Cathodic Protection of pipes

Corrosion
• It is the gradual destruction of materials (usually metals), by chemical
reaction with its environment.
• Corrosion is a reaction between the metal and the surrounding
environment
• electrochemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such
as oxygen
• Corrosion is the dissolution of metal, among other things involving
release of electrons
Fe --- > Fe2+ + 2e-
• The corrosion rate depends upon the properties of metal and the
corrosivity of environment
Why it is important
• Corrosion costs money
• Our country has been losing crores of money every year due to
corrosion in various sectors like; infrastructure, manufacturing,
production, defense & nuclear waste
• 1/3 of cost can be controlled by better corrosion protection
techniques
Why corrosion occurs
• A significant amount of energy is put into a metal when it is extracted
from its ores, thus placing it in a high energy state.
• As per the principle of thermodynamic, material always seeks the
lowest energy states.
• Hence all metals are unstable because of their high energy levels
• Metals tend to revert to their natural lowest energy steady states
through process of corrosion
TYPICAL CORROSION CELL
Electro Chemical theory
At anodic area
Fe ---- > Fe2+ + 2e-
At catholic area
H2O ----- > H+ + OH-
2H+ + 2e- ------- > H2

Fe2++ 2OH- ------ > Fe(OH)2

The term Fe(OH)2 is iron oxide which can be oxidized to form the Red-brown Fe(OH)3 called
Rust

Fe(OH)2 + O2 + H2O ------ > 4Fe(OH)3

 Cathodic Protection
• Method for reducing the corrosion rate of a metal
• Can be applied to buried and submerged metallic structure
• The principle is based on “ supplying electrons to the base material”
• It is normally used in conjunction with coatings and can be considered
as a secondary corrosion control technique
Cathodic Protection Methods
• Connecting the structure to a more electro-negative material
(sacrificed anode)
• Connecting the structure to an external electron source (impressed
current)
Sacrificed anode
• The simplest method to apply CP is by connecting the metal to be
protected with another more easily corroded “Sacrificial Metal” to act
as the anode of the electrochemical cell
• The sacrificial metal then corrodes instead of the protected metal
• a galvanic anode, a piece of a more electrochemically active metal,
attached to the vulnerable metal surface where it is exposed to the
corrosive liquid. Galvanic anodes have more active voltage that the
target material usually steel.
• In galvanized steels , in which a sacrificial coating of zinc on steel
parts protect them from rust.
Sacrificial anode - Mg
Sacrificed anode
• Common applications are: Steel water or oil pipe lines,
storage tanks, ship & boat hulls, offshore platforms, metal
reinforcement bars in concrete buildings.
• In galvanized steels , in which a sacrificial coating of zinc on
steel parts protect them from rust.
Impressed current Method (ICCP)
For larger structures, galvanic anodes cannot economically deliver
enough current to provide complete protection
In this method, an impressed current is applied in opposite direction to
nullify the corrosion current and convert the corroding metal from anode
to cathode
ICCP systems use anodes connected to a DC power source.
Usually this will be a cathodic protection rectifier, which converts an AC
power supply to a DC output. In the absence of an AC supply, alternative
power sources may be used, such as solar panels, wind power etc.,
This current is given to insoluble anode like graphite, stainless steel or
scrap iron burried in soil
Impressed current Method (ICCP)
The negative terminal of D.C. is connected to pipeline to be protected.
The anode is kept in back-fill(composed of gypsum or coke breeze) to
increase electrical contact with the surrounding soil.
Hi Silicon Cast Iron Anodes (HSCI)
Titanium Rod Type Anode
SOME CP DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
• ELECTROLYTE RESISTIVITY
• SYSTEM LIFE REQUIREMENTS
• COATING EFFICIENCY
• CURRENT REQUIRED FOR PROTECTION
• ECONOMIC FACTORS
• PHYSICAL CONFIGURATION OF STRUCTURE
• MATERIALS USED IN STRUCTURE.
• ANODE CHARACTERISTICS
 Soil-Resisitivity meters.
Interpretation of soil-resistivity readings
Less than 1500 Ohm-cm Very corrosive
Between 1500 to 3500 Ohm-cm Moderately
corrosive
over 3500 Ohm-cm Slightly corrosive
COMPARISION BETWEEN SACRIFICIAL
AND ICCP
SACRIFICIAL CP SYSTEM

1. Independent of electrical power source

2. Limited current is available. Hence restricted to protection of well
coated pipelines
3. Impractical except with soils or water with low resistivity
4. Easy to install
5. Replacement is required whenever anodes get consumed
6. No control over the current output
7. They cannot be wrongly connected, so that polarity is reversed
COMPARISION BETWEEN SACRIFICIAL
AND ICCP
ICCP
1. External source is required to supply current
2. Can be used to protect un coated structures
3. Not restricted due to high resistivity of electrolyte
4. Need careful design and difficult to install
5. Less number of anodes are required and anodes do not consume
6. Polarity to be checked before commissioning, misconnection can
accelerate the corrosion.