Technical Characteristics and Applications of MMO Flexible Anode

MMO (Mixed Metal Oxide) flexible anode is a type of impressed current cathodic protection system used for buried steel structures, commonly applied to long-distance oil and gas pipelines, underground storage tanks, and petrochemical vessels. Compared with traditional discrete anodes, the flexible anode provides uniform current distribution, making it particularly suitable for complex layouts or high-resistivity environments.

Structural Composition and Manufacturing Process

Taking the MMO flexible anode produced by Dinoer Technology https://dinoer-anodes.com as an example, its basic structure consists of an internal MMO anode wire, a copper cable, and the connection system between them. Connection points between the anode wire and the cable are arranged at approximately 3‑meter intervals (tolerance of ±5%). At each connection point, a high‑conductivity copper connector is used to achieve electrical connection. After installation, the connection is encapsulated using an automated mechanical sealing process. The contact resistance at each joint is maintained below 0.009 Ω.

The complete anode is manufactured on a fully automated production line with a total length of approximately 35 meters. The line integrates processes such as coke filler filling, outer braid forming, connector installation, and sealing. The specifications of the internal coke filler and the outer braided mesh exceed the requirements of current Chinese national standards. The finished flexible anode has an outer diameter of 40 mm ± 2 mm and a weight per unit length of 1.3–1.5 kg/m.

Customization and Production Capacity

Depending on the service environment and required design life, the specific types of anode wire and cable can be customized according to customer requirements. The production line has a daily output of approximately 1,000 meters, which can meet the material demands of medium‑scale cathodic protection projects.

Application Range

MMO flexible anodes are suitable for the following scenarios:

Long‑distance buried steel pipelines

Cathodic protection of tank bottom plates

Retrofitting of existing pipelines where installation space is restricted

High‑resistivity soil conditions or large tank farms

Due to their flexible construction, these anodes can be installed along the pipeline alignment, avoiding the large‑scale excavation required for traditional anode ground beds. For long‑term protection systems that require stable current output and uniform potential distribution, the MMO flexible anode is an engineering‑feasible solution.