Submitted to:

Submitted By: Ohm’s law; Kirchhoff’s voltage law (KVL);

and Kirchhoff’s current law (KCL).

Registration #
Verification of
Basic Circuit Laws
Lab Report
Table of Contents

Cathodic Protection (CP)

............................................................................................................. 2

Types................................................................................................................................
....... 2

Sacrificial Anode CP: Galvanic

Action.................................................................................... 2

Impressed
Current................................................................................................................ 3

CP
Rectifiers..................................................................................................................... 4

CP test posts and CP

isolation.................................................................................................. 4

Other design
considerations.................................................................................................... 5

CP measurements and acceptance

criteria.............................................................................. 5

Corrosion protection techniques in Process

industries................................................................. 6

Applications of
CP.................................................................................................................... 7

OFFSHORE
STRUCTURES....................................................................................................... 7
 ONSHORE
STRUCTURES...................................................................................................... 7

SUBMARINE
PIPELINES......................................................................................................... 7

REFINERIES, INDUSTRIAL INSTALLATIONS & POWER

STATION............................................ 8

SHIP
HULLS.........................................................................................................................
8

SEAWATER/PETROLEUM CARGO BALLAST

TANKS......................................................... 9

CONCLUSION.............................................................................................................
......... 9

References...................................................................................................................... 9
List Of Figures

Figure 1 Cathodic Protection

..........................................................................................................................................
..2

Figure 2 Cathodic protection by a sacrificial

anode..........................................................................................................3

Figure 3 Impressed current cathodic protection of a buried

pipeline.............................................................................4

Figure 4 Solar powered CP

Station...........................................................................................................................4

Figure 5 structure-to-soil potential

measurements..........................................................................................................5

Figure 6 Corrosion prevention for Process industries

......................................................................................................6
Cathodic Protection (CP)

Cathodic protection is a method of preventing corrosion of metal surface by making

it the cathode of an electrical circuit. CP is used to protect steel pipelines, storage
tanks: steel piles, ships, offshore oil platforms and onshore oil well casings.

Conceptually, the cathode is made negative with respect to the surrounding

soil or electrolyte in order to electrochemically repel OH- hydroxyl ions
(present in soil and moisture), preventing its corrosive reaction with steel.
Some CP engineers view this concept as the anode supplying protective
CP current to the cathode.

Figure 1 Cathodic Protection

Type
s

We have two types of cathodic protection

1. galvanic action (using sacrificial anodes)

2. impressed current (using a CP transformer rectifier)

Sacrificial Anode CP: Galvanic Action

This technique is frequently used for ships in seawater and for offshore oil and gas
production platforms such as the Maui gas platform operated by Shell BP Todd Oil
Services Ltd. The principle here is to use a more reactive metal in contact with the
steel structure to drive the potential in the negative direction until it reaches the
immunity region. Zinc is often used as the sacrificial anode. In the absence of zinc the
corrosion potential ECORR is given by the intersection of the anodic and cathodic
curves. If a zinc electrode is now attached, it produces an anodic dissolution current at
a more negative potential. The intersection with the cathodic curve now occurs at a
more negative potential EPROT in the region in which the steel itself has a negligible
corrosion rate. In practice a reference electrode is used to check that the steel structure

has indeed reached the immunity region. A potential of around -900 mV with respect
to the Ag/AgCl reference electrode in seawater is the criterion for immunity of the
steel. In the case of the Maui platform it was not feasible to apply surface coatings to
the steel structure before it was installed, hence the corrosion protection of the 6,000
tonnes of steel forming the tower depends entirely on cathodic protection by
sacrificial anodes made from the aluminium alloy "Alanode". Some 580 tonnes of
this alloy has been used to produce several hundred separate anodes attached to the
legs and braces of the tower under the sea so as to give complete and uniform
protection to all parts of the steel structure. Regular monitoring of the potential of the
steel is carried out using submerged reference electrodes of Ag/AgCl. Aluminium is
a sufficiently reactive metal to provide the required corrosion protection, but a small
proportion of indium, about 0.1%, is included in the alloy to provide efficient anodic
action. Pure
aluminium alone has such a resistant oxide film that its reactivity is insufficient to
properly protect the steel structure.

