CATHODIC PROTECTION

TRAINING
 What is Corrosion?
Corrosion is an electrochemical process involving the flow of
electrons and ions.
Metal loss (corrosion) occurs at the anode.
No metal loss occurs at the cathode (the cathode is protected).
Corrosion occurs within a corrosion cell which consists of four parts:

¾Anode
¾Cathode
¾Electrolyte
¾Metallic Path
Metal ions leave the anodic surface going into the electrolyte, leaving
behind electrons, which flow in the metallic path to the cathodic
surface. At the cathodic surface, the electrons from the anode meet
hydrogen ions from the solution. One hydrogen ion accepts one
electron and is converted into a hydrogen atom. The hydrogen atom
may combine with another hydrogen atom to form a molecule of
hydrogen gas, which may either cling to the cathodic surface or be
released as a bubble.
Figure 1.3 illustrates the refining and corrosion processes for iron and steel. Iron
always is found in an oxidized state. It is mined from the ground as an ore. Energy is
used to convert this iron oxide into iron and steel. It is loaded into a blast furnace
where heat energy removes the oxygen and leaves elemental iron. It is then alloyed
with other materials and loaded into a Bessemer furnace. Finally, it is rolled in a pipe
mill, rod mill, etc., to form pipe, rebar, or structural shapes. When iron contacts an
electrolyte, such as the earth or concrete, corrosion occurs. In the corrosion process,
energy is lost and the iron combines with oxygen to form iron oxide. This corrosion
product, rust, is identical to the iron oxide mined from the ground. Iron is considered
thermodynamically unstable; given the right environment, iron will readily corrode to
return to a lower energy state, such as rust.
When electrically interconnecting two different metals in a common
electrolyte, the more active metal will tend to become the anode of the
corrosion cell.
A useful method of ordering metals is the galvanic series. A
galvanic series is based on the behavior of a metal in a particular
electrolyte and the most common electrolyte used is seawater. Table 1.2
lists a partial practical galvanic series in seawater.
Electrolyte
The physical properties of an electrolytic environment may fall any place between
a liquid (water) and a solid (concrete). Soils, which are a mixture of solids, liquids,
and gases, are classified by the particle size distribution.
Corrosion cells may form because of differences in the electrolyte. For example,
when a single metal structure spans an electrolyte made up of different types of
soils, different chemical substances, different concentrations of the same
substance, or temperature variations, the structure may experience voltage
differences (see Figure 1.6). Another example of this is a reinforced concrete
bridge deck where the top layer of reinforcing steel is exposed to salt
contamination. A macro corrosion cell develops between the top rebar in salt-
containing concrete and the bottom rebar layer in uncontaminated concrete.
OXYGEN CONCENTRATION CELL
Oxygen is the most common of the cathodic depolarizers. The oxygen
content of any electrolyte ranks high on the list of factors influencing the
corrosion of iron and numerous other metals. Oxygen can maintain and
promote a cathodic reaction.
Surfaces in contact with the solution containing a higher concentration of
oxygen will become cathodic, as shown in Figure 1.8.
EFFECTS OF pH
Theoretically, the potential of a structure changes by about 60 mV
for
each pH unit. For example, the corrosion potential (Ecorr)f a metal
might be -500 mV in an environment with a pH of 7, but the value of
ECorr will be -560 mV at a pH of 8. This can lead to galvanic corrosion
cells caused by differences in environment pH.
Environments with an acidic pH can also be harmful to concrete,
such as reinforced concrete structures and concrete coated
structures (e.g., pipes).
The acid dissolves the alkaline components in the cement paste
causing the concrete to fall apart.
A pH less than 5 is considered harmful to concrete.
Stray Current
When current flows through an electrolyte, it causes a voltage drop.
If a metal structure passes through this voltage difference, the structure itself
can experience a voltage difference, or driving force, for corrosion.
Stray currents are defined as currents through electrical paths other than
the intended circuit. Stray current is not the intended galvanic corrosion
current between anodes and cathodes on the same structure.
Polarization
As current flow continues over time, polarization occurs at both the
anode and cathode. Polarization lowers the potential difference between
the anode and cathode areas and, by Ohm's Law, the current, I, drops and
the corrosion rate decreases until an equilibrium is reached between
polarization and depolarizing effects. Depolarizers include:
¾ dissolved oxygen
¾ microbiological activity
¾ water flow.
The concept of cathodic protection involves reducing the potential
difference between the local anodic and cathodic sites to zero,
resulting in zero corrosion current flow.
This can be accomplished by impressing current onto the structure
from an external electrode and polarizing the cathodic sites in an
electronegative direction. As the potentials of the cathodic sites
polarize toward the potentials of the anodic sites, corrosion
current is reduced.
When the potentials of all cathodic sites reach the open circuit
potential of the most active anodic sites, corrosion is eliminated on
the structure.
The structure is now the cathode of an intentional macroscopic
corrosion cell.
Corrosion of the metal will decrease once the applied cathodic
protection current equals or exceeds the corrosion current.
Galvanic Corrosion cell

Practical Galvanic Series in Seawater

lmpressed Current Cathodic Protection
Applications of Impressed Current Cathodic Protection

Typical uses of impressed current are:

9 for large current requirements, particularly for bare or poorly coated

structures in all electrolyte resistivities
9 as an economical way of protecting structures having dissipated galvanic
anodes
9 to overcome stray current or cathodic interference problems
9 for protection of large heat exchanger water boxes, oil heater-treaters, and
other vessels
9 for interiors of water storage tanks for exterior bottoms (both primary and
secondary) of above ground storage tanks
9 for underground storage tanks
9 for underwater components of off shore structures
9 for foundation piles and sheet piling, both underground and in the water.
Types of impressed Current Anodes

¾ Graphite
¾ High Silicon Chromium-bearing Cast Iron
¾ Mixed Metal Oxide
¾ Scrap Metal
¾ Magnetite
Polarization of a Structure

Polarization occurs in a step-like manner with the more positive

or cathodic sites polarizing first. As the potential of the first cathodic sites
equals the potential of other sites, polarization begins at other sites.
I/R Dropp