Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Stray Current Corrosion
Stray Current Corrosion
CORROSION
Stray currents are currents flowing in the
electrolyte from external sources. Any
metallic structure, for example a pipe line,
buried in soil represents a low resistance
current path and is therefore
fundamentally vulnerable to the effects of
stray currents
Stray current tends to enter a buried structure
in a certain location and leave it in another. It
is where the current leaves the structure that
severe corrosion expected.
Overprotection might also occur at a location
where the high current density of stray current
enter a structure.
There are a number of source of undesirable
stray currents, including foreign cathodic
protection installations, dc transit systems such
as electrified railways, subway systems, and
streetcars, welding operations, and electrical
power transmission systems.
Stray currents, can be classified into
three categories:
1. - Direct currents
2. - Alternating currents
3. - Telluric currents
DIRECT STRAY CURRENT CORROSION
1. Electromagnetic induction
2. Transmission line faults
A voltage is induced in a buried structure
under the influence of the alternating
electromagnetic field surrounding the
overhead transmission line. The effect is
similar to the coupling in a transformer,
with the overhead transmission line acting
as primary transformer coil and the buried
structure acting as the secondary coil.
The magnitude of the induced voltage
depends of the factors such as the
separation distance from the power line, the
relative position of the structure to the
powerlines, the proximity to other buried
structures, and the coating quality.
Such induced voltages can be hazardous to
anyone who comes in contact with the
pipeline or its accessories.