Arrangement for anti-fouling of a protected surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020087799-A1
Application number	US-201716473173-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 21, 2017
Priority date	Dec 27, 2016
Publication date	Mar 19, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An arrangement is provided for anti-fouling of a surface (30) of a marine structure (50) when in contact a liquid like seawater. The arrangement has floating electrodes and a power source (130) coupled to conductors in contact with the liquid, which conductors are distributed across the marine structure for providing an electrical potential across a protected area (40) of the surface. The floating electrodes (110) are arranged on the surface covering a protected area. Each floating electrode has a conductive layer being electrically isolated from the surface, and a dielectric layer (112) separating the conductive layer and the liquid. The power source is arranged to generate voltage pulses for charging and discharging the floating electrodes due to changes in the electrical potential for generating charging and discharging currents in the liquid at the dielectric layer. Effectively, such currents prevent or at least reduce biofouling.

First claim

1 . An arrangement for anti-fouling of a surface, the arrangement comprising:
a power source, the power source having a first pole and a second pole, wherein the first pole is coupled to a first conductor, wherein the first conductor is in contact with a liquid, wherein the second pole is coupled to a second conductor, wherein the second conductor is in contact with the liquid, wherein the first conductor and the second conductor is distributed across a marine structure, wherein the marine structure includes the surface, wherein the first conductor and the second conductor provide an electrical potential across a protected area of the surface; and one or more floating electrodes, wherein the one or more floating electrodes cover the protected area, wherein each floating electrode comprises a conductive layer, wherein the conductive layer is electrically isolated from the surface and a dielectric layer; wherein the power source is arranged to generate voltage pulses, wherein the voltage pulses are arranged to charge and discharge.

2 . The arrangement according to claim 1 ,
wherein the power source is arranged to generate the voltage pulses, wherein the voltage pulses have rising or falling slopes, wherein the rising or falling slopes change at a required rate of volts per second such that charging or discharging currents are anti-fouling.

3 . The arrangement according to claim 1 ,
wherein the power source is arranged to generate the voltage pulses having rising and falling slopes, wherein the rising or falling slopes are generated by switching a DC voltage on and off;

4 . The arrangement according to claim 2 ,
wherein the power source is arranged to generate the voltage pulses having a limited duration between the rising and falling slopes, wherein the duration is limited to enabling the charging current to charge the floating electrodes and to limit subsequent discharging of the floating electrodes due to leakage current.

5 . The arrangement according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first conductor is arranged for constituting an anode, wherein the second conductor is arranged for constituting a cathode, wherein the second conductor comprises conductive parts of the marine structure in direct contact with the liquid; wherein the power source is arranged to yield impressed current cathodic protection of the marine structure by generating an average DC component between the anode and the cathode.

6 . The arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the power source is arranged to generate the average DC component by pulse width modulation of the voltage pulses.

7 . The arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the power source is arranged to generate the average DC component by providing a continuous DC offset voltage added to the voltage pulses.

8 . The arrangement according to claim 1 ,
wherein the conductive layer is isolated from the marine structure by a coating layer.

9 . The arrangement according to claim 1 ,
wherein the arrangement comprises a foil of isolating material, wherein the foil comprises a plurality of the conductive layers positioned next to each other plurality.

10 . The arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein the conductive layers are isolated from the liquid by the isolating material constituting the dielectric layer.

11 . The arrangement according to claim 9 ,
wherein the one or more conductive layers are embedded in the isolating material close to the liquid to form the dielectric layer, wherein the dielectric layer has a limited thickness, wherein the isolating material constitutes a separation layer between the conductive layer and the surface of the marine structure, wherein the separation layer has a thickness well above the limited thickness.

12 . A marine structure comprising:
an arrangement, the arrangement comprising:
a power source, the power source having a first pole and a second pole,
wherein the first pole is coupled to a first conductor,
wherein the first conductor is in contact with a liquid,
wherein the second pole is coupled to a second conductor,
wherein the second conductor is in contact with the liquid,
wherein the first conductor and the second conductor is distributed across a marine structure,
wherein the marine structure includes the surface,
wherein the first conductor and the second conductor provide an electrical potential across a protected area of the surface; and

one or more floating electrodes,
wherein the one or more floating electrodes cover the protected area,
wherein each floating electrode comprises a conductive layer,
wherein the conductive layer is electrically isolated from the surface and a dielectric layer;
wherein the power source is arranged to generate voltage pulses,
wherein the voltage pulses are arranged to charge and discharge,

wherein the first conductor and the second conductor are distributed across the marine structure, wherein the first conductor and the second conductor are arranged to provide for providing an electrical potential across a protected area of the surface; wherein the power source has the first pole coupled to the first conductor and the second pole coupled to the second conductor; and wherein the one or more floating electrodes are attached on the surface of the marine structure, wherein the one or more floating electrodes cover the protected area.

13 . The marine structure according to claim 12 ,
wherein a plurality of the floating electrodes comprises a pattern of the conductive layers, wherein the pattern of the conductive layers is shaped in complementary forms, wherein each complementary form constitutes a floating electrode separated by interruptions from adjacent floating electrodes, wherein the interruptions provide electrical isolation, wherein the interruptions are and relatively small with respect to the floating electrodes.

14 . (canceled)

15 . A method of operating an arrangement, wherein the arrangement comprises:
a power source, the power source having a first pole and a second pole,
wherein the first pole is coupled to a first conductor,
wherein the first conductor is in contact with a liquid,
wherein the second pole is coupled to a second conductor,
wherein the second conductor is in contact with the liquid,
wherein the first conductor and the second conductor is distributed across a marine structure,
wherein the marine structure includes the surface,
wherein the first conductor and the second conductor provide an electrical potential across a protected area of the surface; and
one or more floating electrodes,
wherein the one or more floating electrodes cover the protected area,
wherein each floating electrode comprises a conductive layer,
wherein the conductive layer is electrically isolated from the surface and a dielectric layer;
wherein the power source is arranged to generate voltage pulses,
wherein the voltage pulses are arranged to charge and discharge,
wherein the one or more floating electrodes are located on a surface of the marine structure, wherein the marine structure is in contact with a liquid containing biofouling organisms, wherein each floating electrode comprises a conductive layer, wherein the conductive layer is electrically isolated from the surface, wherein a dielectric layer to separates the conductive layer and the liquid, wherein the first conductor and the second conductor is distributed across the marine structure, wherein the first conductor and the second conductor are arranged to provide an electrical potential across the protected area

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Van Delden Marc

Classifications

• C23F13/04

  Controlling or regulating desired parameters · CPC title

• C23F13/20

  Conducting electric current to electrodes · CPC title

• C23F13/06

  Constructional parts, or assemblies of cathodic-protection apparatus · CPC title

• C02F2201/46175

  Electrical pulses · CPC title

• B08B17/02 Primary

  Preventing deposition of fouling or of dust · CPC title