SEMINAR ON

CATHODIC PROTECTION TECHNIQUES

PREPARED BY : VIBHANSHU KOHLI ROLL NO. : 909 CLASS : B.E IV, METALLURGY

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.

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 (e.g. bridges, cars, aircraft). 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.

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

CATHODIC PROTECTION TECHNIQUES : Very old and effective method to prevent corrosion. It is capable of completely preventing corrosion. 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 itself gets corroded. Hence, it is called sacrificial anode. Example: Galvanized iron

GALVANIC SERIES
Magnesium
Zinc Aluminum Cadmium Corroded End, Anodic or less noble or more active

Iron or Steel
Lead Tin Nickel

Brass
Copper Bronze Stainless Steels Silver Titanium Graphite Gold Platinum Protected end, Cathodic or most noble or less active

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.

TECHNIQUES OF APPLYING CATHODIC PROTECTION :

Cathodic protection mat be achieved in the following ways :

1) By the use of a sacrificial anode.

Example : Application of galvanic zinc a) Zinc metalizing b) Zinc rich paints c) Hot dip galvanizing 2) By the use of impressed current from an external source.

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.
Electrolyte

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.

CATHODIC PROTECTION OF STEEL PIPES :

Zn, Mg, Al are more electronegative than steel. Hence they supply electrons to the more electropositive steel.

PROTECTION OF UNDERGROUND PIPES : Mg anodes are most widely used for protection of underground pipes. Mg acts as anode and protects the underground pipes.

PROTECTION OF SHIPS : Galvanic anodes are mounted on the steel fixtures. Aluminum or zinc hulls are placed on the steel fixtures.

GALVANIC ZINC APPLICATION : 1) 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. 2) Zinc-rich Paints

Zinc-rich paints contain various amounts of metallic zinc

dust and are applied by brush or spray. 3) Hot-dip Galvanizing Complete immersion of steel into a bath of molten zinc.

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. A rectifier is used for the purpose of providing direct current.

Half-wave rectifier

Full-wave rectifier

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. Impressed current anodes must be corrosion resistant and durable in environment. Commercially used impressed current anodes are platinum, graphite, lead alloy, high silicon cast iron, etc.

CATHODIC PROTECTION OF AN UNDERGROUND TANK/PIPE USING IMPRESSED CURRENTS :

The backfill helps to improve electric contact between the electrode and the surrounding medium(soil).

COMPARISON BETWEEN SACRIFICIAL ANODE AND IMPRESSED CURRENT CATHODIC SYSTEMS : SR. NO. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. SACRIFICIAL ANODE SYSTEM Simple setup Low maintenance Works best in conductive or low resistive electrolytes Lower installation costs Fixed driving voltage and current No external power is required It does not cause stray current corrosion IMPRESSED CURRENT SYSTEM Complex setup High maintenance It can work in low conductive electrolytes High installation costs Adjustable driving voltage and current External power is required It can cause stray current corrosion .

ADVANTAGES AND LIMITATIONS OF CATHODIC PROTECTION : The main advantage of cathodic protection over other forms of anti-corrosion 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

LIMITATIONS: 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. Anode metals are required to be replaced frequently.

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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