Controlled experiments to study corrosion effects due to external varying fields in embedded pipelines

LÓPEZ, ERNESTO; OSELLA, ANA; MARTINO, LUIS

JCSE. THE JOURNAL OF CORROSION SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

Elsevier

Año: 2006 vol. 48 p. 389 - 403

1466-8858

We present controlled laboratory tests carried out to study corrosion effects due to induction currents on pipes embedded in environments with electrical resistance lateral discontinuities. Sacrificial anodes were connected to underground pipes, and corrosion rates were estimated by measuring the mass loss in each anode. We considered 1Hz and 50 Hz inducting fields, and the effects produced on the pipes were compared with cases without an external field. The results indicated an increase in the corrosion rate when the pipe was under the effect of induction currents, particularly where there was a change of electrical resistance in the soil.