COMP TOC

Proceedings
Proceedings ofof2003 IJPGC:
IJPGC03
2003International
International Joint PowerGeneration
Joint Power GeneratingConference
Conference
June
June16–19,
16-19,2003
2003,—Atlanta,
Atlanta, Georgia,
Georgia, USA
USA

IJPGC2003-40009
IJPGC2003-40009

CATHODIC PROTECTION FOR UNDERGROUND PIPING IN POWER PLANTS

Ted Huck, MATCOR, Inc.

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION
Cathodic protection systems are often used to protect Cathodic protection (CP) is a means to prevent the
critical underground piping systems. This paper corrosion of metallic structures in an underground
discusses the various anode systems used for power environment by applying a current on to the external surface
plant underground piping applications. It is intended for of the structure being protected. When properly designed and
engineers responsible for the underground piping applied, the CP system prevents corrosion from occurring.
This paper provides an overview of cathodic protection
systems for new power plant design – this could include
systems used to protect underground piping in power plants.
owner’s engineers, EPCs, and construction contractors It begins with a look at how cathodic protection works. The
responsible for these systems. paper then identifies when and where it should be applied
The paper begins with an overview of cathodic based on an evaluation of the corrosiveness of the soil. The
protection and when it is needed. The paper provides an different types of cathodic protection systems are then
overview of how cathodic protection works and discussed in detail and the paper ends with a brief summary of
discusses key piping issues that impact the design and each system. An appendix provides sample design
operation of the system. calculations for these systems.
After providing a framework for establishing the
need for cathodic protection, this paper provides detailed HOW DOES CATHODIC PROTECTION WORK
comparisons of the various available types of anode The textbook definition of corrosion can be summarized
as the degradation of a metal by its chemical combination with
systems. Each anode system is described in detail and
a non-metal usually resulting in a return of the metal to its
then the advantages and disadvantages of each system
naturally occurring form. Most metals occur naturally as ores
are examined. in the form of oxides, sulfides or carbonates. Energy is used
The first anode system discussed is the galvanic to process these ores into useable materials. Corrosion is the
distributed bed system. This is followed by three reverse of this process. Gold occurs naturally in its metallic
impressed current anode systems; linear anodes, state and as such does not corrode. Silver, copper and bronze,
distributed bed, and deep well systems. The paper all metals known since the antiquity are readily processed
concludes with a summary of each of these systems. from their ores and enjoy high corrosion resistance.
An appendix is included which provides typical Corrosion reactions, with the exception of some forms of
design calculations for galvanic, linear and deep well high temperature corrosion, are electrochemical
systems. oxidation/reduction reactions. A corrosion cell is formed
when small variations in potential occur over the surface of a
metal caused by differences in the metal or its surrounding
electrolyte. This difference in potential results in a current
KEYWORDS: Cathodic Protection, Galvanic, Impressed flow. At the anode surface, dissolution of the metal into metal
Current, Anode ions will occur and an excess of electrons will be created. At
the cathode, electrons will either combine with positive ions
or reduce oxygen to negative ions creating a deficiency of
electrons. Electrons will flow from the anode to the cathode
and current will flow through the electrolyte from anode to

1 Copyright © 2003 by ASME

cathode. For typical carbon steel structures, one amp of Continuity
current will consume twenty pounds of steel in one year. The first piping dependent issue is continuity. To assure
Cathodic protection is one means of controlling the proper cathodic protection of one or more structures it is
corrosion cell reaction. In the typical corrosion cell (see critical that the structures be electrically continuous. The
Figure 1,) the metal structure has both anodic (area where entire CP system is simply a DC circuit with a positive anode
metal is lost) and cathodic (area with no metal loss) regions supplying DC current through the electrolyte onto the surface
resulting from electrical potential differences. Even small of the structure with the current then returning back to the
differences in potential can result in significant metal loss over anode to complete the circuit. If the piping system is not
electrically contiguous, then the system will not work
Figure 1 - Typical Corrosion Cell properly. For multiple piping systems in close proximity, it is
common practice to bond the piping systems together.
Electrolyte Conventional The issue of continuity is especially critical for cast iron
++ Current Flow and ductile iron piping systems. These piping systems are not
Fe inherently contiguous. When using rubber gasketing between
standard 10 or 20 foot flanged segments, continuity can be
2e- lost or intermittent and individual segments become isolated.
For these systems, a continuity bond must be jumpered across
Anode Cathode the segments during construction of the piping system for
Electron cathodic protection to be an option.
Flow The manufacturers of ductile iron pipe have promoted a
disbonded wrapped polyethylene coating system referred to as
PE encapsulation. In practice, this is a sheet of polyethylene
loosely field wrapped and tapped around the pipe during
time. Cathodic protection is accomplished by intentionally installation. The pipe manufacturers like this system because
substituting the slightly anodic region of the structure to be it is a very low cost approach to corrosion mitigation making
protected with an even more anodic component called an their materials easier to sell. The corrosion community has
anode (see Figure 2.) The anode is intentionally coupled with not embraced this practice as whole-heartedly as the pipe
the protected structure and current is either impressed or manufacturers. Significant concerns exist with this system.
results naturally from the inherent potential differences Once installed, the PE loose bonded coating system renders
between the anode and the cathode (commonly called a any subsequent attempts to install cathodic protection on these
sacrificial or galvanic system.) As long as sufficient current is lines impossible, The PE encapsulation acts as a shield
projected onto the surface of the structure, no further preventing current from being applied on the pipe surface. In
corrosion can occur. high or moderately corrosive environments, PE encapsulation
is not recommended. In mildly or non-corrosive
Figure 2 – Cathodic Protection System environments, PE encapsulation may be sufficient.

