GTEC 2016 Fall Compliance Conference

CORROSION PROTECTION SYSTEMS

Underground Fuel Tanks & Piping

Owner Monitoring & Maintenance

Requirements

Presented by:

Ralph Eichlin

NACE Certified Cathodic Protection Specialist

Types of Corrosion Protection

• Coatings and Linings

• Cathodic protection

Types of Cathodic Protection Systems

• Galvanic

• Impressed Current

INTERNAL LINING STRUCTURES

• Steel tanks internally lined before

December 22, 1988.

GALVANIC SYSTEM STRUCTURES

• sti P3 ® Tanks

• Steel Product Lines With Galvanic

Anodes

• Steel Flex Connectors/Swing Joints

• STI P3 is a registered trademark of the Steel Tank Institue

GALVANIC CATHODIC PROTECTION

• Monitoring Requirements

• Federal EPA – Every 3 Year Test

• Georgia EPD – Every 3 Year Test

GALVANIC Monitoring Requirements

• An evaluation of the cathodic protection

system must be conducted by a certified

tester every 3 years.

• The tester must be certified by NACE,

GTEC or other recognized trade

organization.

GALVANIC SURVEYS

• Field tests must include:

• Verification of tank and piping materials

• Local and remote potential measurements

• Diagram of CP and fueling systems

• Test results must be presented on the

Georgia EPD form

GALVANIC CATHODIC PROTECTION

• Test results show the tanks and/or

piping do not meet criteria. Why?

• Poor coating

• Electrically grounded

• Tie down straps

• Electrical conduits

• Type of backfill – pea gravel vs. sand

GALVANIC CATHODIC PROTECTION

• What to do about non-compliance?

• 60 days to repair from date of test

• Tester to conduct trouble shooting and/or

current requirement tests

• Clear ground contact

• Add galvanic anodes or impressed current

• Re-test within 6 months of repair

Tank

Lifting Lug

Native

Soil

Galvanic

Anode

Fill

Pavement

IMPRESSED CURRENT

• Monitoring Requirements

• Rectifier Monitoring

• Can be conducted by owner/operator

• Federal EPA – 60 Days

• Georgia EPD – 60 Days

MONTHLY RECTIFIER MONITORING

Amps

Volts

• Record volts and amps

on form

• Compare output

readings to target

levels

• Take action if readings

do not fall within target

Remote Monitoring Unit (RMU)

IMPRESSED CURRENT

• Problems at Monthly Rectifier Monitoring

• No volts or amps

• Check breakers and fuse

• Volts but no amps

• Damaged cables

• Fuse blows every time

• Lightning damage to diode

• 60 days to repair

IMPRESSED CURRENT

• 3 Year Surveys

• Must use certified tester

• Tester must do a complete test with remote

and local potentials

• Results must be issued on Georgia EPD

form

IMPRESSED CURRENT

• 3 Year Survey – What Causes Failing Results?

• Tester did not complete test

• Rectifier needs to be adjusted

• Cable has been cut

• Anodes depleted

• Cable connection to tank is loose

• Improper original design

IMPRESSED CURRENT

• 3 Year Test Failure – Return to Compliance

• Repairs must be made in 60 days

• Owner needs to be sure repairs are actually

required

• Owner needs to be involved in repairs, to be

sure workmanship is of good quality

• Expert must sign off on repairs

OWNERS RESPONSIBLITY

• Know CP monitoring

schedules

• Ensure testers are certified

(when required)

• Review survey results, and

take appropriate actions

• Be involved in providing

quality control on repairs

Internal Lining – Compliance

Summary

• What you must do to remain in

compliance

• Have a trained professional re-inspect the

lining every 5 years

• As of 2015, you must permanently close

tanks using internal lining as the sole

method of corrosion protection, if the

internal lining fails the periodic inspection

and cannot be repaired according to a

code of practice

Galvanic – Compliance Summary

• What you must do to remain in

compliance

• Have the CP system tested every 3 years

by a certified tester

• Repair the system within 60 days of a non-

compliance report

• Retest within 6 months of any repair to the

UST system

• Keep the last 2 test reports on file

Impressed Current – Compliance Summary

• What you must do to remain in

compliance

• Monitor the rectifier every 60 days, record

the output, and make repairs to ensure it

operates at the prescribed output.

• Have the CP system tested every 3 years

by a certified tester

• Repair the system within 60 days of a non-

compliance report or rectifier outage

• Retest within 6 months of a repair to the

UST system

Test Reports – Compliance Summary

• What you must do to remain in

compliance

• Keep records of at least the last 3 rectifier

inspections.

• Keep the last 2 test reports by your

certified testing technician