Experiment 11
Title:
Cathodic protection using sacrificial
anode
To cathodically protect a sample of steel using zinc as sacrificial
anode and approximate the average service life of the steel
sample
Theory:
Cathodic protection prevents corrosion by converting all of the
anodic sites on the metal surface to cathodic sites of an
electrochemical cell by supplying electrical current from an
alternate source.This practise is also referred to as sacrificial
system, since the galvanic anodes sacrifice themselves to
protect the structural steel from corrosion.Cathodic protection
addresses protection in two ways. The first is passively by
connecting a sacrificial metal to the metal to be protected. This
sacrificial anode takes the corrosion on behalf of the
structure(cathode), and is therefore replaced as it oxidises and
is depleted. The structure does not corrode, only the desired
sacrificial anode. 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. There must be two other conditions existing besides
the anode and the cathode for the sacrificial anode method to
work.There must be a return current path for the electrons to
flow from the anode to the material it is protecting and an
electrolyte to convey the electrons. The second method of
cathodic protection utilize impressed current to actively alter
the electrical properties of the metal to be protected from
corrosion.
Sacrificial anodes are highly active metals that are created from
a metal alloy with a more negative electrochemical potential
than the metal it will be used to protect.Sacrificial anodes
generally come in three metals: magnesium, aluminium, and
zinc.Magnesium has the most negative electropotential of the
three and is suitable for on-shore pipelines where the
electrolyte resistivity is higher. Magnesium anodes are not
suitable in sea-water, because low solution resistivities allow
rapid consumption of the anodes. Zinc and Aluminium are
generally used in sea-water where the resistivity is generally
lower. Typical uses are for the hulls of ships and boats, offshore
pipelines and production platforms, in salt-water-cooled marine
engines, on small boat propellers and rudders, and for the
internal surface of storage tanks.
Experimental Set-up:
1.The experiment of sacrificial cathodic protection was performed on a
steel sample using zinc as sacrificial anode. The steel sample can be
considered as a hull of a ship.
2.In a small glass tumbler containing an electrolyte having composition of
sea-water(3.5% NaCl) is taken.
3.Both steel and zinc plate are partially dipped in the electrolyte. A
Cu/CuSO4 reference electrode is used to measure the potential across halfcell formed by steel.
4. A saturated calomel electrode is used in a similar way across zinc.
5.Two multimeters are connected across the reference electrodes and halfcells to record the potential across them. Another multimeter is connected
across the electrochemical cell formed by zinc and steel which measures
the amount of current flow from cathode to anode.
7.The current flow and the potential across anode and cathode are
recorded at intervals until they reach a steady value.
Observations:Impressed
current(I)
Esteel
Ezinc
0
-12.1
-10
-8.9
-8.5
-8.2
-697
-980
-997
-1002
-1005
-1009
1106
973
983
990
995
998
-7.9
-7.7
-7.6
-7.4
-7.3
-7.2
-7
-6.9
-6.8
-6.7
-6.7
-6.5
-6.4
-6.3
-6.1
-6
-5.9
-5.9
-5.8
-5.7
-5.7
-5.7
-5.6
-5.6
-5.6
-5.5
-5.5
-5.4
-5.4
-5.4
-5.4
-1010
-1012
-1013
-1015
-1016
-1017
-1018
-1019
-1021
-1021
-1022
-1024
-1025
-1026
-1028
-1029
-1030
-1031
-1032
-1032
-1033
-1033
-1034
-1034
-1035
-1035
-1036
-1036
-1036
-1036
-1036
1001
1003
1005
1007
1008
1010
1011
1012
1014
1015
1017
1018
1020
1020
1024
1025
1026
1027
1028
1029
1030
1033
1030
1031
1032
1033
1033
1034
1035
1036
1036
Impressed Current Cathodic Protection(ICCP)
1200
Zinc(Z
1000
800
Potential(V)-->
600
400
Steel
200
0
-15
-5
15
25
35
45
Current(I)-->
Calculations :Resistivity of sea-water()= 45 ohm-cm
Submerged portions :
Zinc :
Length(L)=2.1 cm
Width(W)=2.1cm
Thickness(T)=0.3cm
Steel :
Length=20.3cm
Width=1.7cm
Thickness=0.5cm
Area of steel submerged = 70.72 cm2
Area of zinc submerged = 10.08 cm2
Current density of steel in sea water= 0.05 mA cm -2
Overall current demand = (70.72*0.05) = 3.536 mA
Now,
Resistance of the sacrificial anode = 15/(L+0.8W+0.8T)
= 167.9
Iohm=|( Esteel Ezinc)|/R = 10.54 mA
Since Iohm is bigger than the current demand, hence the zinc plate can act as the
sacrificial anode.
Assuming that the submerged zinc is completely used to protect the steel,
Volume of sacrificial anode = (2.1*2.1*0.3) cc = 1.323 cc
Density = 71 gm/cc
Hence, Mass of sacrificial anode necessary = (71*1.323) = 93.93 gm
SINCE THE DIMENSIONS OF THE SACP ARE FIXED THE EFFICIENCY BE MULTIPLIED
TO THIS AND NOT DIVIDED
Efficiency of zinc() =90%
amount of zinc present within that 93.93 = 93.93*.9=84.537 gm
Let the service life of the steel specimen be x hours
Now,
1000 gm of zinc can produce 810 A-hr
Thus, 84.537 gm of zinc can produce 68.475 A-hr
But, Current supplied over the entire service life = (3.536*10 -3*x) A-hr
Thus equating, we get, x= 2.21 years
So, the probable service life of the steel specimen would be 2.21 years
Results:Thus,the purpose of the experiment is served and the service
life of the sample is about 2.21 years.
Conductivity of the used sample solution=45 moh-cm
Precautions:1.The multimeter terminals should be connected properly so as
to observe steady values of current and voltages.
2.Proper circuit should be made in accordance with the
experiment.
