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Stray current control by a new approach based on current monitoring on a

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DOI: 10.1080/1478422X.2017.1292202

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Stray current control by a new approach based on

current monitoring on a potential probe

A. Brenna, L. Lazzari & M. Ormellese

To cite this article: A. Brenna, L. Lazzari & M. Ormellese (2017): Stray current control by a new
approach based on current monitoring on a potential probe, Corrosion Engineering, Science and
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CORROSION ENGINEERING, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 2017
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1478422X.2017.1292202

Stray current control by a new approach based on current monitoring on a

potential probe
a b a
A. Brenna , L. Lazzari and M. Ormellese
a
Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy; bCescor srl, Milan, Italy

ABSTRACT ARTICLE HISTORY

To control stray current interference due to DC transit systems, cathodic protection at the so-called Received 5 January 2017
constant potential condition is used. Pipeline potential is continuously measured by means of a Revised 30 January 2017
fixed reference electrode, and the measured value is used to control dynamically the feeder in Accepted 30 January 2017
order to match the protection condition. An accurate analysis of this technique reveals that during
KEYWORDS
interference what is maintained constant is the IR drop in soil rather than the true potential of the Cathodic protection; ohmic
structure. A new approach was investigated: the innovation consists of the use of the current, drop; monitoring; potential
rather than the potential, to control the feeder on the basis of an effective range of the current the probe; stray current
probe should receive. Laboratory tests confirmed the feasibility of such an approach. Modelling and
test results are presented and discussed.

Introduction
Stray current corrosion greatly concerns owners of buried
structures, because it causes severe damages due to very
high local corrosion rates. As a general definition, interfer-
ence is any alteration in the electric field caused by a foreign
structure [1–4]. Interference can be of two types: stationary
and non-stationary [5]. Stationary interference occurs when
a metallic structure is immersed in a stationary electric field
generated, for example, by an external cathodic protection
plant; the closer the anodic system is to the structure, the
higher the corrosive effect. Figure 1 shows a general case,
where the pipeline subject to interference crosses a protected
one: the zone close to the groundbed gathers current from the
soil which is released at the crossing point, causing corrosion.
Non-stationary interference takes place when the electric field
is time dependent: the typical case of stray currents dispersed
by DC traction systems is illustrated in Figure 2. Interference
takes place only during the trains’ transit, and often, despite
the limited duration (few minutes), the effects may be severe
due to a high circulating current.
Cathodic protection is widely considered to be the most
effective method to overcome stray current corrosion. An
impressed current system is commonly used, managed
through the so-called constant potential mode. Such a tech-
nique consists of a continuous measurement of the structure
potential by means of a fixed reference electrode to drive an
automatic DC feeder. The feeder adjusts the applied current
to maintain the measured potential at the fixed protection
value, according to international standards [1,2].
According to the scheme depicted in Figure 3, structure-
to-soil potential measurement is carried out by placing a
reference electrode in contact with the electrolyte surround-
ing the structure (e.g. soil) using a high-impedance voltmeter.
The measured value, Eon, is the sum of two contributions:
Eon = EIR−free + IR
where EIR-free is IR-free, or true, potential of the structure, I is
the current flowing in soil (both due to Cathodic Protection
(CP) system of stray current, the latter being time depen-
dent), R is the electrical resistance of soil. The term IR is
the ohmic drop contribution due to the current flowing in
soil (e.g. protection current, stray current, galvanic or equal-
ising currents).
The ohmic drop (positive when anodic and negative when
cathodic) may strongly affect the potential reading, above all in
very resistive soil or in the presence of external current. Differ-
ent techniques are available to eliminate ohmic drop contri-
bution. They are based on the reduction of the distance
between reference electrode and structure (local or fixed refer-
ence electrode, Luggin capillary and potential probes) or on the
interruption of the circulating current (instant-OFF technique
in impressed current CP systems). The description of each
technique is available in the specific literature [3–8].
It should be noted that, by definition, true potential can
be determined by the use of potential probes with internal
reference electrode [9,10] or by a reference electrode placed
in a buried plastic conduit which ends close to a steel cou-
pon (defined soil-access tube according to the standard
[11–12]). These techniques allow us, without interrupting
the protection current and in the presence of stray currents,
to measure the IR-free potential by placing a reference elec-
trode close to a coupon connected to the pipe. Compared to
the local Copper Suofate raference Electrode (CSE), potential
probes offer greater durability. Conversely, the instant-OFF
technique is based on the experimental evidence that when
the protection current is interrupted, the ohmic drop briefly
disappears (in the order of 10−6 s) while the concentration
overpotential of oxygen reduction reaction is eliminated in
a longer time (from a few seconds up to a few days) being
a diffusion-controlled reaction. By recording the potential
at high frequency (50 Hz, for example), true potential is
measured for just a few milliseconds after current interrup-
(1)
tion. International standards suggest the measurement is
performed within 1 s [11–12].