Anode Metallic Path Coating systems

Coated pipe provides two key benefits for corrosion
Electrical mitigation. The coating system acts as a first line defense
Current Electrolyte against corrosion by providing a physical barrier between the
structure and the environment. The second benefit is that it
significantly reduces the surface area required for cathodic
protection. Since no coating system is perfect, and coating
Cathode systems are subject to damage during installation and
degradation over time cathodic protection is applied to coated
lines to supplement the coating system. It is important to note
that coatings alone can lead to areas of concentrated corrosion
at the coating holidays. These corrosion rates can be
Piping issues significantly higher than what would occur with no coating
When designing a system to protect underground piping and the corrosion being spread uniformly across a larger area.
the soil resistivity is but one of the defining variables. There
are three critical parameters that must be taken into
consideration that are piping system dependent: continuity,
coating and isolation.

2 Copyright © 2003 by ASME

 Isolation from grounding system Critical service lines
The defining feature that complicates the design of power For critical service lines, cathodic protection should be
plant CP systems is the congested underground environment employed regardless of the soil conditions. Critical service
compounded by a pervasive and extensive grounding grid. lines are defined as those lines for which a failure could result
This is not the case with your typical pipeline CP application. in significant environmental damages or present an imminent
In a power plant there are multiple piping systems, significant safety hazard and include gas, fuel oil, ammonia, and
foundations and structural members, and a grounding grid. hydrogen lines. For a nuclear facility, cooling water service
The more complex the underground systems, the more lines would also have to be considered critical service lines.
important it is to consider the impact of isolation. If an There is a federal mandate for pipeline operators to
underground piping system can be effectively isolated, then cathodically protect buried hydrocarbon pipelines. There are
the CP system current requirements and system resistance can significant and comprehensive regulations that are currently
be designed based solely on the structure being protected placed on these lines. This has not eliminated corrosion
without regard to other nearby structures. This is typically problems in the pipeline industry and every significant
accomplished through the use of isolation flanges. accident puts more pressure on Congress and the pipeline
Should the piping system lose its isolation and become industry to develop even more stringent mandates to minimize
electrically connected to the grounding system or other nearby corrosion risks.
structures, the entire design is compromised rendering the These DOT regulations do not currently cover the gas and
system ineffective. Copper grounding systems have a fuel oil lines within the power plant’s property line. That does
tremendous affinity for current and quickly swamp the current not, however, relieve the owner of a power plant facility from
capacity of the existing system. In many cases, it is difficult being exposed to tremendous civil and perhaps even criminal
or impossible to determine where the system has lost its liabilities in the event that critical service lines were to fail.
isolation and the entire system has to be abandoned and Given the large number of gas fired power plants erected in
replaced. This new system must then be designed knowing the United States in the past decade, it is only a matter of time
that the piping system is not isolated and should take into before a catastrophic failure of a gas supply line occurs as the
consideration current losses to the grounding grid and/or other result of corrosion. A properly designed and well maintained
structures. CP system with regular testing is the only responsible means
of minimizing that risk.
WHEN IS CATHODIC PROTECTION NEEDED
For the typical power plant, there are many underground Non-critical service lines
metallic services and some or all of these might be considered Non-critical service lines are all those other underground
for cathodic protection. The determining factor is, quite metallic lines that might be subject to corrosion but for whom
simply, the corrosive nature of the soil. This is site specific. a failure would not result in significant environmental or
There are several point based systems that have been proffered safety hazards. Many of these non-critical lines today use
to determine the relative corrosiveness of various soils. high density polyethylene piping systems (HDPE) that are not
These usually consider a wide range of factors including; subject to the same corrosion reaction that impacts metallic
resistivity, pH, chloride and sulfate concentrations, redox structures. For those lines that are metallic, it is the owner
potential, and the presence of sulfides. that must decide whether or not corrosion is a risk worth
protecting against. Table 1 provides some recommendations
Soil Resistivity based on soil conditions.
For most power plant projects, a comprehensive soil
evaluation is not performed. Soil resistivity provides a
reasonable proxy for determining soil corrosiveness and soil CATHODIC PROTECTION SYSTEMS
resistivity tests are generally included in the geological survey. There are two basic types of CP systems: galvanic
In most cases this is sufficient for making an initial decision as (commonly referred to as sacrificial) and impressed current.
to how corrosive the soil conditions are. Since soil conditions The simplest system is the galvanic anode system. In this
can vary, even within the relatively small footprint of a power system the anode material is selected because its natural
plant, it is important that sufficient test points are measured. potential is more negative than that of carbon steel. When
If the geological survey results are not sufficient, a NACE coupled to the steel or iron piping system, current flow occurs
certified corrosion technician can easily take soil resistivity as a result of this natural potential difference. These anodes
readings using ASTM G-57, an industry accepted test have relatively high consumption rates and operate with
procedure known as the 4-pin Wehner method. This test is modest voltage differentials. This significantly limits the
used to determine the soil resistivity values at various depths current output per anode for applications requiring lots of
as resistivity values can vary significantly with soil depth. current or operating in moderate to high soil resistivity
Table 1 provides a qualitative evaluation for various soil environments.
resistivity values as to what should be protected.

