It is known that, in addition to corrosion processes, the generation of electrochemical noise (EN) can be
caused by other disturbances such as mass transfer and flow turbulence. In this work the effect of
laminar and turbulent flow on the generation of electrochemical noise has been studied using a carbon
steel rotating cylinder electrode (RCE) in aerated sodium chloride solution and in inhibited solution. EN
experiments have been performed in free corrosion conditions (i.e. no applied current), and with applied
cathodic polarisation in the regions of hydrogen evolution and oxygen reduction.
It has been found that laminar flow had a negligible effect on the noise produced, but a significant
increase in the amplitude of the noise was observed in turbulent flow, particularly when the electrode
was cathodically polarized. Spectral analysis showed that the noise produced by turbulent flow had
power at significantly higher frequencies than is normal for corrosion-related noise.
Keywords: electrochemical noise, flow, steel, sodium chloride solution