The Basics of Cathodic Protection

By Mahmoud Elmahdy,July 11, 2014

Takeaway:Cathodic protection is one method used to prevent corrosion in pipelines.
Source: re!o"ra!ie#$reamstime.com
Corrosion is a naturally occurrin" phenomenon commonly de!ined as the deterioration o! a
su%stance &usually a metal' or its properties %ecause o! a reaction (ith its environment. )he
tendency o! a metal to corrode depends on the "rain structure o! the metal, its composition as
!ormed durin" alloyin", and the temperature or de!ormation o! a sin"le metal sur!ace developed
durin" !a%rication.
Corrosion occurs as a result o! an electrochemical reaction driven %y a potential di!!erence
%et(een t(o electrodes, an anode and a cathode, connected %y an electronic path and immersed
in the same electrolyte. *n the case o! uni!orm corrosion, a multitude o! microscopic anodic and
cathodic sites e+ist on the sur!ace o! the metal structure.
)here are various time,proven methods !or preventin" and controllin" corrosion. -ne o! these is
cathodic protection &C.'. /ere (e0ll ta1e a loo1 at cathodic protection, its types and ho( it2s
used to protect %uried pipelines a"ainst corrosion.
What Is Cathodic Protection?
)he metallic sur!aces e+posed to an electrolyte have a multitude o! microscopic anodic and
cathodic sites. 3here anodes are more electrone"ative than cathodes, a potential di!!erence is
created %et(een them, allo(in" !or corrosion to occur.
)he !unction o! cathodic protection is to reduce the potential di!!erence %et(een anodes and
cathodes to a ne"lected value. )his reduction is due to the polari4ation o! cathodes to the
potential o! most active anodes. *n this (ay, corrosion current is miti"ated accordin" to -hm0s
la(.
Cathodic protection can %e accomplished %y sendin" a current into the structure !rom an e+ternal
electrode and polari4in" the cathodic sites in an electrone"ative direction.
Cathodic Protection Criteria
*n order to achieve ade5uate C., the protected structure must %e polari4ed to a certain value. )he
polari4ed potential is measured (ith respect to a certain re!erence electrode. 6 copper#copper
sul!ate re!erence electrode &CSE' is the most common electrode used in soil and !resh (ater.
)here are t(o types o! criteria !or assessin" cathodic protection. Either one may %e used
dependin" on the circumstances, althou"h the !irst is considered superior in many cases.
1. The Potential Criterion
)he polari4ed potential o! the protected structure is to %e e5ual to or more ne"ative than
,780 millivolts &m9' (ith respect to CSE.
2. The Polarization Shift Criterion
)he protected structure is to %e polari4ed %y 100 m9 (ith respect to CSE !rom its
corrosion potential.
:ote: )hese criteria are !or car%on steel; criteria may di!!er !or various metal types.
Types of Cathodic Protection
)here0re t(o types o! cathodic protection:
1. Galanic !node Cathodic Protection
o *n this type o! C., protection is achieved %y connectin" the protected structure to
a sacri!icial anode, (hich is placed close to the protected structure.
o Sacri!icial anodes are made !rom active metals such as 4inc, aluminum or
ma"nesium, (hich are considered the most active metals accordin" to the
"alvanic series.
o C. current is created %y the potential di!!erence %et(een sacri!icial anodes and
the protected structure.
o )he type o! anode used depends on electrolyte resistivity and the chemical
compositions o! the electrolyte to (hich the su%strate is e+posed.
". I#pressed C$rrent Cathodic Protection
o *n this type o! C., protection is achieved %y connectin" the protected structure to
an anode %ed throu"h a trans!ormer recti!ier &)<'. )he anode %ed is a series o!
%uried anodes that are electrically connected and surrounded %y certain %ac1!ill to
reduce their resistance to the earth. )he anode %ed should %e placed remotely
!rom the protected structure.
o )hree types o! anodes are used: Solu%le anodes &aluminum and steel', semi,
solu%le anodes &"raphite and hi"h silicon cast iron &/SC*'', non,sulu%le anodes
&platinum, mi+ed metal o+ide and polymer'
o )he main component o! this type o! C. is the )<, (hich !orces the current to !lo(
!rom the anodes to the protected structure &cathode'.
o )he type o! anodes used depends on the chemical composition o! the electrolyte
to (hich the su%strate is e+posed and the area to %e protected.
!pplication of Cathodic Protection Syste#s on B$ried
Pipelines
.ipelines are used !or transportin" (ater, petroleum products, natural "as and other utilities.
)here0s a hu"e net(or1 o! pipin" systems used in all countries all over the (orld. .ipelines may
%e onshore or o!!shore, and are su%=ect to corrosion in %oth cases. *! corrosion isn2t miti"ated,
dan"erous and e+pensive dama"e can %e the result.
)here are several corrosion control techni5ues used on pipelines; cathodic protection is one o!
them. *t can %e applied either to coated pipelines to miti"ate the corrosion attac1 to areas (here
coatin" 5uality may %e poor. *t is also used on %are pipelines. Both types o! C. can %e applied to
%uried pipelines. 6pplication o! either o! these types depends on several !actors, such as the
re5uired current, soil resistivity and the area to %e protected.
C. aims to polari4e a pipeline to a minimum potential o! ,780 mv, !or car%on steel, !or ade5uate
C.. )he polari4ed potential is to %e measured throu"h a test station, (hich are to %e installed at
the !ollo(in" locations alon" the route o! pipeline:
6t !re5uent intervals &e."., > 2 1m'
6t crossin"s (ith !orei"n structures
6t points o! electrical isolation
6t some "alvanic anode locations
6t casin"s
:ear sources o! electrical inter!erence
6t the location o! stray current dischar"e to earth
Pro%le#s Created %y Cathodic Protection
*n lar"e pipeline net(or1s, there are a lot o! crossin"s, parallelism and approaches, (herein
pipeline has its applied C. system. $C inter!erence may occur %et(een pipelines, acceleratin"
corrosion. *n order to overcome this pro%lem, pipelines can %e electrically coupled, either
directly or throu"h resistance.
?or coated pipelines, (here the applied coatin" 5uality is poor, cathodic dis%ondment may occur
due to hi"h C. levels. /i"her temperatures may also promote cathodic dis%ondment. /i"h ./
environments are also a concern in terms o! stress corrosion crac1in" &SCC'. *n such cases, the
polari4ed potential o! the pipeline must %e 1ept at a minimum value o! ,780 m9.
<emem%er, cathodic protection is =ust one method used to prevent corrosion, not =ust in
pipelines, %ut in ships, o!!shore oil plat!orms and other steel structures. 3hether it2s the %est
application !or the =o%, or the only one used, is o!ten speci!ic to the structure %ein" protected.