• corrosion protection

Corrosion is always annoying and can unfortunately quickly lead to expensive problems if one does not react appropriately and take appropriate measures. Therefore we are here for you and support you in consulting, planning, implementation and testing of corrosion protection methods.

We offer the following services in this area:

  • Corrosion testing and risk assessment
  • Consulting, planning and installation of protection methods
  • Cathodic corrosion protection

We are your worldwide partner for corrosion protection and plant protection. Learn more about our testing and measuring methods, our solutions and our possibilities for active and passive corrosion protection.

  • principles of corrosion

WHAT IS CORROSION?

From a technical point of view, according to DIN EN ISO 8044, corrosion is the reaction of a material with its environment that causes a measurable change in the material and leads to an impairment of the
the function of a component or system. In this standard, 37 different Corrosion types are defined.

Corrosion is often visible on the object or surface in concern. However, the change can also take place invisibly in the material; often corrosion also takes place under ground or in water.

If you notice corrosion on your system, associated components (substructure, other load-bearing structures, sheet metal tiles for roof-mounted systems or others), you should evaluate the possible risks and consequences and react.

RISIKS OF CORROSION

Corrosion can take different courses: from a purely optical effect to instability of the components, a wide range of effects is possible. Here you should make sure to be on the safe side and have our team of experts carry out a risk assessment.

Managing Director Ernst-Günter Ache was able to draw attention to a problem in many countries and with many outdoor plants in the context of an expert report: The substructure built into the ground corrodes and thus ensures the instability of the entire plant. A redevelopment or even a new construction of the plant is unavoidable, if not considered in time and appropriate measures are initiated. Unfortunately, especially in Great Britain, incorrect and poor protective measures have been built in by corresponding building regulations, which could cause the plants to overturn in a few years.

“It is important to me to provide information and solutions in a timely manner,” says Ernst-Günter Ache. Together with PV-Magazin, he pointed out this problem worldwide and provided advice and support as an expert.

In contrast to many others, Ache Engineering GmbH is not only able to analyse corrosion and the resulting risks, but also offers direct solutions. With our corrosion protection we are a worldwide partner for corrosion problems.

  • EVALUATION OF CORROSION

EVALUATION OF CORROSION

We observe, evaluate and professionally repair corrosion, corrosion damage and their causes and provide comprehensive advice on planned renovation tasks.

Due to our specialization in all questions concerning mechanical photovoltaic components and our competence in the fields of mechanical engineering, steel construction, welded constructions as well as surface treatment and refinement, a few years ago we established a special department
for the area of corrosion. As described in the following chapter, we extensively renovate photovoltaic systems and their components with significant corrosion problems.

Our company has extensive measuring equipment for recording the material and surface properties of metallic and refined surfaces. In addition, our team consists of experienced engineers, technicians and publicly sworn experts who deal exclusively with questions concerning corrosion and its causes.
We consider according to the following standards:

  • DIN EN 14868:2005-11 Corrosion protection of metallic materials – Guidelines for the determination of corrosion probability in closed water circulation systems
  • DIN EN 15280:2013-12 Assessment of the probability of corrosion by alternating current on underground pipelines applicable to cathodic protection pipelines
  • DIN EN ISO 6509-1:2014-09 Corrosion of metals and alloys – Determination of resistance to dezincification of copper-zinc alloys
  • DIN EN ISO 8407:2014-06 Corrosion of metals and alloys – Removal of corrosion products from corrosion specimens
  • DIN EN ISO 9224:2012-05 Corrosion of metals and alloys – Corrosivity of atmospheres – Indicative values for the corrosivity categories
  • DIN EN ISO 17081:2014-10 Electrochemical method for measuring hydrogen permeation and for determining hydrogen uptake and transport in metals
  • DIN EN ISO 17475:2008-07 Corrosion of metals and alloys – Electrochemical test methods – Guide for the performance of potentiostatic and potentiodynamic polarization measurements

All employees regularly take part in personnel qualifications according to DIN EN ISO 15257 for persons involved in corrosion protection. Here, we comprehensively evaluate the conditions that have led or may lead to corrosion on components.

In particular, we evaluate surface finishes such as galvanizing and powder coating of metallic materials and analyze possible manufacturing and handling errors in the handling of finished surfaces.
We regularly have chemical analyses carried out in cooperation with two leading German universities for materials research and surface evaluation and the results are included in our evaluation of the causes.

We have a very high level of process experience for the following finishing and coating processes and can name the causes as well as remedial possibilities for surface defects for these processes in a proper and professional manner.

