Track: Environmental Engineering

Abstract

Abstract

The Impressed Current Cathodic Protection is one of the key methods of protecting steel structures including, jetties, gas pipelines, oil tanks, harbors wharfs, ships and bridges. Impressed current method is applied throughout the world as the advanced and modified method of protecting structures from rusting or evade possible corrosion.  The method is also considered to be fit in an environment to ensure its free from releasing hazardous substances that may cause destructive to surrounding wildlife’s and its natural beauties. In Papua New Guinea, the impressed current method of protecting structures from corrosion are practiced by both state and companies established to arrest and mitigate corrosion. The polarization and depolarization of currents or electrons vigorously mitigate the flow of electrons from anodes to cathodes. The electrons then tend to migrate (lose electrons) from the more active metals (anode) to less active (structure, cathode electrode). In the process, active metals decays and corrode thereby protecting the less active metals (steel pipelines and tanks). in the process, production of pollutants is imminent from anodes used and thus necessary steps are undertaken to ensure all is minimized and mitigated. Current from the transformer rectifier flows on a consistence manner which supplies negatively charged electrons from the cathode (structure) and proceeds it through connection cables towards anodes (polarization). At anode, the oxidation reaction takes place thereby gaining oxygen ions and loses hydrogen ions. Reduction reaction occurs at the cathode where the hydrogen ions are gained and releases oxygen ions and thus, the process continues until the design life of the anode elapse and the active element sacrificed and corrodes and worn-out for possible replacements.