Hi,
Recently I came across a peculiar case of magnetism in a gas pipeline
that is in use since 50 years.It is a 40",0.375"thk,API 5LX52 carbon
steel pipe,14KM long,laid underground,with cathodic protection.
Corroded sections of this line were being replaced with new flanged
pipe segmets,for which flanges had to be welded to the cut ends of the
existing old pipe.Theline was cut using cold cutting saw.
We experienced strong magnetic field at the cut ends,making it
impossible to weld the flanges on the cut ends of the old
pipe.Surprisingly,the magnetic field was found only upto about 6" from
the cut ends; beyond this the line was not magnetised.The cathodic
protection was already disconnected and hence we presumed that the
only source of the mag field induction could be the cold cutting
saw.In order to confirm this,one of the cut ends was futher cut with
gas torch;but,still the portion upto 6" from the cut end showed strong
magnetism as before.
CAN ANYONE PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY THE MAGNETIC FIELD IS CONFINED ONLY TO
THE CUT ENDS(UPTO ABOUT 6" FROM THE END)? IS IT THE RESIDUAL MAGNETISM
INDUCED BY THE CATHODIC PROTECTION - IF SO, WHY IT IS CONFINED TO THE
CUT ENDS AND NOT ALL THROUGH?
regards
Gopakumar
- posted
17 years ago