Which anode type is typically associated with seawater in applications like water heaters?

In applications involving seawater, such as water heaters, aluminum anodes are preferred due to their favorable electrochemical properties and resistance to corrosion in saline environments. Aluminum anodes provide effective cathodic protection by sacrificing themselves to protect the metal of the water heater from corrosion.

Their lightweight nature and high efficiency make aluminum anodes particularly suitable for environments where weight is a consideration, such as in marine applications. Additionally, aluminum exhibits a lower electrochemical potential than the metals typically used in construction, which enhances its capability to prevent corrosion effectively in seawater conditions.

This combination of properties makes aluminum anodes a common choice for providing cathodic protection in marine and seawater applications, as they balance the need for effective corrosion control with performance efficiency. In contrast, while magnesium and zinc anodes have their own applications for different environments, they are less effective than aluminum for seawater situations. Carbon anodes, on the other hand, are generally not used as sacrificial anodes in this context.