The Effects of Surface Condition and Flow Rate to the Cathodic Protection Potential and Current on Steel

Cathodic protection is being widely used to protect steel structures in sea water environment, In order to protect steel structures completely, the flow condition of sea water surrounding with this structures and the surface condition of the structures must be considered for a desirable design of cathodic protection. In this study, the optimum protection potential and current density were investigated in terms of cathodic current density, surface condition and a flow condition of sea water. The optium protection potential of the cleaned specimen was -770 mV(SCE) and below. However in the case of the rusted specimen, its potential was -700 mV(SCE) and below, which was somewhat positive than the cleaned one irrespective of flow condition. The optimum cathodic protection current density for both the cleaned and rusted specimens was 100 mA/, however, on the flow condition, 200 mA/ to be supplied for cathodic protection of steel structures completely for both cleaned and rusted specimens.