CATHODE PROTECTION reverses the electric current that causes corrosion and
comes in 2 forms :
- Sacrificial anodes can be attached to the storage tank system. Anodes are pieces of metal that are more electrically active than the steel storage system. Thus, the storage system becomes the cathode (+ charge) portion of the resulting battery and the attached metal bits become anodes (- charge). The anodes corrode, sparing the tank system from corrosion.
- An impressed current system introduces an electric current into the ground through a series of anodes that are not attached to the UST. Because the current flowing from these anodes to the tank system is greater than the corrosive current attempting to flow from the UST, the corrosive current is inhibited and the storage system is protected.