3 Copyright © 2003 by ASME

 Table 1 - Corrosivity of Soil Conditions Based on Soil Resistivity Values

Soil Resistivity Corrosivity Rating1 Recommendations for Recommendations for

(Ohm-cm) Metallic Piping2 other Structures2,3

0-1000 Extremely corrosive All metallic piping, All structural pilings,

(3 mA/ft2 ) including DI/CI4 requires sheet piles and other
CP5. structures will require
CP.

1001-3000 Very corrosive All metallic piping All structural piling,

(2 mA/ft2 ) including DI/CI requires sheet piles and other
CP structures will require
CP.

3001-5000 Corrosive All metallic piping All structural piling,

(1.5 mA/ft2 ) including DI/CI requires sheet piles and other
CP structures will require
CP.

5001-10,000 Moderately corrosive All carbon steel and Piles and other
(1 mA/ft2 ) stainless steel piping structures may not
requires CP, non-critical require protection with
DI/CI bare or CP proper corrosion
allowance

10,001+ Mildly corrosive Only critical service lines Above 20,000 ohm-cm
(1 mA/ft2 ) require CP, DI/CI bare or no need for CP
with PE6
1
Recommended current density required for proper cathodic protection based on corrosiveness of the soil.
The more corrosive the soil the higher the current density required for adequate cathodic protection
2
Based solely on soil resistivity only, other factors may mandate CP being applied
3
This includes steel pilings (coated or bare) used for foundations, sheet piles and other buried metallic
structures
4
Ductile Iron or Cast Iron piping systems must have joint bonds installed across the joints to assure
electrical continuity
5
CP – Cathodic Protection
6
PE – Polyethylene Encapsulation – a loose bonded coating system that protects the piping as long as it
remains completely intact with no moisture entrapped but precludes the later use of CP as it acts as an
electrical shield. Not recommended for corrosive environments

Impressed current cathodic protection systems (ICCPs) flowing from the anode to the structure being protected. This
are also commonly used in power plant applications. Unlike power supply, or rectifier, can provide hundreds of times more
the galvanic systems, impressed current systems do not rely driving force than a galvanic system making it possible to
on the natural potential difference between the anode and the protect virtually any structure regardless of the soil resistivity,
structure being protected. Instead, an external power supply coating quality or isolation status. Several configurations
creates the potential difference that results in DC current

4 Copyright © 2003 by ASME

exist for impressed current systems including; Linear, coating efficiency. Without assurances that the coating system
Distributed Bed, and Deep Well. will have the highest integrity, a more reasonable assumption
is 90-95% coating efficiency. If the CP system is designed
GALVANIC DISTRIBUTED BED based on 99.5% coating efficiency, and the installed coating is
Galvanic designs are commonly used for protecting actually 98% then the design will be 200% undersized.
power plant underground piping systems. For many Appendix 1 provides typical design calculations for the
applications, they offer the promise of simplicity, low up-front various CP systems.
capital cost and no maintenance. Yet, there are serious
concerns and weaknesses inherent in the design of these Figure 3 - Simple Cycle facility with Galvanic
systems that owners and contractors must be aware of when CP System
specifying or accepting this design. They are not suitable or
recommended for all applications and environments.
Galvanic systems utilize pre-packaged anodes (typically Gas Main
magnesium ingots cast around a lead wire and surrounded by
a coke backfill packaged in a cloth bag) connected to the GT 1
pipe(s) to be protected. Anodes are buried approximately
three to five feet off the pipe(s) being protected and at or
below the pipe depth, distributed along the length of piping. GT 2
The quantity of anodes and the spacing of the anodes are
determined by the surface area to be protected, the resistivity
of the soil and the geometry/orientation of the magnesium GT 3
anode selected for the application. Typically, there are two
types of anode connections used in these systems: direct GTU
connection to the piping and above ground connection at a test
station. Figure 3 shows a typical galvanic system applied to GT 4
the gas and cooling water lines for a simple cycle facility. In
this application, half the anodes are connected to the piping,
while half are connected through an above grade test station to GT 5
allow for pipe-to-soil potential measurements to be taken.
The piping systems are bonded together to assure electrical
continuity. In this example, there are actually three isolated
piping systems; the line running from the gas main to the gas GT 6
treatment unit, the gas and cooling water supply/return lines to
turbines units 1-3 and the gas and cooling water supply/return
lines for turbine units 4-6. Each of these systems has their Legend
piping bonded together and is isolated electrically.
Galvanic anode direct connection
Design
Galvanic anode with test station
The first step in designing this system is to determine the
current requirements. This is a function of the bare surface Isolation flange
area to be protected. To achieve effective cathodic protection
Continuity bond
for buried pipe, the current density required for bare pipe is
between 1 and 3 mA/ft2 (see Table 1 for recommended current
densities for various soil conditions.) Bare surface area to be
protected multiplied by the appropriate current density factor Advantages
provides the calculated total current requirements. The galvanic system has two primary advantages: cost
But what about coated piping systems? The calculations and simplicity.
remain the same; however, two assumptions have to be made.
The first assumption used with coated pipe is that the holidays Cost
or coating defects are uniformly distributed. The second The primary advantage of the galvanic system is its
assumption is to dictate a design efficiency of the coating perceived low cost. In many simple applications this system
system over the life of the system. For well coated pipe, will have the lowest possible capital cost. That is often not the
installed carefully, spark tested and all holidays field repaired, case for medium to high resistivity soils where the quantity of
a very high coating efficiency might be reasonable. Under anodes required can increase significantly. Installation costs
these circumstances, we’ve seen designs based on 99.5%

