Conception of "dream CELL" in aluminium electrolysis

Abstract

The behavior of bubbles was studied in a three-phase mixture of alumina, gas and bath (an investigation in a water model). Thermal and electrical balances were calculated for a lowtemperature aluminium cell with bipolar electrodes. The decomposition of alumina dissolved in the AlF3–KF–Al2O3 bath is considered as the basis of cell operation. The cell is designed for the use of vertically oriented bipolar inert anodes. The specific productivity (kg per m3) of such a cell is several times higher than the productivity of a traditional cell. The specific power consumption is about 13 kWh/kg Al. The anode-cathode space (ACS) is filled with a slurry containing more than 30% of alumina.