CONTACT M. Ormellese marco.ormellese@polimi.it Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli, 7,
20131 Milan, Italy
© 2017 Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining Published by Taylor & Francis on behalf of the Institute
2 A. BRENNA ET AL.

Effectively, based on field experience when using a potential

probe, the coupon current changes as fast as the ON-poten-
tial, while the true potential remains almost constant [14].
Experimental tests were performed to validate the proposed
model.

Materials and methods

Figure 1. Scheme of stationary interference between two crossing pipelines. Laboratory tests were designed to record potential and cur-
rent variation during stray current interference.
The working electrode was a carbon steel plate (40 ×
During interference, the ON-potential of the buried struc-
40 mm) with a 3-mm diameter hole at the centre; the back
ture measured by means of a fixed reference electrode is chan-
face was covered with an epoxy resin-based coating. A plastic
ging due to the changing interfering current. Since the stray
box was placed to the rear, and a Luggin capillary was fixed in
current transitory is generally short in duration, a few min-
order to allow IR drop-free potential measurement (true
utes in an hour when trains are running, during interference
potential) by means an external SCE reference electrode
there is no enough time for the steel to change its polarisation.
(Figure 4).
Then, the true potential may be assumed to be constant.
Tests were also performed with a commercial potential
Reasons why the true potential is fairly constant during
probe, type StrayProbe [17] (Figure 5). Such a probe consists
potential measurement in the presence of stray current
of a carbon steel corrosion coupon (exposed surface 80 cm2)
were discussed by Baeckmann and Prinz in 1980 [13] and
and an activated titanium (mixed metal oxide, MMO-Ti)
extensively by the authors in previous papers [14–16]. As a
reference electrode, both embedded in an alkaline mortar.
consequence, the ON-potential measured to control the DC
The equivalence between Ti-MMO and CSE is +0.1 V.
feeder at the so-called constant potential condition is likely
Tests were performed in a 700 × 300 × 400 mm plastic
to represent the ohmic drop in the soil, caused by the flowing
box, filled with sand and water saturated with a solution of
total current as sum of stray currents and CP current.
1 g L−1 Na2SO4. Sand resistivity was 20 Ω m. Two potential
According to this, Equation (1) can be rewritten as:
probes were immersed in the cell and maintained under
cathodic protection by means of a Mg anode placed on the
Eon = const + IR (2)
bottom of the cell. Shunts R1 and R2 allow monitoring the
current flowing in each potential probe. DC stray current
On the basis of such evidence, the so-called constant potential
was overlapped by means of an external DC feeder (galvano-
CP feeder does not maintain the true potential of the struc-
stat), and a voltage variation of ±2 and ±4 V was applied. The
ture, which is constant by its own; conversely, the changes
test cell and electrical connections are shown in Figure 6.
of ohmic drop in soil are opposed by varying the cathodic
ON-potential was measured and recorded by means of two
current flowing in the soil.
external reference electrodes, CSE-1 and CSE-2. The duration
It should be concluded that the procedure so far used to
of potential and current recording was 600 ms. True potential
contrast stray current interference is based on an ambiguous
of the protected carbon steel strips was measured by means of
definition, as the structure potential is supposed to be main-
a Luggin capillary when coupons were used and by the
tained constant on the basis of the measurement of ohmic
embedded Ti-MMO reference electrode in the presence of
drop in soil, while the true potential of the structure is
the potential probe. Frequency of sampling was 50 Hz.
unknown.
A new approach was investigated, with the aim both to
measure and maintain constant the true potential by means
Results
of a potential probe, consisting of a corrosion coupon and
an internal reference electrode, and simultaneously to con- Figures 7–14 show potential and current recordings obtained
trast effectively stray currents. When stray currents flow, with corrosion coupons and potential probes during stray
the coupon current varies; therefore, it was considered to current interference. The scales of potential and current
use such coupon current to automatically run the CP feeder. were appropriately changed in order to overlap the curves,

Figure 2. Scheme of non-stationary interference caused by a DC transit system.


