FUNDAMENTALS OF

CORROSION CONTROL
& CATHODIC
PROTECTION

Outline

Fundamentals of Corrosion
Corrosion Cell:

Conditions required for corrosion

Corrosion Rate

Corrosion Types

Commonly Affected Structures

Corrosion Control

Materials Selection

Inhibitors/Altering the environment

Coatings

Cathodic Protection

Measuring potentials

Criteria

Concerns
Structural failure
Contamination
Property damage
Costs to repair/replace

Safety

Introduction to
Corrosion
Corrosion can be defined as the
deterioration of metal due to its
interaction with the environment.
Corrosion is a natural phenomenon, which
should not surprise one, but rather should
be expected to occur. Metals are high
energy materials, which exist because
heat energy was added to natural iron
ores during the smelting process. Nature,
by environmental contact, constantly
attacks these high energy materials and
breaks them down to the natural10elements

Conditions Required for

Corrosion
Corrosion is an electrochemical
process occurring at the interface
between metal and environment.
Three conditions must be present for
this to occur.
1. Two areas on a structure or two
structures must differ in electrical
potential.
2. Those areas, called anodes and
cathodes, must be electrically
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interconnected.

Two areas or two structures that differ

in electrical potential (different
amounts of stored energy)

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The two areas, called the Anode and

Cathode, must be electrically
connected (conductive path)

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Those areas must be exposed to a

common electrolyte
CURRENT
FLOW

WIRE

CATHODE
(COPPER)

ANODE
(IRON)

CURRENT FLOW
IONIZED ELECTROLYTE
CURRENT FLOW
(- TO + IN ELECTROLYTE)

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Corrosion Cell Dissimilar Metals

i.e. steel pipe connected to copper
ground rod
CURRENT
FLOW

WIRE

CATHODE
(COPPER)

ANODE
(IRON)

CURRENT FLOW
IONIZED ELECTROLYTE
CURRENT FLOW
(- TO + IN ELECTROLYTE)

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Corrosion Cell Within a

Metal

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Corrosion Rate
As a result of this process, electric
current flows through the
interconnection between cathode
and anode. The cathodic area is
protected from corrosion damage at
the expense of the metal, which is
consumed at the anode. The amount
of metal lost is directly proportional
to the current flow. Mild steel is lost
at approximately 20 pounds18for each

Factors Affecting
Corrosion Rate
Potential Difference Between Anode
and Cathode (Galvanic Series)
Circuit resistance Resistivity of the
Electrolyte
Chemical Activity
Stray Currents

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Potential Difference
Interconnecting two dissimilar
metals in an electrolyte will create a
corrosion cell. The strength of this
cell increases as the distance within
the galvanic series increases.

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Galvanic Series
Example: connecting magnesium to copper will produce a
corrosion cell with a potential of about 1.5 volts.

METAL
VOLTS (CSE)
Commercially Pure Magnesium -1.75
Magnesium Alloy
-1.60
Zinc
-1.10
Aluminum Alloy
-1.05
Commercially Pure Aluminum -0.80
Mild Steel (clean & shiny)
-0.50 to -0.80
Mild Steel (rusted)
-0.20 to -0.50
Cast Iron (not graphitized)
-0.50
Lead
-0.50
Mild Steel in Concrete
-0.20
Copper, Brass, Bronze
-0.20
High Silicon Cast Iron
-0.20
Carbon, Graphite, Coke
+0.30
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Circuit Resistance
Circuit resistance includes the following:
Resistance of the anode
Resistance of the cathode
Resistance of the electrolyte
Resistance of the metallic path
Increasing the resistance will reduce the
corrosion rate.

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Resistance of Common
Electrolytes
Soils High resistivity water reduces
the corrosion rate, while low
resistivity water increases the
corrosion rate.
CLASSIFICATION

ELECTROLYTE
RESISTIVITY
(ohm-cm)

ANTICIPATED
CORROSIVITY

Low Resistance

0 to 2,000

Severe

Medium

2,000 to 10,000

Moderate

High

10,000 to 30,000

Mild

Very High

Above 30,000

Increasingly Less

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Resistance of Common
Electrolytes
Water Approximate resistivity values
Water resistivity
Ohms-cm
open sea
20-25
seawater (coastal)
30-40
river water
500-10,000
tap water
1,000-10,000
rain water
20,000
distilled water
500,000
pure water
20,000,000
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Chemical Activity
Passive (less corrosive) Environment
High pH (neutral or basic)
Low Moisture Content
Lack of Salts
High Resistivity
Low Temperature
Homogenous Environment
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Chemical Activity
Active (more corrosive) Environment
Low pH (acidic)
High Moisture Content
Salts
Low Resistivity
Moderate to High Temperature
Heterogeneous Environment
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Stray current corrosion

