The Role of Anodes in Dependable Cathodic Corrosion Protection

Our team at Dreiym Engineering works with clients all over Texas and beyond. As you can imagine, that means we deal with inspections, troubleshooting, and design projects in industrial applications, fuel, energy, and other industries where a single accident or misjudgment can lead to massive damage.

With so many clients in sectors providing infrastructural support to the general public and beyond, we take cathodic protection design seriously. This helps boost the longevity and integrity of structures, from supplying oil for shipping routes to keeping a home warm at night.

A key component of modern cathodic protection is working with anodes. Understanding how these devices work, what materials are most common, and how to best implement them into your systems to ensure preventive corrosion control improves your ability to stay ahead of any potential risk.

The Basics of Cathodic Corrosion

At its core, cathodic protection design is used to slow the corrosion of certain metal material surfaces. This can be done by sticking to specific metals or making the cathode of an electrochemical cell/connection.

Whenever these metals are in contact with other surfaces or environments, they are susceptible to deterioration, leading to potential failure over time. For example, the water lines on a cooling center for an energy supplier that is exposed to heat, rain, and grounded elements can corrode. Trust us when we say you don’t want to be on the receiving end of a lawsuit or accountability due to a system integrity issue surrounding corrosion.

The simple idea of cathodic protection is to redirect any corrosive reactions through “sacrificial” materials or other metal structures. That prevents corrosion, slowing the process so you can better maintain systems – year-round.

How Do Anodes Fit into Cathodic Corrosion?

The prevention of corrosion works best whenever you include anodes. These sacrificial elements corrode instead of the metal pipes or elements you wish to protect. It is like a shield a knight knows will degrade first instead of their armor or sword.

The more efficient the anode you have in place, the greater the protective electrochemical environment against oxidation. Considering how many industrial locations are near aggressive corrosive agents like seawater, soil, or other chemical substances, it only makes sense to include anodes in your current cathodic protection design.

What Types of Anodes are Used

In cathodic protection, you’ll likely hear of two distinct types of anodes commonly used. These are either galvanic (sacrificial) anodes or impressed current anodes. There are some innovative systems that leverage both, but let’s go over these two first.

• Galvanic Anodes: Known more commonly as sacrificial anodes, these protective elements are made from metals that are designed to be more susceptible to oxidation than the underlying metal materials. Common forms include zinc, magnesium, and aluminum. They are directly connected to the underlying structure, naturally corroding over time and protecting the primary structure.
• Impressed Current Anodes: These anodes are structurally a bit different. Instead of using sacrificial materials, they rely on an external power source to provide an electrical current for cathodic protection. You’ll find a mixture of metal oxides used to allow an efficient flow of energy that you can adjust depending on the need and location of areas you wish protected.

In most cases, you want impressed current anodes for complex structures. It is much more cost-effective to have electricity running through longer pipelines than to invest in sacrificial anodes, which you know are loss leaders to begin with. This is incredibly accurate when you’re considering scaling up or down your operation due to demand or seasonal productivity.

You’ll want to spend a lot of time selecting the best-fit system for you before installation. Considering things like environmental conditions, weather typical to your target location, types of metal being protected, and the general lifespan of anodes you are utilizing are all crucial to proper cathodic protection.

Best Practices for Maintenance and Monitoring

Anodes are frequently used to protect against corrosion. As such, they can be quickly used up or damaged. You want to spend some time working with your engineering team or technicians to ensure proper maintenance and monitoring of systems so you can address any concerns as quickly as they may occur. Some preventative tips from our team include:

• Regular Inspections: Schedule routine inspections throughout all areas of your system. A quick walkthrough every month or quarter goes a long way to ensuring all cathodic protection design is fully operational, and you don’t have any damage or leaks on the horizon.
• Anode Replacement: If you are using sacrificial anodes, you want to replace them once the protective value is close to being fully utilized. This ensures continuous operations without having to suffer prolonged downtime due to extensive repairs.
• System Testing: Similar to routine inspections, you may want to schedule complete system testing from time to time. This will help you measure current output and offer in-depth analysis so that your decision-makers can adequately prepare for any potential outcomes.

These cathodic protection troubleshooting tips help you identify any root cause problems before they get out of hand. If left unchecked, pipes and other materials can leak, get damaged, and cause significant financial losses and potential risks to the surrounding area.

While you’re at it, be sure to keep detailed records of any inspections, maintenance activities, and system performance issues. This will help you deal with insurance inspectors and legal entities pre- and post-incident. You’ll also be able to better align with current regulatory procedures and concerns by demonstrating your proactive stance on anode awareness.

Final Thoughts

The best option is to use sacrificial anodes in combination with current flow to ensure proper cathodic protection. You’ll find clients all over Texas and beyond in shipping, refineries, above-ground tanks, underground tanks, distribution systems, and more relying on this technology to cut down on the potential hazards of corrosion.

So many of the business environments our clients have to operate within involve concerns around environmental issues. As you integrate cathodic protection design and anodes into your systems, be sure to stay abreast of any ecological regulations so you are avoiding negative marketing spin or growing financial fees.

That is where our team at Dreiym Engineering can help. We provide forensic engineering and electrical engineering design for all kinds of systems that meet or exceed industry standards. Our reputation for detail-oriented service and accurate reporting (evidenced by our numerous certifications) is why we have so many return and referral clients.

Our NACE-certified CP4 professionals are happy to audit your current systems and offer exceptional design services to use with underground pipelines, submarine pipelines, and above-ground/underground storage tanks. We cover everything from cutting-edge remote monitoring to AC interference and mitigation based on your soil or unique environmental influences.

Give us a call today at 1 (866) 621-6920 or book a consultation online. We look forward to offering you the precise and detailed evaluation you need to boost protection, lower risk, and keep your operation running smoothly all year round.