ITC COMPANY LTD.

Khartoum - Sudan

The Basics of Cathodic

Protection
By: Engr. ALZAKI A. ALZAKI
Engr. MOHAMED IMAM

• Corrosion is a naturally occurring phenomenon commonly

defined as the deterioration of a substance (usually a metal) or
its properties because of a reaction with its environment.
• The tendency of a metal to corrode depends on the grain
structure of the metal, its composition as formed during alloying,
and the temperature or deformation of a single metal surface
developed during fabrication.
• Corrosion occurs as a result of an electrochemical reaction
driven by a potential difference between two electrodes, an
anode and a cathode,
cathode connected by an electronic path and
immersed in the same electrolyte.
• In the case of uniform corrosion, a multitude of microscopic
anodic and cathodic sites exist on the surface of the metal
structure.
• There are various time-proven methods for preventing and controlling
corrosion.
• One of these is cathodic protection (CP). Here we’ll take a look at
cathodic protection, its types, and how it's used to protect buried
pipelines against corrosion.

What is Cathodic Protection (CP)?

• The metallic surfaces exposed to an electrolyte have a multitude of
microscopic anodic and cathodic sites.
• Where anodes are more electro negative than cathodes, a potential
difference is created between them, allowing for corrosion to occur. (To
view a qquick visual introduction to CP,, watch Cathodic Protection in 2
Minutes Flat.)
• The function of cathodic protection is to reduce the potential difference
between anodes and cathodes to a neglected value. This reduction is
due to the polarization of cathodes to the potential of most active
anodes. In this way, corrosion current is mitigated according to Ohm’s
law.
• Cathodic protection can be accomplished by sending a current into the
structure from an external electrode and polarizing the cathodic sites in
an electronegative direction.

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 Cathodic Protection Criteria
• In order to achieve adequate CP, the protected structure must be
polarized to a certain value. The polarized potential is measured with
respect to a certain reference electrode. A copper/copper sulfate
reference electrode (CSE) is the most common electrode used in soil
and freshwater.
• There are two types of criteria for assessing cathodic protection. Either
one may be used depending on the circumstances
circumstances, although the first is
considered superior in many cases.
• The Potential Criterion
The polarized potential of the protected structure is to be equal to or
more negative than -850 mill volts (mV) with respect to CSE.
•
• The Polarization Shift Criterion
The protected structure is to be polarized by 100 mV with respect to
CSE from its corrosion potential.
• Note: These criteria are for carbon steel; criteria may differ for various
metal types.

Types of Cathodic Protection

• There are two types of cathodic protection:
• 1. Galvanic Anode Cathodic Protection
– In this type of CP, protection is achieved by connecting the
protected structure to a sacrificial anode, which is placed close to
the protected structure.
– Sacrificial anodes are made from active metals such as zinc,
g
aluminum, or magnesium, which are considered the most active
metals according to the galvanic series.
– CP current is created by the potential difference between sacrificial
anodes and the protected structure.
• The type of anode used depends on electrolyte resistivity and the
chemical compositions of the electrolyte to which the substrate is
exposed.

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• 2.Impressed Current Cathodic Protection

In this type of CP, protection is achieved by connecting the protected

structure to an anode bed through a transformer rectifier (TR).
The anode bed is a series of buried anodes that are electrically connected
and surrounded by certain backfill to reduce their resistance to the
earth.
The anode bed should be placed remotely from the protected structure.
(For more information, see Cathodic Protection and Anode Backfills.)
Three types of anodes are used:
1. Soluble anodes (aluminum and steel), semi-soluble anodes (graphite
and high silicon cast iron (HSCI)), and non-soluble anodes (platinum,
mixed metal oxide, and polymer)
2. The main component of this type of CP is the TR, which forces the
current to flow from the anodes to the protected structure (cathode).
3. The type of anodes used depends on the chemical composition of the
electrolyte, to which the substrate is exposed and the area to be
protected.)

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 Application of Cathodic Protection Systems on
Buried Pipelines
• Pipelines are used for transporting water, petroleum products, natural gas,
and other utilities.
• There’s a huge network of piping systems used in every country all over
the world.
• Pipelines may be onshore or offshore, and are subject to corrosion in both
cases. If corrosion isn't mitigated, dangerous and expensive damage can
be the result.
• There are several corrosion control techniques used on pipelines; cathodic
protection is one of them.
• It can be applied either to coated pipelines to mitigate the corrosion attack
on areas where coating quality may be poor.
• It is also used on bare pipelines. Both types of CP can be applied to
buried pipelines.
• The application of either of these types depends on several factors, such
as the required current, soil resistivity, and the area to be protected.

