Corrosion Webinar Series

Cathodic Protection 101

Presented by:
Jessica Torrey, PhD
Materials Engineer
TSC, Materials Engineering and Research Laboratory
Your TSC Corrosion and Coatings Staff:
Cathy Chan Chrissy Daniels
M.S. Materials Engineering Materials Engineer
[email protected] [email protected]
303-445-2390 303-445-2348

Bobbi Jo Merten Daryl Little

Ph.D. Coatings and Polymeric Materials Ph.D. Materials Engineering
[email protected] [email protected]
303-445-2380 303-445-2384

Rick Pepin, PCS Lee Sears, P.E.

Materials Engineer Ph.D. Materials Engineering
[email protected] [email protected]
303-445-2391 303-445-2392

Allen Skaja, PCS Roger Turcotte, P.E., CPS

Ph.D. Coatings and Polymeric Materials Materials Engineer
[email protected] [email protected]
303-445-2396 303-445-2383

David Tordonato, P.E. Jessica Torrey

Ph.D. Materials Engineering Ph.D. Materials Science and Engineering
[email protected] [email protected]
303-445-2394 303-445-2376
 What is Corrosion?

the deterioration of a material

and/or its properties
caused by a reaction with its environment
 The Corrosion Reaction
Reaction between
a Metal and an Electrolyte

oxidation (rusting) of steel in water or soil

Seminoe Dam Canyon Ferry Dam Stop El Vado Dam

Bulkhead Gates, 2012 Log Guides, 2007 Spillway, 1995
Corrosion Mitigation Methods

Materials Selection
Protective Coatings
Cathodic Protection
 What is Cathodic Protection?

Cathodic Protection (CP) is a technique used to

control the corrosion of a metal surface by
making it the cathode of an electrochemical cell
 How Cathodic Protection Works

Corrosion Four things needed for corrosion:

• Anodic and cathodic regions exposed • Anode – the corroding metal
to an electrolyte react with each other • Cathode – the metal that doesn’t corrode
resulting in corrosion
• Metallic Return Path – ex. the steel pipe
• Electrolyte – the soil or water

AERATED WATER OR SOIL

rust

- 0.5 V - 0.7 V - 0.6 V - 0.7 V - 0.5 V - 0.6 V - 0.7 V

anode cathode

STEEL STRUCTURE
 How Cathodic Protection Works

Mitigation- Coating Four things needed for corrosion:

• Primary defense against corrosion • Anode – the corroding metal
acting as a barrier between metal and • Cathode – the metal that doesn’t corrode
electrolyte • Metallic Return Path – ex. the steel pipe
• May contain defects where corrosion • Electrolyte – the soil or water
can occur

AERATED WATER OR SOIL

-0.5 V -0.7 V

cathode anode

STEEL STRUCTURE
 How Cathodic Protection Works

Mitigation- Cathodic Protection Four things needed for corrosion:

• Control the corrosion by making the • Anode – the corroding metal
structure the cathode • Cathode – the metal that doesn’t corrode
• This takes a huge amount of current • Metallic Return Path – ex. the steel pipe
for a bare structure- not economical. • Electrolyte – the soil or water

AERATED WATER OR SOIL

anode

- 0.7 V - 0.7 V - 0.7 V - 0.7 V - 0.7 V - 0.7 V - 0.7 V

cathode

STEEL STRUCTURE
 How Cathodic Protection Works

Mitigation- Coating with CP Four things needed for corrosion:

• Coating- provides barrier and limits • Anode – the corroding metal
amount of bare steel • Cathode – the metal that doesn’t corrode
• CP- protects exposed steel only at • Metallic Return Path – ex. the steel pipe
defects in the coating • Electrolyte – the soil or water

AERATED WATER OR SOIL

anode

-0.7 -0.7

cathode

STEEL STRUCTURE
 Corrosion Protection

A coating is the primary defense against corrosion.

Cathodic protection works with the coating to protect the

structure at defects in the coating.

The most effective corrosion protection

system for buried and submerged
structures involves a
good coating and cathodic protection.
Two Forms of Cathodic Protection

• Galvanic Anode
– Structure directly connected to a sacrificial anode
– Current provided by natural voltage difference
between metals (galvanic corrosion)

• Impressed Current
– Structure connected to anodes through rectifier
– Current supplied by rectifier
Galvanic Anode CP System

-
ANODE
+
Galvanic Anode CP System

Test Station

ANODE
Impressed Current CP System
Rectifier
- +

ANODE
CP System Components

 Anodes
 Metallurgical Bonds
 Test Stations
 Junction Boxes
 Rectifiers
 Cable
 Buried/Submerged Components
Sacrificial Anodes: Mg, Zn, Al
Impressed Current Anodes:
Graphite

IC: Pt/Nb
wire anode
in slotted
PVC tube for
IC: High-Silicon Cast submersion
Metallurgical Bond Iron anodes
Above-Ground Components

