Social Media

Latest News

During the COVID-19 induced lockdown, the use of social media has exploded. Numbers from The Institute of Corrosion’s social media accounts show that members are staying in touch and connected to their professional life as well as their personal.

Coronavirus has shown the world many things. One of these is that our human need to connect with others remains strong – and when we can’t interact in person, we’ll find other ways of doing so. From cave drawings to smoke signals to telegrams to telephones, we humans have always innovated new ways to interact remotely.

Of course, the world has moved on from smoke signals to social media as a preferred channel of communication, interaction, and information sharing. The unprecedented times in which we currently find ourselves has shown just how much we now rely on social media – and the Institute of Corrosion has not been left behind.

According to recent data from GobalWebindex, social media is a core activity of people in lockdown. Almost half of internet users say they are spending more time on their social media and on messaging services. More than a third are spending more time on mobile apps. Interestingly, now the social media bug has hit, one in five people expect to continue to spend more time on their social media after the COVID-19 outbreak has passed.

The Institute has been developing its social media this year. It can now be found on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (links to these sites can be found in the March/April Corrosion Management). Content includes blogs, news, and market information which is shared with the world. The Institute’s members are encouraged to become involved in the conversation about corrosion by posting on the Institute’s social media and sharing its content, and this is beginning to happen.

Our social media numbers are growing tremendously. For example, the number of members on the LinkedIn group page are up by around 15% this year, and moving toward 2,500. That’s a faster rate of growth than the LinkedIn platform itself has experienced. Its number of members has only increased by around 2.25% this year.

The Institute’s ambition of increasing global reach is being helped by its social media presence, too. When breaking down its audience, the number of visitors to the website – in large part driven by its social media and organic search – increased by around 9.5% in the last three months compared with the previous three months.

While the UK accounts for around a third of site visitors, the Institute’s new focus on digital communication channels is paying dividends around the globe. Visitor numbers from the Europe rose strongly, led by the Netherlands with a colossal increase of more than 25%. Visitors from the United States increased by a very impressive 15%. India was next on the list, with almost 13% more visitors than in the previous period, followed by Nigeria and UAE among others.

When the Institute rebranded, it rebranded its website simultaneously. The greater depth of content on the site now includes regular blogs, news, details of all training and certifications, and a members-only area with exclusive content. The efforts by all involved are being recognised by a growing audience.

Together with its improving social media presence and this magazine, the Institute of Corrosion is keeping a worldwide community in touch with all the latest news, views, and developments in corrosion. Additionally, it is providing new ways for you to develop your professional network through your membership of the Institute of Corrosion. Points that were noted at the recent Council meeting, in which a good deal of appreciation was expressed for the work of both the magazine and recent social media activity.

ICATS News

Latest News

It has been tough time for everyone for a while now but hopefully by the time you read this, we will see the light at the end of the tunnel. Once guidance on easing the lockdown is clearer, Corrosion House will re-open, as will many other businesses. When this happens, an announcement regarding courses at Northampton will be placed on the CORREX website and emails sent to trainers and clients.

It is acknowledged that there is a backlog of replacement cards, and other information people are waiting for, but please be patient with Denise and her team at Head Office, as it may take some time to catch up.

We will be continuing to develop ICATS in the UK and overseas in the ensuing months and Kevin will be visiting clients when he can.

A reminder that there is a supply of ICATS, ICA black books, and Trainers should email Kevin (kevin@paintel.co.uk) if they require copies of the book.

Introducing Cathodic Protection – How Does Cathodic Protection Work?

Introducing Cathodic Protection – How Does Cathodic Protection Work?

Blogs, Cathodic Protection Blog

Cathodic protection methods – differences and similarities

In our last article, we examined electrochemical corrosion and introduced the major areas where cathodic protection is used to protect against corrosion in aggressive environments such as soils, waters, and chloride contaminated concrete.

In this article, we take a deeper dive into how cathodic protection works.

The two types of cathodic protection

There are two types of cathodic protection: galvanic anode and impressed current cathodic protection.

Both provide a cathodic protection current flow from cathodic protection anodes placed within the same electrolyte as the metal to be protected. The current flows from the anode into the electrolyte. It discharges onto the metal, controlling the corrosion. It must flow within the metallic circuit (the metal plus the cables) and back to the anode to complete the circuit.

Galvanic anode cathodic protection (GACP)

Galvanic anode cathodic protection works as summarised above.

The anode materials are alloys of either zinc, aluminium, or magnesium – all more active metals than, for example, carbon steel. These more active metals corrode preferentially to the steel when they are metallically connected to the steel in an electrolyte.

The corrosion current of the anode material is the cathodic protection current for the steel. The current flows through the electrolyte onto the steel, controlling its corrosion. The current returns to the anode in the metallic circuit.

