Cathodic Protection
The French Corrosion Institute carries out the design and sizing of cathodic protection systems for immersed and buried structures. The distribution of galvanic anodes or the impressed current protection system is optimised through calculation and modelling.
Cathodic protection system design
The French Corrosion Institute supports its customers in the design, sizing and verification of cathodic protection systems for a wide range of metallic structures: pipelines, buried pipelines, offshore structures, harbour facilities, tanks and civil engineering infrastructure.
Our engineers carry out sizing studies for both impressed current (ICCP) and galvanic (sacrificial) anode systems, taking into account key parameters such as electrolyte resistivity, surfaces to be protected, required protection current densities and target service lifetimes. These studies are based on applicable standards (EN ISO 15589, EN 13173, NACE SP0169, etc.), on the experience of our teams and on our extensive internal database of polarisation curves obtained under real operating conditions.
We also carry out site interventions to validate operational constraints and to implement long-term monitoring of cathodic protection effectiveness.
Cathodic protection modelling
The French Corrosion Institute has recognised expertise in the numerical modelling of cathodic protection, using finite element (FEM) and boundary element / boundary integral (BEM) approaches, in particular with COMSOL Multiphysics software.
These simulation tools allow the modelling of potential distribution and current densities in the electrolyte, incorporating the electrochemical boundary conditions (polarisation curves) specific to the materials and environments under study. We model complex 2D and 3D geometries, whether for offshore or onshore structures.
Modelling offers several concrete benefits:
- Optimisation of anode placement and number of current sources prior to installation
- Prediction of protection distribution across the entire structure, including shielded areas
- Assessment of interference between neighbouring systems (stray currents, galvanic coupling)
- Reduction of design costs by limiting the need for physical testing
Our modelling studies can be combined with field measurements for model validation and simulation updates under real operating conditions.
Experts at your service
The EN ISO 15257:2017 standard is the European reference for the certification of competencies in cathodic protection. It defines five qualification levels, ranging from technician to expert, and applies to four main fields: onshore and buried structures, marine structures, reinforced concrete, and internal surfaces. This standard forms the basis of national certification schemes, such as those operated by CEFRACOR (CFPC) in France, and is aligned with the general framework for personnel certification in accordance with ISO/IEC 17024, ensuring international recognition, reliability, and harmonization of competencies.
Nicolas Larché (nicolas.larche@institut-corrosion.fr): Level 5 Expert in cathodic protection of marine structures
Charles Leballeur (charles.leballeur@institut-corroison.fr): Level 4 Senior Engineer in cathodic protection of marine structures
Erwan Diler (erwan.diler@institut-corrosion.fr): Level 3 Specialist in cathodic protection of onshore and buried structures
Julien Pellé (julien.pelle@institut-corrosion.fr): Level 3 Specialist in cathodic protection of marine structures
Pascal Moullec: Level 1 Technician in cathodic protection of marine structures