The Elsyca CatPro software has been designed for the optimization of cathodic protection systems of large networks of buried pipelines, taking into account stray current effects.
 

By applying the Elsyca CatPro software tool, the CP engineer can easily calculate different pipeline cathodic protection configurations under various conditions (soil resistivity, coating quality, pipeline dimensions, rectifier output, …) in order to custom-fit the system to his protection requirements. Consequently, the number of on-site interventions can be reduced significantly.

Elsyca CatPro's main features are:

• full 3D model for pipe structures, using “pipe elements” to reduce computation time;
• multiple pipeline networks;
• multiple cathodic protection systems (impressed current, potential or sacrificial);
• multiple DC-traction systems;
• database with standard pipeline sizes;
• advanced model for the coating quality (taking into account the local soil resistivity);
• any pipe section can be used in combination with any coating quality;
• modelling of electrical networks using current and voltage supplies, (uni-directional) current drains, resistive bonds, insulation joints, …;
• stray current influences from 3rd party systems;
• stray current influences from DC-traction systems such as trams, above/underground trains and Rapid Transit Systems;
• stray current influences from HVDC power transmission lines;
• visualization of on/off pipe-to-soil potentials, pipeline attenuation, and soil potential distributions;
• visualization of radial current densities and axial currents along the pipes;
• multi-layer analysis;
• import from file of existing coordinate databases;
• import from file of soil resistivity along the developed length of a pipeline;
• import from file of experimental pipe-to-soil potentials for comparison with calculations;
• Metric (kms) and English (miles) system.

Elsyca CatPro allows taking into account following effects:

• cathodic, anodic, combined and induced interferences;
• DC stray current interference from trains, trams, Rapid Transit Systems and & HVDC interference from power transmission lines;
• interferences from 3rd party cathodic protection systems or neighbouring pipeline systems.

Elsyca CatPro provides the asset manager with an intelligent tool for managing operational costs, significantly reducing expensive commissioning surveys and costly repairs while simultaneously making ecological gains.