You may have heard the term ‘sacrificial anodes’. However, though this terminology describes the anode materials and how they act (the galvanic anode corrodes preferentially to the steel), it was changed in Europe in the 1980s to ‘galvanic anodes’.

You may see galvanic anode cathodic protection identified by the acronym SACP or GACP.

·         How is galvanic anode cathodic protection used?

Offshore, anodes are normally cast onto structural tubular cores which are welded to the offshore structure during construction onshore.

Offshore oil and gas pipelines are protected with aluminium alloy or zinc bracelet anodes clamped over the protective coating and connected to the pipeline by short cables or welded connections. Such protection should last for 30 years or longer.

Onshore, short pipelines are often protected using magnesium anodes. These are cast onto steel cores and connected to the pipeline with cables. In soils of low electrical resistivity, extruded or continuously cast and hot-rolled zinc ribbon is used. Zinc ribbon is widely used as an earthing electrode to mitigate induced alternating current (AC) on buried pipelines.

Impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP)

Impressed current cathodic protection is provided by connecting a DC power source between the metal being protected and the cathodic protection anodes. In contrast to GACP, the cathodic protection current is supplied by the DC power source and not by corrosion of the anode itself.

The DC power supplies are typically transformer rectifiers (confusing acronyms include TR, TRU and T/R) which convert mains electricity to low voltage DC. In remote areas, solar panels and batteries are commonly used (and stolen); thermo-electric DC generators and both diesel and gas engines driving generators have also been used.

The negative pole is connected to the protected metal (‘negative drain point’), and the positive pole is connected to the anode. As with GACP, the cathodic protection current flows from the anode, through the electrolyte and onto the metal being protected.

The anodes can be scrap steel (a reasonably common practice in France, where old railway rails are often used in such applications), high silicon iron, or sophisticated ‘mixed metal oxides’ coated onto titanium. Other materials, including graphite, magnetite, lead, platinum-coated titanium and niobium, have also been used, though performance and cost have combined to reduce their use.

·         How is impressed current cathodic protection used?

Offshore, anodes are typically mixed metal oxide coated titanium (MMO/Ti). These can be used in both seawater and saline mud, though in the latter their consumption rate is greater.

For steel in concrete, most impressed current systems use MMO/Ti anodes either in mesh, strip, or tubular form. There is a tubular anode formed into a conductive ceramic of MMOs.

In onshore applications, groups of anodes are normally used in ‘groundbeds’, which may take the form of a long horizontal trench in which multiple anodes are buried in a carbonaceous backfill. This increases the surface area, reduces the electrical resistance to ground, and extends the anode life. Similarly, anodes and ‘coke’ can be used in deep boreholes or multiple shorter boreholes. Anodes are typically high silicon cast iron or MMO/Ti.

Most impressed current systems will require replacement after about 25 years.

Which form of cathodic protection is best?

If the cathodic protection system is well designed, installed, operated and maintained, both galvanic anode and impressed current cathodic protection can be equally effective. However, GACP is simpler and has proved to be more reliable offshore.

Onshore, ICCP systems are easier to access for maintenance and, once installed, their components are not subject to the challenges of offshore environments. If properly designed, ICCP can protect many kilometres of well-coated pipelines.

ICCP is also advantageous for bare or poorly coated steel as it can deliver hundreds of amps of low voltage direct current, while a typical galvanic anode will seldom deliver more than 5 amps.

Cathodic protection – a specialist operation

Cathodic protection is used extensively to protect critical infrastructure from corrosion. For example:

  • It is legally mandated for gas and oil pipelines to ensure their safe operation
  • Offshore gas and renewable energy structures are effectively mandated to receive effective cathodic protection by their certification bodies
  • Ships benefit from extended dry-docking rules if they have effective cathodic protection
  • The life of concrete bridges and structures affected by chlorides, from de-icing salts or marine exposure, is extended by cathodic protection
  • Newly constructed, reinforced concrete structures in severe exposure conditions also have extended life when cathodic protection is used

However, across all functions – from design through installation to testing and maintenance – cathodic protection is highly specialised. There are standards (BS ENs and BS EN ISOs) for cathodic protection applications for different structures in different environments.

A key takeaway from the standards is that they make it clear that cathodic design must be undertaken by cathodic specialists with a documented, appropriate level of competence.

How do you gain a cathodic protection specialisation?

There are no degrees that can be gained in cathodic protection, and there are no postgraduate courses in cathodic protection engineering, either. Instead, you find that cathodic protection specialists may hold a science or engineering degree (or complete an apprenticeship) before undertaking specific training and gaining experience and expertise in cathodic protection.

The Institute of Corrosion offers courses in cathodic protection, providing the training required for levels 1 to 3 for cathodic protection data collectors, technicians and senior technicians. These courses are produced, owned and administered by the Institute of Corrosion CP Governing Board (CPGB), part of the ICorr Professional Development and Training Committee (PDTC).

