Background: Cathodic protection is one of the most effective methods for preventing corrosion of metallic structures in marine environments, widely used in shipbuilding and offshore industries.
Aim: This study aims to evaluate the performance of a simulated impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) system applied to a ship hull under various environmental conditions, and to optimize its design using numerical modeling and statistical analysis. Methodology: Numerical modeling of cathodic protection with impressed current was conducted using COMSOL Multiphysics based on the finite element method. To validate the model, four types of numerical meshes were designed, and a convergence analysis was performed to assess the independence of results from mesh configuration. The statistical population included 16 operational scenarios combining different environmental parameters such as salinity, temperature, and water flow velocity. Statistical analysis was carried out using the Taguchi experimental design method and processed with Minitab and Excel software to evaluate the influence of each parameter on system performance and to optimize cathodic protection efficiency.
Findings: Mesh type 3, consisting of 445,385 elements, was selected as the optimal configuration, providing stable and mesh-independent results. The protective current was uniformly distributed across the ship hull surface, effectively preventing localized corrosion. The cathodic protection system maintained stable performance under varying environmental conditions, including changes in salinity, temperature, and water flow velocity; the maximum reduction in protection level was only 0.37%. Among the evaluated parameters, salinity had the greatest impact on system performance, while flow velocity showed the least influence.
Conclusions: The designed ICCP system demonstrated high stability and effectiveness against corrosion. The integration of numerical modeling and the Taguchi method provides a scientific