• CP aims to polarize a pipeline to a minimum potential of -850 mv, for

carbon steel and for adequate CP. (Read An Overview of Cathodic
Protection Potential Measurement for more information.) The
polarized potential is to be measured through test stations, which
are to be installed at the following locations along the route of
pipeline:
• At frequent intervals (e.g. < 2 km / 1.24 miles)
• At crossings
g with foreigng structures
• At points of electrical isolation
• At some galvanic anode locations
• At casings
• Near sources of electrical interference
• At the location of stray current discharge to earth

Problems Created by Cathodic Protection

• In large pipeline networks, there are a lot of crossings, parallelism, and
approaches, wherein the pipeline has its applied CP system.
• DC interference may occur between pipelines, accelerating corrosion. In order to
overcome this problem, pipelines can be electrically coupled, either directly or
through resistance.
•
For coated pipelines, where the applied coating quality is poor, cathodic
disbondment may y occur due to high
g CP levels.
• Higher temperatures may also promote cathodic disbondment. High pH
environments are also a concern in terms of stress-corrosion cracking. In such
cases, the polarized potential of the pipeline must be kept at a minimum value of
-850 mV.
• Remember, cathodic protection is just one method used to prevent corrosion,
not just in pipelines, but in ships, offshore oil platforms, and other steel
structures. Whether it's the best application for the job, or the only one to be
used, is often specific to the structure being protected.

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 What does Corrosion Type mean?

• A corrosion type is a classification of the physical conditions or

chemical reactions responsible for the deterioration of a metal
surface, often with the formation of rust.

• What are the Corrosion Types you know?

• Each corrosion type is based on a different cause mechanism.

Some corrosion types and their cause mechanisms include:
• Pitting corrosion - Fluid stagnation on a metal
• Galvanic corrosion - Formation of groves on a metal surface

Electromotive Force Series Redox Potentials (Volts Vs

Standard Hydrogen Reference Electrode)

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M.Sherif Fathi

• What does Deterioration mean?

• Deterioration, in the context of corrosion, is a loss in the properties of a material
by chemical interaction with the environment.
• Harmful effects of deterioration by corrosion can include:
• Reduction in metal thickness leading to mechanical/structural failure or
breakdown
• Reduction in value
• Contamination of fluid in pipes

• The following methods are used to manage deterioration:

• Preservation - This involves keeping the object in its current state by providing
better storage conditions and/or covering the object to protect it from moisture.
• Conservation - This involves the stabilization and retention of material in its
original state, keeping the material in working condition.
• Restoration - This involves making necessary changes to the object when
required to make it more complete or operational. New parts replace missing
ones, and original material is often replaced to improve appearance.
• Maintenance - This involves all three previously mentioned steps, which all can
reduce degradation.

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 • What does Alloy mean?
• An alloy is metal composed of two or more elements, one of which
must be a metal. Alloys are usually created by mixing these materials
together in their molten form. The result is a uniform metal that has a
combination of the physical, chemical and electrical properties of all the
materials used to make the alloy.
• Alloys are created for many different reasons. Some alloys are created
to increase mechanical properties such as strength or ductility. Other
alloys are created because the material with all of the desired
properties is too expensive to justify purchasing, so other elements are
added to reduce cost, to the detriment of the desired properties. Quite
commonly, alloys are created to increase the corrosion resistance of a
material. For example, alloys with added chromium benefit from its
corrosion resistant properties, even if the other elements in the alloy
are not necessarily known for their corrosion resistance.
• Common alloys include carbon steel, cast iron, tool steel, stainless
steel, brass, bronze and certain grades of aluminum. There are many
other alloys that can be created that have not been mentioned here.

• Definition - What does Deformation mean?

• In materials science, deformation refers to modifications

of the shape or size of an object due to applied forces or
a change in temperature.
• Deformation is usually caused by forces such as:
• Tensile ((pulling))
• Compressive (pushing)
• Shear
• Bending
• Torsion (twisting)
•

• Definition - What does Electrode mean?

• An electrode is an electrical conductor that makes contact with

the nonmetallic circuit parts of a circuit, such as an electrolyte,
semiconductor or vacuum. If in an electrochemical cell, this is
also known as an anode or cathode. The anode is an electrode
in which electrons leave the cell, and oxidation occurs at this
point. Electrons enter the cell through the cathode, where a
reduction process occurs.
• An electrode cannot be permanently fixed because it can take
the role of an anode or cathode, depending on the electron flow
direction.
• Another type is a bipolar electrode, which simultaneously takes
on the role of an anode of one cell and a cathode of the other
cell.

