Numerical Study and Design of an Impressed Current Cathodic Protection System for Buried Metallic Pipes

Abstract

In this work, the idea of the impressed current cathodic protection CP method for metallic buried pipes is declared; then, the available theoretical background of the design of such a system is studied. Since all the available formulas of the CP system design are empirical and approximate, the numerical approach is considered using the Finite Element Method (FEM) to reach a more accurate description of the system behavior. The already existing cathodic protection CP system of the pipe used to transfer raw water from the Tigris River to Al-Quds Gas Station in Baghdad is considered as a case study. Using FE computer package ANSYS for this purpose suffers from meshing the model. A small-scale model of the system is considered to describe the operation and declare the analysis. A modified approach is suggested for designing such a system and achieves more accurate protection practically. A suggestion to improve the CP system of Al-Quds Gas Station is mentioned.