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A sacrificial anode is a small object that plays a big role in modern life. They’re particularly important for heat exchangers, and without them, corrosion would be much more prevalent. That corrosion would lead to inefficient performance and a higher total cost of ownership, and that would have a significant ripple effect through modern life. What is an anode? Electrodes are electrical conductors used to make contact with the nonmetallic aspect of a circuit, such as an electrolyte or a semiconductor. An anode is a type of electrode through which an electrical current flows through and into a device. In other words, an anode is a means of moving electricity into a device that will consume it, and it is a fundamental aspect of many everyday items that we take for granted. What is a sacrificial anode? Metal corrosion often occurs because of an electrical current. A ship’s hull, for instance, corrodes because of the electrical current in the water. In such cases, an anode can be used, or sacrificed, because it is more reactive to the potential corrosion than another item, such as the ship’s hull, is. A standard anode is used to move electricity, but a sacrificial anode is used solely to corrode so that the item it is protecting does not. The current simply moves out of and back into the same medium. Since the sacrificial anode is relatively inexpensive, it makes maintenance of the primary item far less difficult and expensive. What is a heat exchanger? Heat exchangers are devices that transfer heat between mediums in an efficient fashion. Common examples of heat exchangers in our lives are refrigerators and air conditioners. In order to provide you with cool air, your AC must transfer the heat elsewhere. Doing it efficiently is important for limiting your electricity bill and ensuring the long life of the AC system. There are many different types of heat exchangers. Many of them use water because water is a very effective medium for heat exchange. It can hold a considerable amount of heat relative to its volume and is easily discarded or cooled by the ambient atmosphere. What is a sacrificial anode for a heat exchanger? Since many heat exchangers are made of metal, use water and come in contact with an electrical current, they are very prone to corrosion. In fact, corrosion is one of the leading reasons why heat exchangers experience reduced performance and eventually fail. The purpose of the sacrificial anode for heat exchangers is to corrode so that the exchangers do not. Keep in mind that a sacrificial anode for heat exchangers degrades by its nature. Therefore, you must monitor the sacrificial anode and replace it before it is no longer able to perform its job. Most modern heat exchangers are configured to use a sacrificial anode. However, since sacrificial anodes degrade, many heat exchangers do not come with them. It’s up to the user to identify the appropriate type of sacrificial anode, install it and then monitor it.
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