Boat 1

Boat 2

Boat 3

Ground
wire

Corrosion Type
Uniform or near uniform - Corrosion
attacks all areas of the metal at the
same or similar rate.
Localized - Some areas of the metal
corrode at different rates due to
heterogeneities in the metal or
environment. This type of attack can
approach pitting.
Pitting - Very highly localized attack
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resulting in small pits that may

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Commonly Affected
Structures
Buried Piping
Steel Piles
Storage Tanks - Above Ground /
Underground
Reinforcing Steel in Concrete

Ships/Boats
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Ships/Boats

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Methods to Control
Corrosion
Use of Corrosion resistant materials
(plastic, stainless alloys, fiberglass).
Use of the same or similar metals per the
galvanic series.
Altering the environment (utilizing
homogeneous high resistivity backfill or
inhibitors).
Utilize coatings and linings that
electrically insulate the structure from the
electrolyte (paints, plastic films, etc).
Use of Cathodic Protection.
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Fundamentals of Cathodic
Protection
Cathodic Protection (CP) Defined Minimize corrosion by utilizing an
external source of electrical current
which forces the entire structure to
become a cathode.

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1824: Earliest practical use

of cathodic protection

Sir Humphrey Davys work on

protecting the copper sheathing on
wooden hulls in the British Navy by
sacrificial zinc or iron anodes is
generally considered to be the
earliest example of practical
cathodic protection.
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Galvanic CP
When metals such as magnesium or
zinc are placed in the environment
in contact with a more noble metal
such as steel, a current flows from
the more active anode to the noble
cathode (corrosion cell).

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Anodes Used for Galvanic

CP
Magnesium Magnesium is often
used in soil to protect small
electrically isolated structures, such
as underground storage tanks, and
well coated pipelines.
Zinc Zinc is often used in marine
environments. They are commonly
found on boats.
Aluminum Aluminum can be used
for a variety of marine applications.
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Keys to obtaining enough

cathodic protection
Determine amount of current
required

Theoretical calculations based on

coating quality and environment

Or, perform current requirement

testing

Calculate output expected from

anode and determine number of
anodes required.

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Galvanic CP
Pros of Galvanic CP
Inexpensive
Little Maintenance cost
No external Power source
A variety of install methods can be
used. For example, many USTs are
shipped with anodes attached.
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Galvanic CP
Cons of Galvanic CP
Typically work best with electrically
isolated structures.
No external power source, limited driving
potential (driving potential based on the
galvanic series)
Limited output makes it ineffective when
trying to protect large uncoated surfaces.
Require a low resistivity electrolyte to
function well.
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Impressed Current CP
Utilize an external power source to
develop a high potential difference
between the surface to be protected
and an anode.

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Impressed Current CP
IMPRESSED CURRENT SYSTEM
Anode Groundbed
Positive Cable
Rectifier
AC Power Supply
Pipeline

Negative Cable

Impressed Current CP
Pros of Impressed Current CP
Unlimited driving potential.
Capable of protecting large steel
structures when designed properly.
Requires less anodes then a galvanic
system.
Output can be controlled using a
permanent reference electrode,
desirable when the electrolyte
resistivity is known to change.
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Impressed Current CP
Cons of Impressed Current CP
Initial costs can be more expensive.
Requires an external DC power
source along with an AC supply.
System requires routine
maintenance and monitoring.
Anode wires can be susceptible to
damage.
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Impressed Current CP
Rectifier
A rectifier converts available AC
power to low voltage DC power.
Most cathodic protection rectifiers
are provided with a means to vary
the DC output voltage in small
increments, or in some cases offer
complete control from zero to 100%
of rated DC output.
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CP System Testing
A CP system can be evaluated by
obtaining a reference cell potential.
This potential determines the
amount of cathodic polarization the
structure is receiving.
Adequate protection is indicated by
obtaining a value more negative
then the established criteria.
This criteria is specific to the
reference cell used to obtain67

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Questions?

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