Water Treatment

Cathodic Protection — Impressed Current Systems

Cathodic protection prevents corrosion of buried or submerged metallic structures — pipelines, water storage tanks, treatment plant reinforcement, and marine infrastructure. Impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) systems use a DC power supply to force protective current from inert anodes (mixed metal oxide, silicon iron, or graphite) through the electrolyte to the structure being protected. The rectifier must maintain a stable, regulated DC output regardless of soil resistivity changes, seasonal water table fluctuations, and anode degradation over time. Most ICCP installations require continuous, uninterrupted operation — 24 hours a day, 365 days a year — making long-term reliability and low maintenance the primary selection criteria.

Electrochlorination and Electrolytic Disinfection

On-site electrochlorination generates sodium hypochlorite by passing DC current through a brine solution or directly through seawater. The process demands stable, low-ripple DC to maintain consistent chlorine production rates and maximise electrode cell life. Excessive ripple accelerates erosion of the titanium or mixed metal oxide electrode coatings, significantly increasing consumable costs. Similarly, electrolytic disinfection systems for municipal and industrial water supplies rely on precisely controlled DC to generate oxidants at predictable rates for reliable pathogen inactivation.

Electrocoagulation for Wastewater

Electrocoagulation uses sacrificial iron or aluminium electrodes energised by DC current to destabilise suspended solids, emulsified oils, and dissolved heavy metals in wastewater streams. The rectifier must support polarity reversal to prevent passivation of the electrode surfaces and maintain treatment efficiency. Water treatment infrastructure operates around the clock, and unplanned downtime can result in environmental compliance failures and discharge permit violations. Power supplies for these applications must be robust, remotely monitorable, and rated for harsh, humid environments — IP54 minimum with corrosion-resistant enclosures.