CATHODIC PROTECTION Principals - Applications and Solution

Cathodic protection systems protect a wide range of metallic structures in various environments. Common applications are steel water or fuel pipelines and steel storage tanks such as home water heaters; steel pier piles; ship and boat hulls; offshore oil platforms and onshore oil well casings; offshore wind farm foundations and metal reinforcement bars in concrete buildings and structures. Another common application is in galvanized steel, in which a sacrificial coating of zinc on steel parts

protects them from rust.

The polarization of the target structure is caused by the electron flow from the anode to the cathode, so the two metals must have a good electrically conductive contact. The driving force for the cathodic protection current is the difference in electrode potential between the anode and the cathode. Galvanic or sacrificial anodes are made in various shapes and sizes using alloys of zinc, magnesium, and aluminium. ASTM International publishes standards on the composition and manufacturing of galvanic anodes. In order for galvanic cathodic protection to work, the anode must possess a lower (that is, more negative) electrode potential than that of the cathode (the target structure to be protected).

 

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