Test Station

Junction Box
Rectifier
Test Station/Junction Box Components

Busbar Bond Bar

Hardware

HMWPE Cu Cable

Shunt Variable Resistor

 Rectifier Components
Coarse Tap Fine Tap

AC Primary
Breaker AC Secondary
Breaker

Shunt

Ammeter
Voltmeter

Negative DC
Positive DC Output - to
Output - to structure
anode
Lightning
Arrestor
 Galvanic CP System
San Xavier Farm Rehabilitation,
July 2007

Test Station

Electrical
Continuity Bonds
Sacrificial
Anode

Protected Structure

Mg Anode for Burial

 Galvanic Anode CP System
Palo Verde Diversion Dam Radial Gate, January 2013
• Also known as Sacrificial
Anode Cathodic Protection

• This system provides a

cathodic protection current by
galvanic corrosion or by
sacrificing one material to
prevent corrosion of the other
material
New Mg Anode
Features: • Both the structure and the
• Low current anode must be in contact with
requirements
the electrolyte (water or soil)
• Typically protect
Old Mg Anodes
smaller surface areas Anodes:
• No external power • Soil and Fresh Water- Magnesium (and Zinc)
needed • Brackish Water- Aluminum and Zinc

• Low maintenance
 Impressed Current CP System
Circuit Breaker

Rectifier
Test Station

Junction Box

Electrical
Continuity
Bonds
Anode
Protected Structure
 Impressed Current CP System
Angostura Dam Radial Gates, May 2004
• This system provides a
cathodic protection current
from an external power source

• A direct current power source

forces current to discharge
from anodes, through the
Mixed Metal Oxide Disk electrolyte, and onto the
Features: Anode structure to be protected
• High flow of water
• High current • Both the structure and the
requirements anode must be in contact with
• Can handle large or the electrolyte
poorly coated Anodes:
structures Graphite Anodes
• Graphite, High-Si Cast Iron, Mixed Metal
Oxide, Platinum
 Where will you find CP?

Burial:
• Pipelines
• Tanks/ Tank Bottoms
• Metallic Fittings

Navajo Nation Municipal Pipeline, 2009

GACP, Mesa Verde National Park, 2013

 Where will you find CP?
Delta-Mendota Canal, February 2013

Immersion:
• Gates • Trash Racks
• Tank Interiors • Fish Screens
• Air Chambers • Pumps
• Pipe Interiors

CP System on Pump Columns

in Sump, 1990 Angostura Dam Radial Gates, May 2011 Nimbus Radial Gate Hoist Ropes, 2010
 Operation & Maintenance

TSC typically designs cathodic protection systems for a

minimum 20-year lifetime.

• Coating and corrosion visual inspection: preferably annually or

when structure is available due to dewatering, etc.
• Check rectifiers: every 1-2 months; adjust when advised
• Pipeline survey at test stations: annually
• Repair/replace test stations and other components as needed
• Replace anodes: when there is insufficient current
 NACE CP Protection Criteria

• A polarized potential of -850 mVCSE or more negative (a.k.a.

Instant OFF structure-to-electrolyte potential)

• A minimum of 100 mVCSE shift cathodic polarization, i.e.

100 mV more negative than the native potential of the
structure

• In addition to the above criteria, Reclamation recommends

that the polarized potential of the structure shall not be
more negative than -1100 mVCSE

** mVCSE means millivolts as measured with

a copper-copper sulfate reference electrode
 Corrosion Management Programs
Effectiveness of Well Designed Program Economic Benefits

Durham Region, Ontario, Canada, Implemented in 1983

• 193 kilometers of ductile and cast iron water main cathodically protected,
• 17,032 anodes and 1,330 test stations
• ~100 know breaks/yr before CP down to 28 corrosive breaks in 2005
• $5m to install CP, less than 4% of estimated cost to replace of $135.4m
Ontario Centre for Municipal Best Practices, “Best Practices Summary Report, Water Loss Management-
Cathodic Protection,” February 2008.
 Corrosion Protection

The most cost effective corrosion protection

system for buried and submerged structures
involves a

good coating and cathodic protection.

Coatings and Corrosion Manuals

http://www.usbr.gov/pmts/materials_lab/publications/
 Questions/ Comments?
Cathy Chan Chrissy Daniels
M.S. Materials Engineering Materials Engineer
[email protected] [email protected]
303-445-2390 303-445-2348

Bobbi Jo Merten Daryl Little

Ph.D. Coatings and Polymeric Materials Ph.D. Materials Engineering
[email protected] [email protected]
303-445-2380 303-445-2384

Rick Pepin, PCS Lee Sears, P.E.

Materials Engineer Ph.D. Materials Engineering
[email protected] [email protected]
303-445-2391 303-445-2392

Allen Skaja, PCS Roger Turcotte, P.E., CPS

Ph.D. Coatings and Polymeric Materials Materials Engineer
[email protected] [email protected]
303-445-2396 303-445-2383

David Tordonato, P.E. Jessica Torrey

Ph.D. Materials Engineering Ph.D. Materials Science and Engineering
[email protected] [email protected]
303-445-2394 303-445-2376