Figure 3. Potential measurements and its meaning.
Figure 4. Schematic representation and picture of the test sample.
Figure 5. Potential probe.
Figure 6. Electrical scheme of testing cell.
by maintaining the same scale for the time. In the figures,
Eremote is the ON-potential measured by the CSE reference
electrode of the DC feeder.
The variation in time of current and potential measured by
a remote reference electrode (CSE) is similar. When a positive
interference was applied (+2 or +4 V), an anodic interference
occurred on the carbon steel of both the corrosion coupons
CORROSION ENGINEERING, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 3
Figure 7. Anodic interference (+2 V) on corrosion coupon.
Figure 8. Anodic interference (+2 V) on potential probe.
Figure 9. Cathodic interference (−2 V) on corrosion coupon.
(Figures 7 and 11) and the potential probe (Figures 8
and 12): the higher the interference, the higher the ON-
potential shift. Conversely, when a negative interference
was applied (−2 or −4 V), a cathodic interference occurred
and the potentials shifted to more negative values (Figures
9–10 and Figures 13–14). Current measured on the shunt
shows the same trend of the ON-potential: a positive shift
in the presence of a positive applied voltage and a negative
shift in the presence of a negative applied voltage. ON-poten-
tial and current curves closely overlap.
In all the tested conditions, the true potential measured by
means of the internal reference electrode remains constant,
even during the highest level of interference.
4 A. BRENNA ET AL.

Figure 10. Cathodic interference (−2 V) on potential probe. Figure 13. Cathodic interference (−4 V) on corrosion coupon.

Figure 11. Anodic interference (+4 V) on corrosion coupon. Figure 14. Cathodic interference (−4 V) on potential probe.

Table 1. Average values measured during interference tests.

∂Eon/∂t ∂Iprobe/∂t ∂E/∂I ratio
ΔV (V) ΔEon (V) ΔI (mA) (V s−1) (A s−1) (Ω)
+2 0.75 1.11 18.6 0.028 664
−2 0.88 1.27 21.9 0.032 684
+4 0.82 1.13 20.5 0.028 732
−4 1.17 1.67 29.3 0.042 697

approach, i.e. to control the DC feeder by measuring current

variation on a potential probe, with the aim of maintaining
constant the true potential of a steel coupon.
Figure 15 schematically shows the potential measurements
by means of a fixed reference electrode and by the use of a
potential probe. During a potential reading, the current
Figure 12. Anodic interference (+4 V) on potential probe.

The ON-potential shift and the current variation

exchanged by the corrosion coupons and probes are reported
in Table 1 for different levels of interference. The variation in
time during the simulated stray current transitory was esti-
mated: ON-potential variation in time is constant, about
20 V s−1, as well as the variation in time of current through
the coupon, which is close to 30 mA s−1.

Discussion
Before analysing the experimental results, a theoretical analy-
sis was carried out in order to support the proposed new Figure 15. Electrical scheme for potential measurements.

