engines. For example, autonomous cathode stations with internal combustion engines operating (usually along with electrical storage batteries) on the natural gas transportation lines were used to protect gas pipelines in the USSR.

The research and development activities have resulted in the creation of effective industrial technologies for manufacturing new kinds of anodes with little amortization based on valve metals – titanium, niobium and their alloys. Anode slightly soluble titanium-manganese dioxide ground beds were created according to TU U (technical specifications of Ukraine) 24.4-32905858-001:2016. Manganese dioxide-titanium anode (TDMA-γ) is a titanium foundation with an electro-chemically applied layer of active electrode coating from manganese dioxide (γ-MnO2). The manufactured products are protected by patent №106462.
The company’s innovative activity objectives include further development of prospective anode resistant materials, electro-active coatings, composite anodes of lightweight construction, methods of electro-active coatings applying and manufacturing of anode ground beds, choice of efficient meaningful solutions that ensure reliable electrical connections in multiply-unit assemblies, simplicity of assembly operations as well as ease of their installation in the field.
The company’s innovative activity objectives include further development of prospective anode resistant materials, electro-active coatings, composite anodes of lightweight construction, methods of electro-active coatings applying and manufacturing of anode ground beds, choice of efficient meaningful solutions that ensure reliable electrical connections in multiply-unit assemblies, simplicity of assembly operations as well as ease of their installation in the field. The scientific researches and technological developments of the company are carried out by our experts in collaboration with the Department of Manufacturing Technologies of Oles Honchar Dnipropetrovsk National University on the basis of a sophisticated physics and engineering laboratory where the specialists in the field of electrochemistry, electrical engineering and material engineering work. The result of research in recent years has been the development and mastering of the original technology of mass produced titanium-based anode ground beds γ-TDM-AC, including a mechanical and physical-chemical processing of the titanium base of cylindrical configuration, an application of the electroactively modified manganese dioxide coating with its thickness and structure under control as well as a final thermochemical processing with a coating thickness of 85-100 microns. Anode ground beds γ-TDM-AC titanium-based with anode resistant manganese dioxide coating are much more resistant comparing to the well-known analogues based on graphite, ferrosilid, magnetite and are not worse than anode ground beds coated with platinum group metals (platinum, ruthenium, iridium) or their oxide compounds. The company includes a technical control service, which work is to control compliance with ISO (International Organization for Standardization) requirements. Consumers of "Dnipropetrovsk Tube Company" products are companies and organizations carrying out mounting, commissioning and maintenance work to supply agricultural, industrial and residential enterprises with gas and fuel. Among consumers of anode ground beds being designed by our company there are such companies as PLC "Gaztek", State Enterprise "Ukrtransgaz", PLC "Chernomorneftegaz" and others. By now the company's products have obtained high estimation. The equipment is widely used for corrosion protection both in Ukraine and other countries as well as for effective protection of pipelines from electrotechnical damage.

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