Figure 2 Cathodic protection by a sacrificial anode

Impressed Current

This technique is widely used for the protection of buried pipelines and the hulls of
ships immersed in seawater. A d.c. electrical circuit is used to apply an electric
current to the metallic structure. The negative terminal of the current source is
connected to the metal requiring protection. The positive terminal is connected to an
auxiliary anode immersed in the same medium to complete the circuit. The electric
current charges the structure with excess electrons and hence changes the electrode
potential in the negative direction until the immunity region is reached. It is
important that the anode be completely separated from the cathode so that a true
electric circuit is established with the current flow from the anode to the cathode
taking place through the solution between those electrodes.

Figure shows the layout for a typical impressed current cathodic protection system.
The function of the reference electrode is to monitor the electrode potential of the
protected structure, in this case a buried pipeline, in order to ensure that the immunity
region is reached. The reference electrode is designed to have a constant potential and
no current passes through it. In the case of buried structures the most common
reference electrode is Cu/CuSO4 (saturated), with a potential of +316 mV (standard
hydrogen scale). The d.c. rectifier acts as the power supply and is adjusted so that the
potential of the structure is sufficiently negative to reach the immunity region, as
indicated by the reference electrode. It is usual to apply a surface coating or wrapping
to the pipeline before cathodic protection is used. This will result in a much smaller
consumption of electricity since most of the structure will be effectively protected by
the coating. Special anode materials have been designed to withstand applied currents
for very long periods. They normally consist of platinised titanium or lead alloys
connected to an insulated cable positioned some distance from the structure itself. The
buried anodes are distributed at intervals along the pipeline, normally several
kilometres apart and several hundred metres from the nearest point of the pipeline.
Impressed current cathodic protection is a specialised technology and can be very
effective if correctly designed and operated. Several warships operated by the Royal
New Zealand Navy have impressed current systems for corrosion control.

Other examples are the natural gas pipelines which distribute methane from the
Kapuni and Maui fields. Impressed current cathodic protection is applied to gas
pipelines in Auckland, with deep anode installations at the Auckland Domain and
other points in the region.
 Figure 3 Impressed current cathodic protection of a buried pipeline

CP
Rectifiers

Cathodic Protection Transformer-Rectifiers are AC powered electrical equipment

that provide direct current for impressed current cathodic protection systems.
Rectifier units are often custom manufactured and equipped with a variety of
features, including oil cooling, automatic outputadjustment, various types Ingress
Protection (IP) enclosures, remote monitoring. On the other hand, solar powered
CP stations are basically DC-DC converters and charger controllers connected to
battery banks for night-time operation. CP Rectifiers should be installed outside
the pipeline or plant's classified hazardous area, i.e.installed in a safe area.
 Figure 4 Solar powered CP
Station

Analog or digital meters are often installed to show the operating voltage and current
output

CP test posts and CP isolation

Cathodically protected structures typically have test posts for operations staff to
take structure-to-soil potential measurements from. They also function as
connection points for sacrificial anodes.
 Figure 5 structure-to-soil potential measurements

Test cables in these test posts may also function as a CP current route to
other pipeline sections, particularly at block valve or metering stations of buried
long distance pipelines, where aboveground sections are isolated from CP current.
For liquid transport pipelines, isolation spool lengths are also calculated by the CP
engineer, based on the transported fluid's conductivity. Pipelines transporting
hydrocarbons must have surge arrestors installed at its isolating (insulating)
joints to prevent insulation damage should there be a lightning strike or fault
currents along the pipeline. Both isolated and CP section ends should be earthed.
The CP section earthling should be via polarisation cells to prevent the CP DC
current from leaking to earth. Cathodically protected tanks also need polarization

cells connected between earthing bosses and the earthing grid to prevent CP current
from leaking from the tank into the plant’s earthing system.

