Exploring the complexity of the mechanism of cathodic protection
- Cortest Columbus Technologies, OH (United States)
The present understanding of the mechanism of cathodic protection is too simplistic to explain when, why, and under what conditions corrosion is mitigated for a buried pipeline. This paper presents a general framework which attempts to explain why cathodic protection is achieved and what factors are critical in determining the ability of cathodic protection to mitigate corrosion. It is speculated that the changes in the ``near-surface`` environment due to the reduction processes on the cathodically protected steel surface play a significant role in mitigating corrosion and in defining the level of polarization achieved. This is accomplished by contributing a concentration polarization term to the overall level of polarization. Furthermore, the concentration polarization term explains many field related observations not easily explained by activation polarization and mixed potential theory. 32 refs.
- OSTI ID:
- 83081
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-940222-; TRN: IM9533%%503
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Corrosion 94: National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) international annual conference, Baltimore, MD (United States), 28 Feb - 4 Mar 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of Corrosion/94 conference papers; PB: 5005 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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