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23.10.2013

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EDOPEC
Published by

.
EDOPEC ENERJ PETROL MHENDSLK SANAY VE TCARET
LMTED RKET
Document Title

ALUMNUM ANODES
Head Office : Palmiye Mah. Adnan

Document No.

menderes Bulv. Oktay Sitesi No: 9/8

PK = 33100 Yeniehir /Mersin
TURKEY
P:+90 324 3260595 F:+90 324
3260596
www.edopec.com. [email protected]

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ALUMNIUM ANODE
Page 2 of 7

Corrosion
When two dissimilar metals are connected in an electrolyte
such as sea water, a corrosion cell is formed in which one
metal becomes an anode and suffers corrosion while the
other metal becomes the cathode and is preserved.
Anodic and cathodic areas exist on the surface of all steel structures due to slight variations in
material composition, local stresses, differences in coating condition and availability of oxygen.
On a bare steel plate in sea-water, these areas form on what is apparently a uniform surface.
Since corrosion will result in metal loss, roughening and wastage will occur on an uncoated
plate.
Where an imperfect coating exists, corrosion will take the form of accelerated pitting at the
location of the bare spots and eventual breakdown of the coating.
Whatever the circumstances, in the absence of cathodic protection, corrosion will eventually
occur.

Cathodic Protection
The principle of cathodic protection involves the introduction into the electrical circuit of a metal
that is more electro-negative than the existing anodic and cathodic areas.
This additional metal becomes the anode and will corrode while providing current to the metal it
is protecting, thereby overcoming the local anodic areas and making them cathodic.
The classic cathodic protection solution to a galvanic corrosion problem is to introduce an
anode in a suitable alloy of magnesium, aluminium or zinc,
which will suffer corrosion and so, be 'sacrificed' in
protecting the cathode. This approach is used in Sacrificial
Systems.
As an alternative solution, the protective current needed to
make the
structure fully cathodic may be obtained by applying
low voltage DC derived from normal AC mains supply.
This is achieved by transformer/rectifiers which supply
DC to specially designed 'inert' anodes which will
dissipate large currents without themselves suffering
significant wastage. This approach is used in
Impressed Current Systems.
Cathodic Protection Systems whether of Sacrificial or
Impressed Current type can be either used as the sole
method of corrosion control, or in many instances, in conjunction with a coating.
Protection even with the best and most expensive coatings alone is seldom adequate. Coatings
are always vulnerable to damage and can only be as good as atmospheric and surface
conditions permit at the time of their application.
Cathodic Protection is therefore an essential ingredient in an overall corrosion controlm system
for applications on ships as well as on off-shore structures, jetties, storage tanks and pipelines
both underground and sub-sea.

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ALUMNUM ANODE

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EDO-BRO-COE-COR-INT-XXX-013-038039-REV-A-ALUMNUM ANODES

ALUMNIUM ANODE
Page 3 of 7

Ship Hull Protection

Hulls of ships are prone to corrosion of an aggressive
nature in the form of pitting unless they are
cathodically protected.
Protection with the best and most expensive coating
alone is not enough because the coating is vulnerable
to mechanical damage at sea or in port and to
imperfections at the time of application.
For hull protection, zinc anodes with their high
electrical efficiency, are of particular value when the
aim is to restrict current output and so achieve a long
system life from anodes of small bulk.
Aluminium anodes combine high electrical capacity
with light weight and offer a lower cost per ampere
hour of available current and the need of fewer
anodes. As an added benefit few anodes mean a reduced frictional resistance on the hull of the
ship.

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ALUMNIUM ANODE
Page 4 of 7

Ship Tank Protection

The corrosion pattern in cargo tanks of crude oil
carriers is very different from that on the ship's hull but
can prove even more damaging and expensive. The
cargo tanks are alternated with sea water and in this
environment, the corrosion problem takes the form of
pitting on horizontal surfaces such as the inner bottom
shell plating, the upper surfaces of stringer platforms
and the face plates of longitudinal and transverse
members. Uniform wastage of vertical surfaces is
inevitable.
Pitting may also occur in lower areas where water may
be present beneath oil cargoes and where residual ballast water is present in
tanks which are supposed to be empty. The wastage of
internal surfaces of 'permanent' ballast tanks is usually uniform
in nature and can be inhibited by the installation of anodes
distributed evenly throughout the internal structure.
Corrosion of these types can be controlled simply and
economically with either Zincalloy or Alalloy anodes or a
combination of both, depending on the particular
environmental conditions of each installation.
Zincalloy can be invaluable in tank applications, particularly in
the upper areas where the installation of aluminium alloy
anodes is restricted while Alalloy provides the most effective
and economical solution to the corrosion problem.

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ALUMNIUM ANODE
Page 5 of 7

ALUMINIUM ALLOY ANODE (AL ALLOY)

Characteristics
Alalloy anodes are cast from -special aluminium alloys developed by Wilson Taylor.
Suitably formulated for specific application, they are characterised by light weight , smooth
corrosion pattern, high electrical capacity and stability. Fewer anodes may be used for a given
installation compared with other materials and a substantially lower cost per installed system is
achieved. Flexible Alalloy anode is extruded onto a mild steel core wire from a special patented
aluminium alloy. The flexibility and light weight of this extruded anode, together with the method
of clamping permits its use in applications where the use of cast block anodes may be difficult
or uneconomic.