Other design considerations

Apart from transformer sizing (by checking current demand and CP loop
resistance) and structure-to- anode separation calculations, the CP designer also
has to calculate designed anode lifespan (typically 15-30 years for ICCP, 1-15
years for sacrificial) to size the anodes correctly. ICCP anode to anode spacing
must also be calculated to prevent premature anode-end corrosion (resultingin
anode string failure). Coke breeze current rating and its surface area contact with
anodes is also checked to ensure the current carrying capacity of the surrounding
anode coke is adequate to ensuresustained low CP loop resistance.
CP measurements and acceptance criteria

CP electrochemical potential is measured with reference electrodes:

1. Copper-copper(II) sulfate electrodes are used for structures in contact with soil or
fresh water.

2. Silver chloride electrodes are suitable for seawater applications (compatible

electrolyte).

For impressed current CP, experienced pipeline contractors and operators

typically recommend an Instant-OFF structure to soil potential of between -0.95 and
-1.13V with respect to a copper - copper sulfate reference electrode (also known as a
Cu2SO4 reference cell). This practice is to eliminate the potential difference of the
current path through the soil (which doesn't provide protection but registers in
the reference cell reading). The Instant-OFF measurement is captured when
the CP current is interrupted, and the IR drop in the soil disappears to reveal a CP
potential plateau (lasting up to
half a second) that best approximates the polarised protective polarization
between theprotected structure's surface and its contacting soil.

For sacrificial anodes, the criteria for adequate CP is -0.95 to -3V with respect to a
copper-copper(II) sulfate reference electrode.

Corrosion protection techniques in Process industries.

It is important to realise that corrosive attack on a metal can only occur at the surface
of the metal, hence any modification of the surface or its environment can change the
rate of reaction. Thus we have a basis for designing methods to protect metals from
corrosion. A number of such methods have been developed.
Figure 6 Corrosion prevention
for Process industries
Applications of CP

OFFSHORE STRUCTURES

1. The submerged and buried steel work of the jacket of an offshore platform

2. The columns or legs of jack up drilling rigs.

3. Wharves or jetties steel piles

4. Ship Hull

ONSHORE STRUCTURES

1. Underground pipelines.

2. Buried tank.

3. External surface of tank bottoms.

4. Tank Internal Surface

SUBMARINE PIPELINES

These pipelines are usually protected by either aluminium or zinc anodes in bracelet
and slander form, installed at regular intervals In some cases, the pipelines may be
protected by an Impressed Current System. The system can be operated either
independently or tied with other structure such as platform or wharf impressed
current system. In either of these cases, the choice of the anode type would be
determines by the environmental conditions, maintenance and installation
constraints.
REFINERIES, INDUSTRIAL INSTALLATIONS & POWER STATION

1. Heat Exchangers.

2. Industrial Plant.

3. Water Cooling Equipment.

4. Chilled Water Pipeline.

5. Culvert Inner Surface

SHIP HULLS

Cathodic Protection is normally applied to the whole

underwater hull which includes the typically cavitation –
corrosion prone areas around the stern and in particular
inside kort nozzles and bow thrusters where extremely
high water velocities are experienced. Anodes are also
fitted inrecesses such as seawater inlet boxes where
shielding from exterior hull protection may occur.
SEAWATER/PETROLEUM CARGO BALLAST TANKS

An approved system of corrosion control can be in the form of coatings, anodes

or a combination of both coatings and anodes. Where sacrificial anodes are
employed, the anode material is either zinc or aluminum alloy.

CONCLUSION

Corrosion can be controlled effectively by cathodic protection or inhibitors,

provided the chemical and electrical conditions are monitored in a scientific
manner. The same can be said for all of the anti-corrosion technologies listed in
Table 1. The costs of stopping corrosion can be quite high, but these costs must
be faced by many industries if they wish to achieve a high level of performance.
The key factor is the scientific knowledge on which the technologies are based.

References

1. Article written by Graeme Wright (Chemistry Department, University of

Auckland)

2. Cathodic Protection - a knol by Adam Junid

(http://knol.google.com/k/adam-junid/cathodic-protection)
3. https://sites.google.com/site/karatecbiz/application-of-cathodic-
protection-1

4. Corrosion and Its Control: An Introduction to the Subject, Second

Edition by By J.T.N. Atkinson and H. Van Droffelaar