Installation
Installation of the evacuation line
2007-9015-001
03-2014
5.6.4
Protection against corrosion of the steel evacuation line
How to delay underground corrosion
Very low-voltage electricity travels through the ground. The amount of electricity
that can be carried by the ground depends on the type of soil. For example,
damp hard clay soil has a high conductivity potential and dry coarse sand has
virtually no conductivity potential.
As electricity travels through the ground, if it finds a steel evacuation line, it will
use it for whatever distance suits it. Then, where electricity leaves the steel
evacuation line, a chemical reaction occurs. This chemical reaction is the
underground corrosion, which can be fast or slow depending on the type of soil
in the area.
The steel evacuation line, as well as the Futuro pump, can be protected against
corrosion by installing sacrificial anodes at specific points along the buried line.
The following instructions prolong the life of the steel equipment significantly:
Each steel pipe must be free of scratches on its coating:
● Scratches greatly amplify the corrosion process since electricity
concentrates on the scratches to leave the steel pipe, creating hot spots that
corrode fast.
● Scratches must be coated with tar.
It is mandatory to bury the whole steel evacuation line in sand:
● Sand is the best material to prevent scratches on the steel pipe coating at
the time of installation.
● Sand is also the least conductive material for electricity.
● Sand must be well compacted around the equipment and the anodes in
order to avoid later soil movement that could break the copper wire.
Installation of sacrificial anodes:
(Part # 2007-8007-370 15 Kg Sacrificial Anode)
● Sacrificial anodes are made of a material that corrodes faster than steel. It
is designed to protect steel pipes and elbows against corrosion.
● Anodes gradually corrode away over many years instead of the evacuation
line.
● Once corroded away, if the anodes are not replaced, the corrosion will start
its process on the evacuation line.
