IEEE Tutorial

Cathodic Protection Systems

Steve Daily - Det Norske Veritas (U.S.A.), Inc.

Laszlo Forgo – Pacific Gas & Electric
Geoff Rhodes – Matco Services
Cathodic Protection Topics:
p
• Overview
• Sacrificial Systems
• Impressed Current Systems
• Advantages and Disadvantages of each
• Factors Affecting Cathodic Protection
• Cathodic Protection System Components
• Design Considerations
• Installation
• Monitoring & Maintenance

© Det Norske 21 July

Definitions

• Corrosion - is a reaction between a metal and its

environment, in which the refined metals want to return
their natural lowest energy state (steel → iron ore).
• Cathodic Protection (CP) - is the polarization of all noble
potential areas (cathodes) to the most active (anodic)
potential on the metal surface. CP is achieved by
making the structure a cathode in an electrochemical
cell.
• Effective CP - a reduction in corrosion rate to <1 mpy
(0.001in/yr).
Microscopic View of a Corrosion Cell

e
e

Catho
Anode

Catthode
ode
Cathodic Protection on a Structure
(Macroscopic view)

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e e e e e e e
Cathodic Protection on a Structure
(Macroscopic view) e

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e
e
e
e
e
Protective Coatings for Corrosion
Control
• Coatings are the first line of defense against
corrosion for buried and submerged metallic
structures.
• Cathodic Protection is used to supplement the
coating.
coating
• Coatings are the only defense against corrosion
off atmospherically
t h i ll exposed d structures
t t .
Recommended Practices

NACE IInternational
t ti l (N
(National
ti lA
Association
i ti off
Corrosion Engineers) provides guidance for
design,
g installation, testing
g and
maintenance of cathodic protection systems
www.nace.org
• 1) NACE SP0169-2007 "Control of External Corrosion on
Underground and Submerged Metallic Piping Systems".

• 2) NACE TM0497-2002 " Measurement Techniques

Related to Criteria for Cathodic Protection of Underground
and S
Submerged
bmerged Metallic Piping S
Systems".
stems"
Cathodic Protection Systems
y

• Galvanic (Sacrificial) Systems

• Impressed Current Systems

Galvanic Cathodic Protection

Structure

Magnesium
Anode

Current Flow
Practical Galvanic Series

Material Potential (V)*

High Potential Magnesium -1.75

Magnesium Alloy -1.60
Zi
Zinc -1.10
1 10
Aluminum Alloy -1.05
Clean Carbon Steel -0.50 to -0.80
Rusted Carbon Steel -0.20
0.20 to -0.50
0.50
Cast/Ductile Iron -0.50
Lead -0.50
Steel in Concrete -0.20
Copper -0.20
High Silicon Iron -0.20
Carbon, Graphite +0.30

* Potentials With respect to a saturated Cu-CuSO4 Electrode

Galvanic Anodes

• Magnesium - primarily used in soil and fresh water

• Zinc - one alloy for seawater and a second alloy for soil
and fresh water applications

• Aluminum - primarily used in seawater

Magnesium Anodes
Zinc Anodes
Aluminum Anodes
Practical Everyday Examples
Installation of Prepackaged Magnesium Anodes
Installation of Drivable Magnesium Anode
CP Anode Placement

• 6’ deep
• 6 10’ away
6-10’
• Low Res. Soil
• Shielding
• Remove bag
• Tamp
• Water
CP Anode Placement
Anode Attachment to
Structure

• Thermite Weld
• Mechanical Clamp
• Pin Braze
Impressed Current System
Rectifier

(-) (+)

Anode
Groundbed

Pipeline
(Structure) Current
Flow
Impressed
p Current CP System
y

4Anodes

4 Power Supply

4Wiring
DC Power Supplies
pp

• Rectifiers
• S l (photovoltaic)
Solar ( h t lt i ) cells
ll
• Engine generator sets
• Wind powered generators
Wind-powered
• Thermoelectric cells
Galvanic vs. Impressed
p Current

Galvanic CP Impressed Current CP

 Well coated structures or small  Design flexibility
bare surface area  Automatic or manual
 Low soil resistivity for best results current output
 Low initial cost  Higher initial cost for
 Limited current output “Self anodes, wire and rectifier
P
Powered”d”  External power supply
 Low/no operating and maintenance  Increased maintenance and
cost operating costs
 Life: 15 to 20 years  P
Possibility
ibilit off stray
t currentt
 Life: >30 years
Factors Influencing CP Operation