These courses are designed for those seeking the certification of competence in accordance with standard BS EN ISO 15257. We also find that these courses add value to managers and others who want to know what their cathodic protection staff and/or contractors must be doing and the limits of what they should do.

Independent of the cathodic protection courses and the PDTC and CPGB, the Institute of Corrosion also offers an independent assessment of competence through its Professional Assessment Committee (PAC). This is recognised internationally as confirmation of experience, knowledge and task skills as defined in standard BS EN ISO 15257; it is valid internationally.

For cathodic protection companies and for independent cathodic protection specialists, attainment of cathodic protection training and certification will ensure demonstration of competence, experience and expertise. This translates into more effective work, improving reputational excellence, and more employment opportunities.

To learn more about our range of cathodic protection training courses and the experience and qualifications needed for certification, please visit our pages detailing the Cathodic Protection, Training, Assessment and Certification Scheme.

In our next article, we explode 7 cathodic protection myths.

From the Editor

From the Editor

Latest News

I hope you are all well, and that the restrictions are not causing too many problems for work. One indirect effect the pandemic is having on the magazine is that with companies shut down or working with fewer staff, and Institute of Corrosion meetings also cancelled, then there are less news items is this issue than normal.

However, we still have three technical articles, covering, inspection and the expert witness, a novel method of monitoring Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI), and an introduction to Microbial Induced Corrosion (MIC). There are also the two new columns, “Fellows Corner”, which this time covers Corrosion Monitoring and Inspection from Bill Hedges of BP, and “Ask the Expert”, in which the questions deal with salt contamination of steel, and impressed current CP of pipes. Remember to send your technical questions for answer by our industry experts.

If you have any comments or suggestions about the content of the magazine, please let me know, it is important that we are covering topics of interest to you the reader, remember it’s your magazine. Also send your technical articles for consideration to, brianpce@aol.com.

Keep yourselves and everyone safe.

Brian Goldie, Consulting Editor

The President Writes

The President Writes

Latest News

First of all, I hope you are all keeping safe and well. We are living through very challenging times and the future remains uncertain, which can be unsettling. My thoughts are particularly with those who have lost loved ones or whose livelihoods have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now more than ever the importance of community comes to the fore. The Institute of Corrosion is in many ways like a family, and we are determined to support our members in any way we can.

I will be highlighting below the ways in which we are continuing to provide services to our members through online platforms during the lockdown period, but we also have a duty to look after our more vulnerable members. If you require assistance with delivery of food or medical supplies or if you are living alone and would appreciate the opportunity to have a chat with another member (not necessarily just about corrosion!) please let me know by emailing gareth.hinds@npl.co.uk, and we will endeavour to help 
where possible.

We have been very pleased at the success of our online activities in recent weeks. The Corrosion Engineering Division (CED) Working Day on April 29 was attended by more than 50 people from as far afield as India and New Zealand, while the series of five webinars organised at the end of April by the Aberdeen Branch, in conjunction with the Marine Corrosion Forum, attracted over 100 participants to each event. I also gave a presentation at a World Corrosion Organisation (WCO) webinar to mark World Corrosion Awareness Day on April 24, which was attended by over 250 people.

In order to facilitate these and other events, the Institute has signed up to a Zoom Pro account, which is available for use by all branches, divisions and committees. This online meeting software has a number of useful features, including parallel breakout rooms, which were trialled very successfully for the five Working Group meetings during the CED Working Day. Please contact Head Office (admin@icorr.org) for details on how to access the Institute of Corrosion Zoom facility for online meetings and events.

Our Young Engineer Programme has also gone online. This year’s programme was heavily oversubscribed, with more than 60 applicants of which 32 were selected to participate, highlighting the success and growing popularity of the programme. The delegates will receive online training and mentoring in a range of corrosion-related disciplines and will work together in groups on an industry case study. Each group will present its solution to a panel of Institute of Corrosion judges in November – hopefully in person by that time! The winning team will be rewarded with a free trip to the NACE conference in Salt Lake City in 2021.

Training courses are an important component of the Institute’s commitment to upskilling and professional development of our members. We offer a range of online training courses (check the website for details) so if you are finding that you have time to spare during the lockdown it may be worth looking into attending one of these. It could be a valuable use of your time that will boost your career when life returns to normal.

Our social media activities continue to expand and I hope you are finding it easier to keep track of what is going on across the wide range of Institute activities. I encourage you all to share and comment on our posts and blogs to take maximum advantage of the functionality these digital tools provide.
Finally, I wish you and those close to you continued health and strength and hope that we will all have the opportunity to enjoy meeting in person again when we have made it through this difficult period.

Gareth Hinds, Institute of Corrosion President