Materials
Different alloy formulations are available specially designed for different applications. Alalloy
anodes are cast in alloys of aluminium and indium plus additions and have been developed
specifically for use in sea-water. The materials are very stable in driving potential and efficiency
even in electrolytes of varying conductivity and temperature. In normal sea-water having
resistivity of about 25 ohm cm, approximately 2700 ampere hours of current are provided by
each kilogram of alloy which will maintain a potential of - 1100 mV when measured against a
silver/silver chloride reference half cell.

Applications
Alalloy anodes are suitable for a wide varity of applications including the hulls and tanks 5of
ships, fixed off-shore structure, semi submersibles, storage tank bottom pipelines and jetties.

Aluminum
The theoretical electrochemical performance of aluminum makes it an attractive galvanic anode
material, especially in low resistivity applications such as seawater and produced brines.
Aluminum's lower driving potential (than magnesium) and high current capacity per pound are
key aspects for its use in long life saline systems. For years, the low current efficiency of
commercially available aluminum hindered industrial use in CP systems. The high efficiency
alloy series were developed to correct this problem and become industry standard. Modern
aluminum anodes stand out with respect to:
1. High Current Capacity Under Variable Conditions
2. Current Capacity Maintenance With Time
3. Desirable Operating Potential
4. Constant Potential With Time
Mercury activated anodes are typically specified for use in free flowing seawater where they
provide the highest conversion efficiency of any sacrificial anode (1280 amp-hrs/lb.) when
operated at current densities of 80 to 1400 mA/ft2 Indium activated anodes are recommended
for use in seawater, saline mud, at both ambient and high temperatures, and in hot brines
including most oil field brines.
Aluminum Tank anodes are supplied in a variety of shapes and sizes with a number
of different mounting cores.
The Mercury activated alloy is recommended for seawater applications on platforms, docks,
barges, etc., where the anode is exposed to a free flowing seawater environment.
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ALUMNIUM ANODE
Page 6 of 7

The Indium activated tank anodes are recommended for use in hot brine and oil field brine
applications. This alloy provides a longer life giving you more protection at a lower cost for
tanks containing oil field brine. Aluminum anodes can be installed by suspending anodes from
the deck of the tank from a deck mount or the anodes can be placed on concrete or tile blocks
placed in the bottom of the tank. Welding or bolting the anode core to the structure can also
install many of the anodes. In most cases it is recommended that the lead wire from the anodes
be attached to the outside of the vessel. A shunt should be placed in series with the lead wire
to
measure the current out put in order to determine the life expectancy of the anodes.
The Aluminum platform anodes are supplied in a variety of shapes and sizes for seawater
applications. he Indium activated alloy is used in the same environments as the Mercury
activated alloy or in applications where mercury activated anodes are prohibited. The Indium
activated alloy is also used on offshore pipelines, bay platforms, etc., where the anodes are
placed in the mud zone or where high resistivity conditions exist.
The Aluminum Hull and condenser anodes are supplied in a variety of shapes and
sizes with a number of different mounting cores.
Application. The Mercury activated alloy hull anodes are recommended for seawater
applications on boats, barges, docks, etc. where the anode is exposed to free flowing
seawater.
The Indium activated alloy hull anodes can be used in the same applications as the
Mercury activated alloy. In many cases, as a result of the higher driving potential of the Indium
activated alloy, fewer anodes may be required resulting in savings in installation costs.
However, the life of the anodes is reduced by 20% due to the higher current output.
The Indium activated alloy hull anodes are also used in ballast tanks, small oil field brine
containing vessels, etc.
The Indium activated alloy condenser anodes are used in condenser heads using seawater or
low resistivity cooling waters, especially where the presence of mercury in a closed system is a
problem.

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EDO-BRO-COE-COR-INT-XXX-013-038039-REV-A-ALUMNUM ANODES

ALUMNIUM ANODE
Page 7 of 7

ALUMINIUM ANODE

Bottom of Tank Aluminium Anode Leg

ANODE PERFORMANCE VALUES

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

Teoretical current capasity

Ah/kg.

2965

Teoretical current capasity

kg./Ayr

3.15

Anode Efficiency (*) .%

True current capasity

Ah/kg.

2670

True current capasity

kg./Ayr.

3.5

Electrode Potantial

1.10

90

(According to Cu/CuSO4 electrode at sea water)

According to Iron, closed circuit potantial mV

Density

g/cm3

250
2.70

Element

Percent of Weight
Al-n
Al-Hg

Zinc

2.1-2.7

Cadmium

0.003-0.032

Silicon

0.01-0.15

0.11-0.21

Iron

0.25 max.

0.25 max.

ndium

0.017-0.024

Mercury
Aluminium

Remaining

0.35-0.5
-

0.035-0.45
Remaining

Project:

EDOPEC PRODUCT

Proj. Identification:

Document Title:

ALUMNUM ANODE

Document No.:

Revision:

Date: 23.10.2013

EDO-BRO-COE-COR-INT-XXX-013-038039-REV-A-ALUMNUM ANODES