Corrosion

Corrosion is disintegration of an engineered material into its constituent atoms due to

chemical reaction with its surrounding. When iron or steel is corroded in seawater, ions
of iron leave metal surface as ferrous ions make hull anodic.

Corrosion involves to a flow of electricity from metal to sea. Current must return to
metal to complete circuit.

Cathodic protection is a technique used to control corrosion of a metal surface by

making it Cathode of an electrochemical cell. Simplest method to apply cathodic
protection is by connecting metal to be protected with another more easily corroded
metal to act as Anode of electrochemical cell.

When a metal is in contact with an electrolyte, small corrosion cells are set up and
electric current flows between high and low potential points.

Metal from which current leaves is Anode gives itself up and corrode and metal to
which current enters, Cathode is protected.

So, principle of cathodic protection is to provide a reverse current flow or to have all
points on metal receiving current, so that whole surface becomes Cathode and is
protected.

Areas where cathodic protection is applied:

1. Ship's hull.
2. Ship's salt water system including:
• Tubes and plates of heat exchangers.
• Water boxes and covers of heat exchangers.
• Piping in ferrous system.
3. Ballast and cargo tanks.

Cathodic protection should be regarded as an additional protection to protection by

painting and by no means a substitute.

Two types of cathodic protection:

1. Impressed current systems.
2. Sacrificial anodes.