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• Definition - What does Anode mean?

• An anode is a highly polarized electrode where

electric current travels into an electrical device.
Typically, the current's direction is always opposite to
the flow of electrons.
• To illustrate, electrons travel from the positive charge,
or anode, into an electrical circuit. A mnemonic that is
widely used to define an anode is ACID, which
stands for "anode: current into device.“

• Definition - What does Cathode mean?

• A cathode is the electrode through which the negatively charged
electrons enter a device or a system from an external circuit in
case of electrolytic cell, or it is the source of electrons in an
electronic valve. In the case of a primary cell, the terminal can
have a positive charge.
• The study of cathodes is important because they are the basis
of electrical, electronic and electrochemical process studies,
which is fundamental to scientific applications, including
corrosion prevention.

• Definition - What does Electrolyte mean?

• An electrolyte is any substance that undergoes ionization when
dissolved in water or ionizing solvents. This covers almost all
soluble acids, bases and salts. At times, gases like hydrogen
chloride can also act in a similar way to electrolytes, given there
is low pressure or high temperature.
• Electrolytes play a vital role in the corrosion process since their
presence triggers a reaction between two dissimilar metals.

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• Definition - What does Uniform Corrosion mean?
• Uniform corrosion is a type of corrosive attack in
which the corroded areas occur in a manner evenly
distributed across the material being attacked.
Uniform corrosion can render large amounts of
material useless quite rapidly because the attack
occurs across the entirety of the exposed surface.
Although uniform corrosion can be incredibly
devastating, it is typically easily detectable and
readily preventable.

• Definition - What does Cathodic Protection (CP)

mean?
• Cathodic protection is an electrochemical means of corrosion
control in which the oxidation reaction in a galvanic cell is
concentrated at the anode and suppresses corrosion of the
cathode in the same cell.
• This is achieved by placing a more easily corroded metal to act
as the anode of the electrochemical cell in contact with the
metal to be protected.
• Cathodic protection is also known as a cathodic protection
system.

• Definition - What does Polarization mean?

• Polarization is a mechanism that typically results in a change in
the potential of an electrode during electrolysis, when the
anode’s potential becomes nobler than that of the cathode. It
has the effect (based on conditions) of decreasing the output
voltage of batteries, and increasing the voltage required for
electrolysis cells or lowering currents.
•

• Polarization can also be described as a kinetic deviation from

equilibrium due to an electric current passing through a galvanic
cell. Polarization may occur at the cathode (cathodic
polarization) or at the anode (anodic polarization). Cathodic
polarization is more common.

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• Definition - What does Ohm's Law mean?
• Ohm’s law states that the current flowing through a conductor is
directly proportional to the voltage and inversely proportional to
the resistance. The resistance is dependent on the cross-
sectional area of the conductor and increases when the
conductor wears out due to corrosion and other factors.
• Ohm’s law is applied in component selection for electrical
circuits and in electrical resistance corrosion monitoring
techniques.
• Ohm’s law: I = E/R
• Where I = current, E = Voltage and R = Resistance

• Definition - What does Reference Electrode

mean?
• A reference electrode has a known electrode potential and is
stable. Its high stability is achieved by employing the redox
system, which must contain saturated concentrations in each of
the participating solutions of the reaction.
• Uses of reference electrodes are numerous, but the most
i
important
t t off allll iis iin th
the electrochemical
l t h i l cell.ll This
Thi iis where
h it'
it's
used as a half cell in the electrochemical cell to allow for the
determination of the other half's cell potential. They are also
used in electrochemical measurements and devices like the
DPV and electrochemical biosensor, respectively.
• Reference electrodes can be classified as aqueous, calomel,
non-aqueous and own-constructing.

• Definition - What does Corrosion Potential mean?

• The corrosion potential of a given material is the electromotive
force or the voltage conducted by its surface. This is determined
by immersing the material and a reference electrode in an
electrolyte, causing the material's surface to release electrons.

• In simple terms, corrosion potential is the characteristic or

property of metal and nonmetal surfaces to lose electrons in the
presence of an electrolyte. During the process of corrosion, two
electrodes are formed spontaneously, a cathode and an anode.
Corrosion potential is the electrode potential that the material
surface acquires automatically in its environment.

