Cathodic Protection and

Interferences

Ren Gregoor
Madrid,
Madrid June 18th and 19th 2009

Cathodic protection and interferences

Corrosion
Cathodic protection
Protection criterion
ON potential measurements
DC Interferences and mitigation measures
AC Interferences and mitigation measures
Conclusions

Corrosion process
Corrosion, a natural process ...

reduction

ore =
metal oxides

metal

oxidation

Corrosion mechanism
OH-

H
O

Cathodic area

O
OHe-

(Reduction)

OHee

Current entering the metal

OH-

eFe++

Anodic area

Cl-

eFe++

(Oxidation)

Current leaving the metal

Fe

Electrolyte
y

Electro--chemical reactions
Electro
Anode
Fe

Fe2+ + 2e- ( oxidation)

Cathode
O2 + 2H2O + 4e-

4OH- (reduction O2)

2H2O + 2e2H+ + 2e-

H2

+ 2OH- (reduction H2O)

H2

Measures against corrosion

Electrical isolating coating to limit

the
h metall surface
f
area in
i contact with
i h the
h electrolyte
l
l
the required cathodic protection currents
interferences to third party infrastructure

Cathodic protection to
protect from corrosion at coating defects
protect from DC stray currents

Cathodic protection installation

Transformer--rectifier to produce DC current

Transformer

Anode bed

CP test posts

Reference electrodes

Cathodic protection installation

Transformer-rectifier

pipeline
p
p

FeSi or titanium
oxide coated

Transformer--rectifier
Transformer

Titanium oxide coated anode

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Protection criterion (as OFF potential)

European standard EN12954:2001 fixes the protection criterion
for iron in soil as the potential more negative than -850 mV
(Cu/CuSO4 reference electrode)
European standard EN13509:2003 defines the measurement
techniques to be applied

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Limits according to EN12954:2001

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ON potential measurement

Reference electrode
(h lf cell)
(half
ll)

electrolyte

pipeline
(half cell)

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ON potential measurement

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DC stray currents
from cathodic protection installations, relatively constant,
mitigated by
direct bond (cable)
resistive bond
from DC traction systems (train, tramway, metro, ), highly
variable, mitigated by
unidirectional drainage in substations
forced drainage on rails

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Cathodic protection (CP system)

transformer--rectifier
transformer
anode

protected pipeline

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Stray currents from CP systems

third party pipeline

transformer--rectifier
transformer
anode
corrosion
i
possible

protected pipeline

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Stray currents from CP systems - Remedies

third party pipeline

transformer--rectifier
transformer
anode

R = R ou
R=0

protected pipeline

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Stray currents from DC traction systems

SS +
-

corrosion

protection

pipeline

0
potentiel

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Stray currents from DC traction - Remedies

SS +
-

protection

pipeline

0
potential

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Highly variable stray currents from DC traction systems

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Forced drainage along the rails

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Induced AC from High Voltage Power Lines

Transformer effect between HV

power lines (primary) and a
metal structure in parallel
p
(secondary)

Interfering structures
high voltage power lines
pour transport of electricity
high voltage power lines
and catenaries of high
speed trains

Interfered structures
long
g metal pipelines
electricity cables

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Induced AC from High Voltage Power Lines

Amplitude of induced AC depends on

length of parallelism and the distance between HV power
line and the pipeline
soil
il resistivity
i ti it
electrical characteristics of the HV power line
electrical characteristics of the pipeline
type of isolating coating of the pipeline

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Induced AC voltage
Magnitude
Some volt to some tens of volt under normal interference
Limits within the framework of corrosion ((Cu/CuSO4) as
recommended in CEN TS15280
< 4 V if specific soil resistivity < 25 ohm.m
< 10 V if specific soil resistivity > 25 ohm
ohm.m
m
Remedies on existing pipelines
Grounding of AC part using special electronic circuits

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Conclusion
Cathodic protection is simple as a principle but complex in its
application
Design of CP installations, followfollow-up of the polarization potential of
the pipelines, evaluation of the interference situation is a matter
for experts

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Thank you for your attention

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