5 Copyright © 2003 by ASME

are relatively low. There are no operating costs for the anode underground and cannot be identified. In these cases the
system itself, however, regular testing is strongly entire system may have to be abandoned in favor of an
recommended to assure that the system is properly operating impressed current design. Should isolation be successfully
and that isolation of the lines is maintained. maintained during construction, it is equally important that it
be maintained for the life of the plant. This necessitates a
Simplicity regular program of testing to assure the integrity of the
The galvanic system’s other advantage is the perception isolating flanges wherever the piping below grade comes
that it is “maintenance free.” Since the galvanic system above grade.
requires no external power source, it operates continuously
from the moment the circuit is established until such a time as Current Distribution
the anode is depleted and ceases to operate properly. Thus The second weakness with galvanic systems is current
once the anodes are installed the owner can walk away from distribution. This is especially important with coated piping
the system feeling confident that cathodic protection has been systems which significantly reduce the surface area to be
applied. This is, however, only valid in a static environment. protected and spreading the anodes further apart. For design
Unfortunately, power plants are not static. Over time changes purposes, it is assumed that the coating holidays are uniformly
are made on the site, contractors can inadvertently damage the spread across the entire pipe length. Such an assumption is
system or render it ineffective by causing a loss of isolation. required to properly locate the anodes. In practice this might
Additionally, research has shown that the isolation flanges not be the case and this can result in insufficient current being
used in power plant construction have high failure rates applied to specific sections of the piping system as a result of
resulting from a variety of inherent weaknesses.1 For these a high concentration of coating holidays.
reasons; it is recommended that galvanic systems be inspected
on an annual basis to assure that proper cathodic protection is Soil Resistivity
being applied to the intended structures. Galvanic anode systems are limited by the low differential
voltage that drives the system. This precludes using galvanic
Weaknesses systems in many moderate to high resistivity soil applications
Inherent with a galvanic system are the following as the number of anodes required can render the system
weaknesses: isolation, current distribution and soil resistivity. uneconomical. In very low soil resistivity applications which
typically require higher current densities, the anode life might
Isolation be of concern as current discharges could be too high causing
The single most important requirement for a galvanic premature depletion of the anode. Galvanic systems are best
system to succeed in a power plant application is the absolute suited for low to moderate soil resistivity.
need for electrical isolation of the piping being protected over
the entire life of the system. If for any reason the piping IMPRESSED CURRENT LINEAR ANODE
system is not thoroughly isolated the galvanic system will no The linear anode system utilizes a flexible continuous
longer work. For relatively simple piping systems, isolation anode. The first generation linear anodes were single
can reasonably achieved. For more complex plants with conductors coated with phenolic anode material. These
numerous piping systems, achieving and maintaining isolation anodes, while commercially successful, suffered from several
is a much more difficult task. design problems. They were susceptible to uneven current
Because of the pervasive grounding system, loss of discharge resulting in premature failure in high discharge
isolation will cause a large drop in the system’s resistance areas. These anodes also had high voltage drops over long
resulting in a significant increase in current output from the piping runs. Any break in the anode would break the circuit
individual anodes. Although the current output increases, the which rendered the rest of the anode ineffective.
system is rendered ineffective because the current is no longer Second generation linear anode systems have overcome
protecting the piping system but is now attempting to protect these issues by using a small diameter wire coated with mixed
the grounding system and every other structure to which it is metal oxide or platinum as the anode. That anode is then
now electrically connected. Copper grounding systems have a spliced to an internal header cable every ten feet to reduce
much higher affinity for current and will take all the current voltage drop. The assembly is surrounded by coke breeze
available from the galvanic system rendering it ineffective in packed within a cloth fiber housing providing a consistent low
protecting the intended piping systems. resistivity environment around the anode eliminating uneven
In today’s hectic construction environment, it is often current discharge. Both ends of the header cable are looped
difficult to assure that the piping maintains isolation during back to the rectifier for a redundant power feed.
the plant’s initial construction phase. Any initial cost savings
from the use of a galvanic system can easily be squandered System description
trying to ferret out the source of a loss of isolation during The linear anode impressed current system is analogous
construction. In many cases, loss of isolation occurs to using fiber optic lighting by providing continuous anode