flowing in the soil, Isoil, is the sum of two contributions:
Isoil = I ′ + I ′′ (3)
where I′ is the current exchanged through the structure, gen-
erally cathodic so flowing from soil to structure, and I′′ is the
current flowing in soil between the fixed reference electrode
and the structure, due mainly to stray current.
ON-potential, Eon, which is time dependent, is given by
Eon (t) = Eoff + I ′ (t) · RT (4)
where RT is the resistance of the soil path between the buried
structure and the fixed reference electrode. During a reading,
both RT and Eoff are constant.
The ohmic drop in the soil, VL, is given by
VL (t) = I ′′ (t) · RL (5)
where RL is the lateral resistance of the soil, constant during a
measurement.
Eliminating the current I′ and I′′ from Equations (4) and
(5), taking into account that the system is ohmic and there-
fore the ratio between currents I′ and I′′ is constant, results in
Eon (t) = Eoff + aVL + a′ · Isoil (t) (6)
where α and α′ are constants. Current in soil is time depen-
dent because of stray currents.
True potential, Eoff, measured by the potential probe is
given by the following relationship:
Eoff = Ecorr + Iprobe · RP,probe (7)
where Ecorr is the free corrosion potential of the coupon, RP,
probe is an equivalent polarisation resistance of the probe
and Iprobe is current through the coupon. By combining
Equations (6) and (7), the result is
Eon (t) = Ecorr + RP,probe · Iprobe (t) + aVL + a′ · Isoil (t) (8)
By derivation with time of Equation (8), it results
∂Eon ∂Iprobe ∂Isoil
= k1 · + k2 · (9)
∂t ∂t ∂t
Because Eon depends only on Isoil (according to Equation (6)),
combining Equation (9) and the derivation of Equation (6),
this can be written as
∂Eon ∂Iprobe
=K· (10)
∂t ∂t
where K is a constant.
It can be concluded that the variation with time of probe
current ∂Iprobe/∂t is proportional to the variation of Eon in
time, ∂Eon/∂t.
This demonstrates theoretically that it is possible to con-
trol a DC feeder at the so-called constant potential, by
measuring the current absorbed by a buried coupon or
probe. Fixing the minimum and maximum values of the cur-
rent, the DC feeder is able to adjust the current according to
the variation measured by the probe, in order to maintain the
true potential (detected by the same probe) at the appropriate
value.
Results obtained during laboratory tests confirmed the
theoretical model; current, ON-potential and true potential
were simultaneously recorded. The theoretical model pre-
dicted that both ON-potential (or IR drop in soil) and coupon
current should have the same trend with time when a stray
CORROSION ENGINEERING, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 5
current flows in the soil. The experimental results clearly
show the predicted behaviour. The constant K (Equation
(10)) is approximately 700 Ω (Table 1).
To progress to a practical application, an analysis in the use
of current CP feeder is required. Standard DC feeders regulated
in a constant potential mode are operated as follows: a maxi-
mum potential value, Ep, is selected, for example –0.85 V
CSE, and current output changes with the same rate as the
potential difference, ΔE = E − Ep, where E is the potential con-
tinuously measured by a fixed reference electrode. As soon as
stray currents flow and ΔE starts changing, the feeder increases
or decreases current output to maintain ΔE at a constant value.
Applying the new approach, the DC feeder should essen-
tially be the same, where, instead of measuring a potential, a
coupon current, I, is continuously measured. Therefore, a mini-
mum cathodic current, Ip, is fixed and accordingly the current
output changes at the same rate as current difference variation,
ΔI = I − Ip, where I is the coupon current. A standard DC fee-
der can be used, provided that the signal amplifier is adapted to
an appropriate scale of the new measured parameter.
Conclusions
Actually, to control stray current interference, cathodic pro-
tection at the so-called constant potential condition is used:
pipeline potential is continuously measured by means of a
fixed reference electrode, and the measured value is used to
control dynamically the feeder in order to match the protec-
tion condition.
A new approach was investigated, with the aim to both
measure and maintain constant the true potential using a
potential probe, which consists of a carbon steel coupon
and an internal reference electrode, and simultaneously to
contrast stray currents. It was demonstrated, both theoreti-
cally and with experimental tests, that a potential probe can
be used to control stray current interference, if coupon cur-
rent is used to dynamically control the DC feeder. By fixing
the minimum and maximum values of the current, the DC
feeder is able to adjust the current according to the variation
measured by the probe, in order to maintain the true poten-
tial, detected by the same probe, at the appropriate value.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes on contributors
A. Brenna is graduated in Materials Engineering at Politecnico di
Milano, where he is a researcher at PoliLaPP, Laboratory of Corrosion
and Protection of Materials ‘P. Pedeferri’.
L. Lazzari is graduated in Chemical Engineering at Politecnico di
Milano. He was the past responsible of the research group PoliLaPP,
Laboratory of Corrosion and Protection of Materials ‘P. Pedeferri’.
Now he is retired.
M. Ormellese is graduated in Chemical Engineering at Politecnico di
Milano, where he is an associate professor and responsible of PoliLaPP,
Laboratory of Corrosion and Protection of Materials ‘P. Pedeferri’
ORCID
A. Brenna http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7348-5462
L. Lazzari http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9964-9218
M. Ormellesea http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1546-1072
6 A. BRENNA ET AL.
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