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A SEMINAR ON CATHODIC PROTECTION TECHNIQUES

PREPARED BY: VIBHANSHU KOHLI ROLL NO. : 909

Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Faculty of Technology and Engineering The Maharaja Sayajirao University

1. CORROSION: Destruction or deterioration of a material because of reaction with its environment. Reaction can be chemical or electrochemical in nature. It involves loss of electrons i.e. oxidation and gain of electrons i.e. reduction. 2. WHY CORROSION PREVENTION IS ESSENTIAL? It reduces metal thickness leading to loss of mechanical strength and structural failure or breakdown. It can cause hazards or injuries to people arising from structural failure or breakdown. It reduces value of goods due to deterioration of appearance. It contaminates fluids in vessels and pipes. Perforation of vessels and pipes allowing escape of their contents and possible harm to the surroundings. Hence, losses due to corrosion are very high. So, corrosion and its prevention is a problem of great importance.

3. DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES OF CORROSION CONTROL: 1. Proper design 2. Use of high purity metals

3. Use of alloy additions 4. Use of special heat treatments 5. Use of inhibitors 6. Cathodic protection 7. Use of protective surface coatings 8. Environment control

4. CATHODIC PROTECTION TECHNIQUES: It is a very old and effective method to prevent corrosion. It is capable of completely preventing corrosion. 4.1 PRINCIPLE: It is accomplished by placing a metal that is higher in electro potential series with the metal which is to be protected. Hence, the metal which acts as an anode protects the metal which acts as cathode and it gets corroded. Hence, it is called sacrificial anode. 4.2 HISTORY: The first reported practical use of Cathodic protection is generally credited to Sir Humphrey Davy in the 1820s.He investigated the corrosion of copper sheeting used for cladding the hulls of naval vessels and found that he could preserve copper in seawater by the attachment of small quantities of iron, zinc or tin. The copper became cathodically protected.

4.3 TECHNIQUES OF APPLYING CATHODIC PROTECTION:

Cathodic protection mat be achieved in the following ways: 1. By the use of a sacrificial anode. 2. By the use of impressed current from an external source.

4.3.1. USE OF A SACRIFICIAL ANODE: Sacrificial anodic protection occurs when a metal is coupled to a more reactive (anode) metal. This connection is referred to as galvanic coupling. A metal which is more anodic is connected to a metal which is to be protected. The metal to be protected is less anodic i.e. acts as cathode. The anode in this case is called sacrificial anode since it is consumed during the protection of the structure.

ANODIC MATERIALS: Commercial sacrificial anodes include zinc, magnesium and aluminum. They should have sufficient potential difference so that they can supply electrons when connected. Zinc is used for cathodic protection in fresh water and marine water. It can also be used in low resistivity soils. It is used to protect mechanical components of the ship, coastal power plants, heat exchangers, etc. Magnesium anodes are most widely used for underground soil applications. They are used to protect underground pipelines. Aluminum anodes are less active than Zn and Mg anodes. They are used for protection of offshore structures, interiors of tanks. GALVANIC ZINC APPLICATION: a) Zinc metalizing (plating): Feeding zinc into a heated gun, where it is melted and sprayed on a structure or part using combustion gases or auxiliary compressed air. b) Zinc-rich Paints: Zinc-rich paints contain various amounts of metallic zinc dust and are applied by brush or spray. c) Hot-dip Galvanizing: Complete immersion of steel into a bath of molten zinc.

4.3.2. USE OF IMPRESSED CURRENT FROM AN EXTERNAL SOURCE: External source of direct current power is connected (or impressed) between the structure to be protected and the metal which acts anode. The anode used is surrounded by backfill consisting of coke breeze, gypsum or bentonite. The backfill helps to improve electric contact between the electrode and the surrounding medium (soil). Commercially used impressed current anodes are platinum, graphite, lead alloy, high silicon cast iron, etc.

PRINCIPLE: The metal connected directly to the positive terminal of the power supply behaves as an anode while the metal to be protected is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply. The anode gets corroded and the cathode is protected. The metal acting as anode is replaced once it gets corroded completely.

FIG:

CATHODIC

PROTECTION

OF

AN

UNDERGROUND

TANK/PIPE USING IMPRESSED CURRENTS

4.4 COMPARISON BETWEEN SACRIFICIAL ANODE AND IMPRESSED CURRENT CATHODIC SYSTEMS: SACRIFICIAL ANODE SYSTEM IMPRESSED CURRENT SYSTEM

SR. NO.

1. 2.

Simple Low maintenance Works best in conductive

Complex High maintenance It can work in low

3.

or

low

resistive

electrolytes 4. 5. Lower installation costs

conductive electrolytes High installation costs

Fixed driving voltage and Adjustable driving voltage current No external power is and current External power is required

6.

required

7.

It does not cause stray It can cause stray current current corrosion corrosion.

4.5 ADVANTAGES OF CATHODIC PROTECTION: The main advantage of cathodic protection over other forms of anticorrosion treatment is that it is applied simply by maintaining a dc circuit and its effectiveness may be monitored continuously. Economically feasible to replace anode system when required. It is applied to existing structures to prolong their life. Its main use is to protect steel structures buried in soil or immersed in water. Structures that are commonly protected by cathodic protection are the exterior surfaces of: Pipelines, Ships hulls, Storage tank bases, harbour structures, Steel sheet, etc Cathodic protection is also used to protect the internal surfaces of: Large diameter pipelines, Ships tanks, Storage tanks , Water-circulating systems 4.6 LIMITATIONS OF CATHODIC PROTECTION: Significant operation and maintenance requirements. Relatively large chance of premature failure or breakdown. Possibility of stray current causing interference damage to other metallic structures. It cannot be used to completely prevent atmospheric corrosion on metals. There is a possibility of stray current corrosion.

REFERENCES: 1. Fontana, M., and N. Greene, Corrosion Engineering, McGraw-Hill Book Company (1967). 2. Garverick, L., Corrosion in the Petrochemical Industry, ASM International (1994). 3. Davies, K., and R. Kean, Cathodic Protection, DTI publication (1981). 4. Scannell, W., and A. Sohanghpurwala, Cathodic Protection as a corrosion control alternative, CONCORR Inc. (1993). 5. Langill, T, Corrosion Protection: Basic corrosion theory and protection methods, American Galvanizers Association (2006).

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