6 Copyright © 2003 by ASME

segments located in close proximity to and along the entire This blanket coverage of the piping reduces design error. In a
length of the piping system. For coated piping the anode need congested underground environment, shielding can have a
only be 18 inches to two feet off the pipe. The current significant impact on the design and can create unintended
discharged along the anode can be very low as the anode blind spots in the cathodic protection system. This design
length runs parallel to the entire pipe run. Since the anode is minimizes the potential for unprotected areas.
in close proximity to the piping system, special care to isolate
the piping is not critical. While some loss of current to the Installs easily with piping system
grounding system can be anticipated, the vast majority of the When incorporated into the early piping design, the linear
anode output is directed to the intended structure. One anode anode installation costs can be minimized. In addition, the
can protect multiple pipes in the same trench. anode can be located in the piping trench directly underneath
the piping thus eliminating any concerns of future damage
from excavation around the piping system. This also
Figure 4 - Combined Cycle plant utilizing minimizes any loss of current from the piping system to the
Impressed Current Linear Anode System grounding grid which is typically installed above the
underground piping system. This approach provides for a
Deminerilized very robust design.
Single Pipe in trench Water Tank
with Linear Anode No requirement to isolate piping
approx. 2 ft below Because the system is an impressed current design, the
Gas Main rectifier can be sized to allow for current losses to the
Linear Anode
grounding system and other nearby structures. These losses
H are minimized by the close proximity of the anode to the
R G G G piping being protected. When installed in the same trench
S T T T with the piping between the anode and the grounding grid the
G 1 2 3 losses are negligible.

Disadvantages
The primary disadvantage to this type of system is its
Waste Water cost. The linear anode system cost is largely a function of the
Treatment piping design and does not vary with soil resistivity. If the
Multiple Pipes in common trench piping systems are dispersed with large runs of small diameter
with Linear Anode approx. 2 ft piping systems, then significant lengths of anode will be
below pipe protecting all piping required. When the piping systems are grouped together in
common trenches then one anode segment can be designed to
Linear Anode protect multiple pipes thus reducing the cost.

IMPRESSED CURRENT DISTRIBUTED BED

Advantages Distributed bed impressed current CP systems are very
The linear anode system is a relatively new concept for similar to the galvanic system. There are a few key
the power plant application. It has been successfully applied differences; the system now has a rectifier, the anodes are
on numerous recently constructed plants and it offers several chosen not for their native potential but instead for their
advantages as follows: current discharging capacities and low consumption rates, the
anodes require significant direct burial cabling back to the
Simplicity rectifier and the anodes are further from the piping
The linear anode design is very straightforward and discharging more current per anode. If linear anodes are
eliminates much of the guesswork in designing a CP system. analogous to fiber optic lighting, then distributed beds (either
The anode simply parallels the piping systems to be protected. galvanic or impressed current type) would be track lighting
Detailed engineering can optimize the design, but the basic systems using point locations strategically placed to provide
premise is easily understood. full coverage.

Low current density with maximum coverage System description

Because the anode segments are continuous and run the As the term suggests, a distributed bed system consists of
length of the piping system, the current output along the anode beds of one or more anodes distributed around the facility.
is very low. This helps to maintain long anode life while These anodes are typically located well off the piping to
assuring that the entire pipe is receiving sufficient current. provide a wider spread of current minimizing the number of

7 Copyright © 2003 by ASME

anode beds required. Another application well suited to this backfilled with native soil or any other type of structural fill
type of anode system is protecting steel piles. In this case the material and is called the inactive section. The vent tube is
point anodes are placed between piles at depths of 20-40 feet. important to prevent the accumulation of chlorine gas that
This is the most effective means of protecting the large surface might evolve from chlorides in the soil being exposed to high
area of the piling system. DC current discharges. Chlorine gas can be very damaging to
the cabling causing premature failure. Typically,
Advantages polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) or equivalent chlorine
The primary advantage of the distributed bed design is
that the anodes are relatively inexpensive. Since the anodes Figure 5 - Simple Cycle facility with
are generally located well off the piping, this type of system is Distributed Bed Impressed Current CP
often employed to correct deficiencies in other types of System
systems or as a fix to galvanic systems that cannot be made to
work due to isolation problems.
Gas Main
Disadvantages
There are several disadvantages associated with this type GT 1
of system and their use in power plants has been limited as a
result.
GT 2
Difficult to design and install
These types of systems are very difficult to design to
assure thorough coverage. Losses to nearby structures and to
the grounding system cannot always be properly modeled and GT 3
can have a devastating impact on performance. Shielding is a
major concern with this type of system as it can limit current GTU
output to some areas. The significant amount of direct burial
cabling can also make this a difficult system to install given GT 4
the hectic nature of new plant construction.