  • DIN EN ISO 10346 Continuous hot dipping process
  • DIN EN ISO 1461 Hot dip galvanizing
  • DIN 2063 thermal spraying
  • DIN 50979 electrogalvanized
  • DIN 55633 Powder coating on galvanized surfaces

EVALUATION CRITERIA

We take many factors into consideration when assessing corrosion and its risks. Using mechanical and chemical test procedures and taking into consideration environmental influences such as soil resistance, acidity of the soil, metrological site conditions and others, we determine the actual load on your components. The load of sulphur or nitrogen oxides also has an influence on corrosion. For some installations there may also be an influence from condensation water, chlorine gases (hydrochloric acids) or ozone. Furthermore, temperature variations can influence and accelerate corrosion.

On the basis of the corrosion process to date and the data collected, we can assess corrosion and possible consequences and risks in a concrete and highly reliable manner.

MEASURING AND TESTING METHODS

As corrosion is, as described above, an electrochemical process in which there is usually a flow of electrons, it is possible to find out a lot about corrosion using electrical, chemical or electrochemical testing methods.

In the following we explain our measurement procedures and test methods:

Salzsprühnebeltest

Kondenssattest

Interkristalliner Korrosionstest

Spannungsrisskorrosionstest

Inhalt des Toggles hier rein

Lochkorrosionspotentialmessungen

  • PASSIVE PROTECTION

PASSIVE PROTECTION AGAINST CORROSION

CHOICE OF THE RIGHT MATERIALS

A simple way of providing passive corrosion protection is the right choice of material. After checking the ambient conditions, we can make recommendations for materials and thus prevent corrosion right from the start.

PROTECTIVE COATINGS

Another possibility for corrosion protection is a protective layer on the materials. Good protection can be applied by, for example, protective oils, protective greases, protective coatings or chemical surface treatment of the materials, this can be achieved particularly well during before/during construction, but subsequent protection by a protective layer is also possible.

METALLIC COATINGS

Corrosion resistance of the materials can be achieved by hot-dip galvanizing or galvanic coating. This is often done with the existing materials, but not in the desired quality and thus causes problems in the long term.

TESTING OF THE PROTECTIVE MECHANISMS

With our many years of experience and corresponding test procedures, we are happy to assist you in the selection of protection methods and the testing of these. By measuring the thickness of protective layers and coatings, quality and durability can be determined. Unfortunately, manufacturers often refer to galvanizing, for example, which does not guarantee the desired function due to poor execution.

Here we are your contact for advice, planning, implementation and testing of all types of corrosion protection.

  • active protection

Active protection against corrosion

Cathodic corrosion protection

Ache Engineering GmbH is a specialist company that provides international protection of photovoltaic systems against corrosion. This measure is often necessary to protect the static components of a photovoltaic rack from damage and rust in a short time, without further damage and without a great influence on the operation.

Here, a fundamental distinction must be made between above-ground and underground corrosion. The most frequent and critical case in which major damage is quickly caused is underground anodic corrosion. The necessary protective measures differ greatly in some cases.

Due to special ground conditions or due to the system configuration, corrosion often occurs at the posts of the PV tables.

After the protective zinc layer has been removed in some areas, internal compensating currents and the exposed steel parts cause a considerably accelerated corrosion, which can only be classically protected subsequently by considerable effort, without raising the question of the quality of the protection or the service life.

In cathodic corrosion protection, the part to be protected against corrosion is electrically connected to another part, the so-called sacrificial anode.

Electrons are exchanged between the two parts and only the planned oxidation at the sacrificial anode takes place. In this way, a cost-effective protection can be easily implemented, depending on the soil conditions, which can also protect the parts for over 100 years if desired.

For this purpose we use special anodes with a coordinated and adapted current for the entire system, depending on the environmental conditions of the photovoltaic farm. These are inserted into the ground in a so-called anode bed.

This simplified explanation briefly summarizes what Ache Engineering GmbH fully realizes. We are your partner for the protection of industrial, tank and offshore plants, pipe networks in water or in the ground, the protection of reinforced concrete and much more. We take all steps from planning to subsequent maintenance, control and remote monitoring to efficiently protect your plants against corrosion.

The necessary interventions in most existing solar parks are manageable and are professionally coordinated with the operator.

Ache Engineering has international experience in the field of cathodic corrosion protection and implements the protective measures from planning to commissioning.

Opferabode im Anodenbett im Erdboden
ACHE Engineering GmbH - Röntgenweg 9 - D-35638 Leun - Tel.: +49 (0) 6473-92254-0