9/19/2022

Corrosion Engineering
Lecture 2: Corrosion Cell

Lecturer: Brosk Frya Ali

BSc Fuel and Energy Eng.
MSc. Environmental and Energy Eng.
Chemical - Petrochemical Eng. Dept., College of Eng., Salahaddin University
brosk.ali@su.edu.krd
Academic Year 2022 – 2023
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Without anyone of these four corrosion can not occur

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Fe2O3 Fe(OH)3

❖ Components of Electrochemical Cell

✓ Anode
✓ Cathode
✓ Metallic path
✓ Electrolyte 3

The Corrosion Cell

❖ Anode
✓ The area of the corrosion cell where metal loss occurs
✓ Where oxidation occurs.
✓ Oxidation is the loss of electrons
✓ The loss of electrons causes the material to break down or corrode.

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The Corrosion Cell

❖ Cathode
✓ The area of the corrosion cell where NO metal loss occurs.
✓ Where Reduction occurs.
✓ Reduction is the gain of electrons
✓ This gain in electrons creates protective mineral deposits due to the
chemical reaction occurring at the cathodic surface

The Corrosion Cell

❖ Metallic path-a metallic connection between the anode and cathode

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The Corrosion Cell

❖ Electrolyte: An electrically conductive solution, for a solution to be
conductive it must contain ions.
➢ The more ions the more conductive or corrosive the solution.
➢ Ions-charged particles that can transport electrical current through the solution
❖ Examples in Oil and Gas production
✓ Produced water
✓ Sea water
✓ Fresh water
✓ Soil

❖ Water is the primary electrolyte. All electrolytes are electrically conductive.

Pure water is not conductive, but the addition of minerals makes it conductive.
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Effected Factors
❖ Factors that affect on the corrosivity of an electrolyte:
➢ Water-pure water is a POOR conductor. Minerals must be present to support
current flown, Salt Content-produced fluids, Ionic concentration, pH,
Dissolved Oxygen and Temperature
➢ Soils; the following increase the corrosivityof soil; Salt content, Moisture
content, pH, Oxygen concentration and Temperature. Soil make up relating to
electrical resistivity, Sand has a high electrical resistance while clays are low
➢ Atmospheric Corrosion (most to least severe)Industrial and marine or
seacoast, Industrial and high humidity, Marine or seacoast.
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Effected Factors - Continue

➢ In the oil and gas industry this part of the cell is inherent in the structure to
be protected.
➢ Anodic and cathodic areas are part of the pipe.
➢ Therefore, the anodes and cathodes cannot be electrically separated.

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Rate of Corrosion Reaction

❖Other factors that determine the rate of the corrosion reaction

✓ Anode to cathode proportion.
✓ Large anode small cathode – slows reaction.
✓ Small anode large cathode-speeds the reaction.
✓ Dissimilar metals connected to one another.
✓ Difference in concentration of corrosive agents in the electrolyte.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbKjUcPssmM

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Corrosion Cell -Ideal

Electron and Ion Flow 13

Parts of Corrosion Cell

➢ The anode is the area of the metal surface that corrodes.

➢ When the metal dissolves it loses electrons and goes into solution as a metal
iron.
➢ The iron goes into solution and leaves two electrons behind in the metal.
➢ The iron in solution can react with other ions to form corrosion products.
✓ IRON OXIDE
✓ IRON SULFIDE
✓ IRON CHLORIDE
✓ IRON CARBONATE
➢ The cathode is the area of the metal surface that does not dissolve.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQAOQXCy8Uc 14

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Origins of Corrosion

➢ As iron or e is proposed into steel its energy level is increased (reduction).

➢ Iron and steel corrode because the metal is always trying to return to its
lowest level of energy (Thermodynamics).
➢ The source of voltage in the corrosion process comes from the different
amount of energy stored in the metal during refining.
➢ Different metals require varying amount of energy for refining therefore
have different tendencies to corrode.
➢ The voltage of a metal can be determined by the difference in potential
energy between the standard hydrogen electrode and the metals potentials.
➢ The most reactive metals are base metals:
✓ Potassium
✓ Calcium
✓ Sodium
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZg4bfEnLcU 15

Corrosion Cell Size

➢ Large cells like those already described can cause large quantities of metal loss.
➢ Large cells usually involve massive amounts of electrolytes:
✓ Soil moisture.
✓ Large bodies of water.
➢ Small cells can be small enough to be between adjacent grains of metal with
different potentials.
➢ Small cells can be vary efficient with a low resistance and relatively large
current available.
➢ Beware of small anodes or large cathodic areas
✓ Rapid electron transfer
✓ High corrosion rates 16

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External Corrosion
❖ Corrosion that occurs from the soil or atmospheric side of the equipment.

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Internal Corrosion
➢ Internal Corrosion-corrosion that occurs inside of the equipment as a result of
the corrosivity of the material held in the equipment.
➢ Localized (pitting) -corrosion that is concentrated in a small area. These
mechanisms typically go through the wall of the vessel, pipe, or tank quickly.
➢ Acid gasses
✓ H2S
✓ CO2
➢ MIC-Microbial induced corrosion
➢ General-metal is lost over the entire surface of the material. This can be
combated based on the life of the asset and thickness of the material.
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In a word;
• Corrosion occurred due to formation of electrochemical cells

Bottom of a tank
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