Anodes subject to damage

GT 5
In addition to being challenging to design and install,
these systems are usually vulnerable to damage resulting from
future construction activities. The anodes are usually placed
well away from the structure being protected. This means lots GT 6
of cabling from remote anode locations to the centralized
rectifier leaving the anodes and their cabling very vulnerable
to future construction activities. Again, this is not an issue for
systems designed to protect piles. Legend

IMPRESSED CURRENT DEEP WELL Impressed current anode

The use of deep well systems is another common means Test station
of applying cathodic protection for power plant applications.
These systems are, to continue with the lighting system Rectifier
analogy, comparable to large flood lights lighting up a football Direct buried cabling
field. The deep well system is designed to provide protective
current to all underground structures. Continuity bond

System description resistant cabling materials are used in these applications.

The system consists of multiple wells drilled on the
periphery of the power plant. The depth of the wells varies Advantages
but cannot proceed below bedrock. Typical depths range from The deep well approach offers several advantages for use
75 feet to 300 feet. The bottom section of the hole contains in Power Plant applications:
one continuous or a series of multiple stacked anodes and a
vent tube surrounded by a coke column and is called the
active section of the anode. The upper section of the hole is

8 Copyright © 2003 by ASME

 Can be installed at the end of project Subject to shielding/poor current distribution
One of the principal advantages to this approach is that The second significant problem with deep well designs is
the plant can be built and the cathodic protection system can the problem of shielding and poor current distribution. Here
be installed well after completion of the primary construction again, copper grounding systems can wreak havoc with a deep
activities. This minimizes any collateral damage to the system well system. They can act as a current sink preventing
during the often hectic construction phase. The bond
connections to the piping, along with the installation of test
stations and reference cells need to be done as the piping is Figure 6 - Power Plant using Deep Well
installed. Impressed Current CP System
No requirement to isolate piping
Indeed, with the deep well approach everything
underground must be bonded together to prevent stray current Rectifier
problems. These problems occur when current being
discharged off the deep wells lands on a structure that is not
tied in electrically. This current travels from its pick up point
to a point where it can discharge from the isolated structure
and return to ground. This discharge point will be subject to
rapid stray current corrosion.
Piping
Protects everything underground
Another advantage to the use of deep well systems is that
it cathodically protects all underground structures - including Copper Grounding Grid
the copper grounding grid. Copper is erroneously believed to
resist corrosion when buried in soil. When copper is directly Protective Current
buried in the soil and completely isolated from other
construction materials, copper does corrode. In acidic soil
conditions, the corrosion rate of isolated copper may be sufficient current from reaching critical piping systems.
greater than that of iron or steel in the same environment. In Pilings and concrete foundations can also prevent current from
addition to the copper grounding grid, the deep well system reaching critical piping areas. Reinforcing rods in concrete
also protects any structural steel including piles, and exacerbate the problem by picking up CP current
reinforcing steel in concrete foundations and pads. In highly preferentially. These concrete-encased rods (rebar) have a
corrosive environments, deep wells are an economical means more cathodic, or noble, potential (similar to that of copper)
of cathodically protected all of the underground metallic than steel normally attains in soil and tend to shield other
structures. coated metallic structures in their vicinity from protective
current pickup.
Disadvantages This shielding problem can leave critical piping systems
There are two primary drawbacks to the deep well inadequately protected often requiring remedial fixes for
approach; requires very high current outputs and may not specific areas. This is assuming that the deficiencies can be
provide thorough coverage. detected during the system tests – for this reason it is very
important with deep well designs to have a comprehensive set
Requires lots of current – especially with pilings of test stations to assure that the critical service piping systems
The first key disadvantage with the deep well approach is are adequately protected.
that it takes a significant amount of current. The copper
grounding system will require 10-20 times more current per CONCLUSIONS
unit area than the steel piping. Given that the steel piping is Several conclusions can be made based on the various
coated and the copper grounding system is bare, the copper types of CP systems as they are applied to the unique
grounding system can often require significantly more current challenges of a power plant environment.
than that required to protect only the piping. If the facility
uses steel piles, the deep well system will have to be sized to Galvanic systems
protect these as well often adding several hundreds of times Galvanic systems are often the best option for simple
more current than what is required just to protect the piping piping systems in low to moderate soil resistivity. Their use in
system. For this reason, deep wells should be avoided when more complex plant designs with numerous metallic piping
large numbers of piles are being used. systems are questionable due to the difficulty in assuring
isolation both during construction and over the life of the

9 Copyright © 2003 by ASME

plant. Plants with these type systems must understand that
while they are marketed as maintenance free, that does not
assure them of the system working problem free over the
entire design life – regular monitoring and testing is required
to assure proper protection levels are maintained.

