Application of Cathodic Protection on Metallic Structure in Extremely Acidic Fluids

Abstract

Fossil fired power plant produces the electric energy by using a thermal energy by the combustion of fossil fuels as like oil, gas and coal. The exhausted flue gas by the combustion of oil etc. contains usually many contaminated species, and especially sulfur-content has been controlled strictly and then FGD (Flue Gas Desulfurization) facility should be installed in every fossil fired power plant. To minimize the content of contaminations in final exhaust gas, high corrosive environment including sulfuric acid (it was formed during the process which SO2 gas combined with Mg(OH)2 solution) can be formed in cooling zone of FGD facility and severe corrosion damage is reported in this zone. These conditions are formed when duct materials are immersed in fluid that flows on the duct floors or when exhausted gas is condensed into thin layered medium and contacts with materials of the duct walls and roofs. These environments make troublesome corrosion and air pollution problems that are occurred from the leakage of those ducts. The frequent shut down and repairing works of the FGD systems also demand costs and low efficiencies of those facilities. In general, high corrosion resistant materials have been used to solve this problem. However, corrosion problems have severely occurred in a cooling zone even though high corrosion resistant materials were used. In this work, a new technology has been proposed to solve the corrosion problem in the cooling zone of FGD facility. This electrochemical protection system contains cathodic protection method and protection by coating film, and remote monitoring-control system.