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• Definition - What does Sacrificial Anode
mean?
• Sacrificial anodes are easily corroded materials
deliberately installed in a pipe or tank to be sacrificed
to corrosion, leaving the rest of the system relatively
corrosion free.
free
• A sacrificial anode is also known as a galvanic
anode.

• Definition - What does Galvanic Series mean?

• The galvanic series is a chart showing the relationships and a
guide for selecting metals that can be joined, with an aim of
helping in the decision-making process.
• This is done by illustrating which materials have a minimal
tendency to a galvanic interaction, or the need or even degree
of protection that can be applied to reduce the expected
probable interactions.
p
• In general, the further apart materials are in the sequence, the
higher the level in the galvanic series, and hence the higher the
galvanic corrosion risk.
• The galvanic series serves as a simple qualitative guide only,
and does not give any information on the galvanic corrosion
rate.
• The galvanic series is also known as the electro-potential series.

• Definition - What does Anode Bed mean?

• An anode bed is a series of electrodes installed in an
electrolytic environment to provide cathode protection
against corrosion by serving as an electrolytic cell
component.
• Anode beds serve as a key component of an
electrolytic cell,
cell which aid the free flow of electrons by
acting as a terminal for current entry. Current that is
attracted to the electrolytic cell is not available to
react with a metal structure in the environment, thus
preventing corrosion of said metal structure.

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• Definition - What does Transformer Rectifier mean?
• A transformer rectifier is a type of transformer that contains
thyristors or diodes within a single tank. It may also include
voltage regulation. It is highly beneficial for processes in
industries that necessitate a large supply of direct current (DC).

• Typical applications consist of smelting operations, electrolysis,

direct current traction and others.
• A transformer rectifier is an electronic device that can be used to
convert alternating current (AC), which reverses direction, into
direct current. This process is known as rectification.
• Transformer rectifiers are available in different forms, including:
• Mercury arc valves
• Selenium oxide
• Silicon-based
• Semi-conductor diodes

• Definition - What does Cathodic Protection (CP)

mean?
• Cathodic protection is an electrochemical means of
corrosion control in which the oxidation reaction in a
galvanic cell is concentrated at the anode and
suppresses corrosion of the cathode in the same cell.
This is achieved by placing a more easily corroded
metal to act as the anode of the electrochemical cell
in contact with the metal to be protected.
• Cathodic protection is also known as a cathodic
protection system.

• Galvanic Series
• Definition - What does Galvanic Series mean?
• The galvanic series is a chart showing the relationships and a
guide for selecting metals that can be joined, with an aim of
helping in the decision-making process. This is done by
illustrating which materials have a minimal tendency to a
galvanic interaction, or the need or even degree of protection
that can be applied
pp to reduce the expected
p p
probable
interactions.
• In general, the further apart materials are in the sequence, the
higher the level in the galvanic series, and hence the higher the
galvanic corrosion risk.
• The galvanic series serves as a simple qualitative guide only,
and does not give any information on the galvanic corrosion
rate.
• The galvanic series is also known as the electro-potential series.

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• Transformer Rectifier

• Definition - What does Transformer Rectifier mean?

• A transformer rectifier is a type of transformer that contains
thyristors or diodes within a single tank.
• It may also include voltage regulation. It is highly beneficial for
processes in industries that necessitate a large supply of direct
current (DC).

• Typical applications consist of smelting operations, electrolysis,

direct current traction and others.

Anode Backfilling
The anode used for cathodic protection is not in direct contact with the soil in
which it is buried. The reason is that the soil contains many minerals and other
chemicals that might affect the anode and therefore decrease its effectiveness. One
of the harmful effects that might be caused by minerals is the buildup of high-
resistance films on the surface of the anode, thus hampering its conductivity.
In addition, we want the anode to get uniformly consumed and give its maximum
efficiency. That’s why special backfills are used depending on the particular
environment, application and the anode’s material. The prime purpose of using the
backfill is to reduce electrical resistivity. This provides a lower anode-to-earth
resistance
es s a ce and
a d greater
g ea e current
cu e outputs
ou pu s in cases where e e the
e surrounding
su ou d g soil
so iss of
o high
g
resistivity.
Some common backfill materials include:
Coal coke breeze
Petroleum coke breeze
Bentonite clay
Gypsum
Sodium sulfate
Based on these materials, anode backfills can be classified into two types:

• Definition - What does Substrate mean?

• A substrate, in the context of corrosion, is the parent or base
material to which a coating is applied or the material upon which
a process is conducted. A substrate can be nearly any type of
material, including metals, plastics and ceramics.

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