Linear anode systems

The use of impressed current linear anode systems
provides a good technical solution for complex piping systems
where isolation is always a serious concern. This type of
system is also well suited to protecting simple piping systems
in high resistivity soils where galvanic systems would require
an excessive number of anodes to provide sufficient current.

Deep wells
Deep wells are an effective means of supplying lots of
protective current to the congested underground common in a
power plant. In extremely corrosive environments they will
protect all underground metallic structures including the
copper grounding grid, all metallic piping, and structural steel
reinforcement in concrete pads and foundations. These
systems are prone to interference and shielding problems so
they require a well thought out test point plan to assure proper
cathodic protection to critical service piping systems.
Supplemental systems may be required to augment the deep
wells in spot area. Deep wells are generally not a viable
solution for plants with large numbers of piles as it is not the
most effective means of protecting these structures.

REFERENCES
1
“Corrosion Considerations for Ductile Iron Pipe,” Materials
Performance, July 2002.
2
“Protecting Underground Assets with State of the Art
Corrosion Control,” Materials Performance, July 2002
3
“Electrical Isolation Technique Can Eliminate Repair Cost
Later,” Pipeline & Gas Industry, October 1998.
4
“Electrical Grounding and Cathodic Protection Issues in
Large Generating Stations,” Materials Performance,
November 2001.
5
“Cathodic Protection of Complex Underground Structures at
Power Plants,” Materials Performance, November 2001.

10 Copyright © 2003 by ASME

APPENDIX 1 – DESIGN CALCULATIONS Step 1 – Calculate Total Current Required (mA)
CASE 1 CASE 2
Symbols Used Equation 1 Ip = SAp x (1-CE) x CDr 1,962.5 785.0
Symbol
Average soil resistivity at pipe level (ohm-cm) ρ Step 2 – Individual Anode Resistance to Ground2 (ohms)
Average deep soil resistivity (ohm-cm) ρdeep
Foundations total area (ft2) SAf Equation 2 Ra = (ρ x (logn 4L/a -1))/2πL 16.9 67.4
Surface area of copper grounding system (ft2) SAc
Surface area of coated piping (ft2) SAp Step 3 – Calculate Current Output per Anode (mA)
Coating efficiency (%) CE
Linear feet of trenches (ft) LFp Equations 3 Ia = V / Ra 50.4 12.6
Current density required piping (mA/ft2) CDr (ohms law)
Current density required foundations (mA/ft2) CDrf
Current required total (mA) It Step 4 – Calculate Number of Anodes Required
Current required piping (mA) Ip
Current required foundations (mA) If Equation 4 Nr = I p / Ia 38.9 62.3
Current required copper grounding (mA) Ic
Current per anode (mA) Ia Step 5 – Calculate Anode Life (yrs)
Current per linear foot (mA/ft) Il
Differential voltage (Volts) V Equation 5 Life=lb of anode (CRxIa)x1000 19.4 77.5
Resistance per anode (ohms) Ra
Anode length (cm) L So the galvanic design requires a minimum of 39 anodes for
Anode radius (cm) a CASE 1 and 63 anodes for CASE 2. A safety factor ranging
Number of anodes required Nr from 25% to 100% is often applied to these design
Actual anode consumption rate (lb/amp-yr) CR calculations so the actual number of installed anodes might be
50 and 80 respectively.
Galvanic System
For the galvanic system design example we look at a modest
sized facility with minimal piping and we look at the impact Linear Anode System
that varying soil resistivity has on the design by providing two For the linear anode system design example we look at a
cases. For these examples we make the following larger sized facility with numerous piping systems and much
assumptions: of the piping is routed in common trenches. Again, we will
also look at the effect of soil resistivity – which in this case
has little impact on the design. For these examples we make
CASE 1 CASE 2 the following assumptions:
Average soil resistivity (ohm-cm) ρ 3,000 12,000
Surface area of coated piping (ft2) SAp 15,700 15,700 CASE 1 CASE 2
Coating efficiency (%) CE 95% 95% Average soil resistivity (ohm-cm) ρ 3,000 12,000
Current density required (mA/ft2) CDr 2.5 1.0 Surface area of coated piping (ft2) SAp 37,680 37,680
Coating efficiency (%) CE 95% 95%
Other assumptions: Linear feet of trenches (ft) LFp 10,000 10,000
• All coating holidays are uniformly distributed Current density required (mA/ft2) CDr 2.5 1.0
• All piping is electrically isolated
• Design based on a 17 lb high potential magnesium anode Other assumptions:
(30 in length x 6 in diameter) All coating holidays are uniformly distributed
• Voltage required for proper cathodic protection is -.85 All piping is not electrically isolated
Volts Grounding grid absorbs 50% of current
• Voltage potential of magnesium anode is -1.70 Volts Maximum current output of linear anode is 16 mA/ft based on
• Differential voltage (V) is .85 Volts a 20 year design life3
• Actual consumption rate of magnesium anode is 17.4 Five hundred foot segments are used, tied to a common header
lb/Amp-yr1 cable

