AIFO REFRIGERATION ANODE

Function and technical context

Aifo TEN02013 cooling anode is a cathodic protection element integrated into the marine engine cooling circuit, whose mission is to electrochemically sacrifice itself to prevent galvanic corrosion on the internal metal components of the cooling system. It acts as a negative electrode in the presence of the electrolyte that represents the seawater or brackish water that circulates inside the engine, attracting to itself the corrosive ions that would otherwise attack the liners, the block, the heat exchanger and other metal elements of greater value. Without this anode in correct condition, corrosion would advance silently on critical surfaces of the engine, causing loss of sealing, blockages in the cooling ducts and, in the most serious cases, irreversible structural damage to the engine block.

When to replace this part?

The most obvious symptom of the exhaustion of a cooling anode is its visible reduction in mass: when it has lost approximately half of its initial volume, it must be replaced immediately, since its protection capacity is compromised. It is recommended to inspect the cooling anode at the beginning and end of each nautical season, and in vessels that navigate in high salinity waters or with parasitic electrical currents, increase the inspection frequency. Replacing the TEN02013 anode preventively at each seasonal tune-up is the most economical measure to avoid corrosion damage inside the engine, the repair of which can be extremely expensive.