 Coatings

 Electrolyte (soil / water)

 Grounding

 Electrical shielding

 Interference
Stray
y Current Sources

 Foreign,
g , impressed
p current,, cathodic p
protection
systems
 Transit and rail systems
 DC operated mining equipment
 Welding operations
 Natural (telluric) currents
 F ferrous
For f materials
t i l (steel,
( t l castt iron,
i ductile
d til iiron))
and others, the loss rates are:
• Ferrous 20 pounds/amp-year
• Copper 45 pounds/amp-year
• Lead 75 pounds/amp-year
Example
p of Anodic Interference
Unknown
Discharge
g
High Points
Anodic
Voltage
Gradient

CP
Installation

Interfered Line
Interfering Line
Unknown
Discharge
Points
Determining the Effectiveness of CP
 Practical application makes use of
structure-to-soil potential
measurements.
850

 Effective cathodic protection is

achieved if NACE criteria are
satisfied.

 Carbon steel acceptance criterion:

-0.850 V (CSE)
Criteria for Buried or Submerged
Metallic Structures

 - 850mV potential - Negative (cathodic) potential of

at least 850 mV (CSE) with the CP applied after IR
drop is considered.
considered
 - 850mV polarized potential - Negative polarized
potential of at least 850 mV (CSE) taken with the
current interrupted (instant off potential).
 100mV polarization - Minimum of 100 mV of
cathodic polarization (valid only for isolated metal).
Useful Information for CP Design

• Surface area of buried structure

• Coating quality or bare metal
• Corrosion history
• Soil type & soil resistivity
• Water table and topography
• P t ti l sources off stray
Potential t currentt interference
i t f
• CP Current Demand
• Choose Anode Size
• Specified Design Life Expected
• Anode Placement Location
Current Requirement
q Test

 Conduct Native Potential

Survey Rectifier

 Set up Temporary Anode Bed

I t
Interrupter
t
 Apply and Measure Test
Current 850

 C d t “O
Conduct “On/Off”
/Off” Potential
P t ti l
Survey
 Determine level of polarization
Soil Resistivity

 d = spacing
i =ddepth
h (f
(ft))

 Determine Resistance R, C1 C2

P1 P2
ohms

 Calculate Resistivity 

ohm-cm

 191.5 x d x R
d d d
Soil and Water Resistivityy Classification

Resistivity (Ω-cm) Corrosion Classification

0-1000 Extremely Corrosive

1,000-2,000 Very Corrosive

2,000-10,000 Corrosive

Greater than 10,000 Progressively Less Corrosive

Resistance to Earth of Anode
• Single Anode
• R = 0.00521ρ/L [ln (8L/d) -1]
• Where
• ρ = Soil Resistivity in Ohm-cm
• L = Anode Length in Feet
• d = Anode Diameter in Feet
• Multiple Anodes In Parallel
• R=00.00521
00521 ρ/NL [ln (8L/d) – 1 + 2L/S (ln .656N)]
656N)]
• Where
• ρ = Soil Resistivity in Ohm-cm
• L = Anode Lengthg in Feet
• d = Anode Diameter in Feet
• S = Spacing of Anodes in Feet
Structure-to-soil Potential Measurement
• Routine Structure Surveys
• Annual
• Trend results
• Identify candidate areas for detailed
surveys 850
• Measure DC and AC Structure Potential
to a Copper-Copper Sulfate Electrode
(CSE)
• Electrochemical potential of structure can
be related to corrosion activity
• Potential of Carbon Steel
• -0.550v to – 0.800v (CSE)
• Potential of steel embedded in concrete:
• -0.100v to -0.550v (CSE)
• Potential of Galvanized Structures:
• -0.700v
-0 700v to -0.800v
-0 800v (CSE)
• Potential of Copper:
• -0.200v to -0.300v (CSE)
Anode Current Output
p & Structure-to-Soil Potential Test

Tower Leg
Voltmeter
Ammeter
850

+ -
Cu:CuSO4
20 Reference
+ - Electrode

Anode Lead Wire

Magnesium
g Anode
Typical
yp Magnesium
g Anode Detail for Tower Leg
g
Cathodic Protection Design Details
Questions ???