11 Copyright © 2003 by ASME

Step 1 – Calculate Total Current Required (mA) much of the piping is routed in common trenches. Again, we
will also look at the effect of soil resistivity – which in this
CASE 1 CASE 2 case has little impact on the design. For these examples we
Equation 1 Ip = SAp x (1-CE) x CDr 4710.0 1884.0 make the following assumptions:

Since we are assuming half the current goes to the grounding CASE 1 CASE 2
system we simply double the current requirements Average soil resistivity (ohm-cm) ρ 3,000 12,000
Avg deep soil resistivity (ohm-cm) ρdeep 2,000 2,000
Total Current Required in mA (It) 9420.0 3768.0 Foundations total area (ft2) SAf 40,000 40,000
Surface area copper grounding (ft2) SAc 5,000
Step 2 – Calculate Current Output per Linear Foot 5,000
Surface area of coated piping (ft2) SAp 15,700 15,700
Equation 6 Il = It / LFp 0.94 0.38 Coating efficiency (%) CE 95% 95%
Current density req. piping (mA/ft2) CDr 2.5
These values are well below the maximum current output of 1.0
16 mA at 20 year design life specified Current density req.
foundations (mA/ft2) CDrf 1.0 1.0
Step 3 – Calculate Anode Resistance (ohms)
Anode resistance to soil for the linear anode is 0.1 ohm per Other assumptions:
1000 ohm-cm soil resistivity for a 500 foot segment. We will There are no steel structural piles
assume that 20 x 500 foot segments are used with a header The copper will have a current density requirement 10 times
cable.4 that of the bare steel
The deep wells will be 150 feet depth with 100 foot of active
Each 500 ft segment’s resistance 0.3 1.2 area rated for 50 amps
The deep well has an 8 inch coke column
The resistance of a parallel circuit is The deep wells will use a single continuous mixed metal oxide
the inverse of the sum of the inverse (MMO) anode assembly with a dual power feed from top and
individual resistances bottom of anode.

Equation 7 1/Rt = Na/(Rr) .015 0.06 Step 1 – Calculate Total Current Required (mA)

The header cable and structure would account for CASE 1 CASE 2
most of the system resistance. Further assumptions For the piping
for the resistance of the circuit are9:
Equation 1 Ip = SAp x (1-CE) x CDr 1,962.5 785.0
Resistance of the header cable 0. 5 0. 5
Resistance of the structure 1.0 1.0 The copper grounding grid current density
is assumed to be 10 times that required for
Adding these resistances together the piping
Yields the total system resistance 1.515 1.56
Equation 7 Ic = SAc x 10CDr 125,000 50,000
Step 4 – Calculate Rectifier Voltage Requirement (Volts)
For the foundations Equation 1 is modified to
Equation 3 (Ohms Law) V = It x Rs 14.27 5.88
Equation 8 If = SAf x CDrf 40,000 40,000
Applying a healthy safety factor on the rectifier sizing, the
impressed current linear anode system in these examples Total current required is the sum of these 166,962 90,785
would require for CASE 1 a rectifier sized for 20V DC and 15
amp rated output and for CASE 2 a rectifier sized for 10V Step 2 – Determine the Number of Wells Needed
DC and 10 amp rated output.
Equation 9 N = It / 50 4 2
Deep Well System
For the deep well anode system design example we look at a
modest sized facility with relatively few piping systems and

12 Copyright © 2003 by ASME

Step 3 – Determine Anode Bed Resistance (ohms)
CASE 1 CASE 2

Using Eq. 2 (Dwights formula) with L being the

active length and “a” being the coke column diameter

Ra = (ρdeep x (logn 4L/a -1)) / 2πL 0.56 0.56

Step 4 – Determine Rectifier Voltage (Volts)

Calculating Rectifier Voltage from Equation 3 (Ohms Law)

(V = I x R) with I equal to the rated
deep well output of 50 A 28.0 28.0

Again providing the rectifier with a healthy design margin we

might size the rectifier for 40V DC and 50 amps rated output
with 4 rectifiers required for CASE 1 and 2 rectifiers required
for CASE 2.

GENERAL NOTES ON DESIGN CALCULATIONS

These are just sample design calculations to determine the
quantity of anodes required and for the impressed current
systems the sizing of the rectifiers. For more detailed
information on designing Cathodic Protection systems, a
certified NACE Corrosion Specialist should be consulted.
Additionally, the calculations are but one small part of the
overall design. The most important design issues are not these
calculations, but the placing of the anodes to assure thorough
coverage, and the proper and judicious placing of test stations
to assure that all intended structures are properly protected.

REFERENCES
1
NACE Corrosion Engineer’s Reference Book, NACE Press,
3rd Edition 2003, Robert Baboaian, Editor
2
NACE Corrosion Engineer’s Reference Book, NACE Press,
3rd Edition 2003, Robert Baboaian, Editor
3
“MATCOR SPL™-Anode Design Guide, 1999, MATCOR,
Inc.
4
“MATCOR SPL™-Anode Design Guide, 1999, MATCOR,
Inc.

13 Copyright © 2003 by ASME