Effect of DC grounding electrode currents on the corrosion interference behavior of cathodic protection of nearby pipelines

Abstract When operating a direct current (DC) transmission grounding electrode in single-pole return ground mode, transient currents traverse the soil, generating stray currents. These currents can intensify the corrosion of long-distance transmission pipelines near the grounding electrode, subsequently altering the pipeline’s cathodic protection potential. Previous investigations into the interference of grounding electrodes on pipeline cathodic protection have overlooked the cathodic protection systems themselves. Addressing this gap, we integrated COMSOL’s electrochemical module with its AC/DC module. To corroborate the accuracy of our COMSOL-based models, we devised specific validation experiments. Additionally, we crafted a COMSOL application builder interface to streamline computations. Consequently, we derived a multi-regression function to express the cathodic protection potential of the pipeline under varied factors and executed a regression tree classification for soil resistivity. To pinpoint optimal corrosion protection for pipelines, we simulated the cathodic protection of segmentally isolated pipelines, determining that potential excursions can be notably mitigated. This research offers insights into both disturbance evaluation and protective strategies for DC transmission and pipelines.