Systems and methods for purifying aluminum

A method comprising:

• (a) feeding an aluminum feedstock into a cell access channel of an aluminum electrolysis cell, wherein the aluminum electrolysis cell comprises a molten metal pad zone and an electrolyte zone, and wherein the feeding comprises providing the aluminum feedstock to the molten metal pad zone;
• (b) directing an electric current into an anode through an electrolyte and into a cathode, wherein the anode comprises a solid elongate vertical anode, and wherein the cathode comprises an elongate vertical cathode, wherein both the anode and the cathode are in fluid communication with the electrolyte zone, wherein the anode and cathode extend into the electrolyte zone such that, within the electrolyte zone, the anode and cathode realize an anode-cathode overlap and an anode-cathode distance;
• (c) wetting at least a portion of a surface of the solid elongate vertical anode with a molten material from the molten metal pad zone, wherein the molten material comprises aluminum metal;
• (d) concomitant with directing the electric current, producing at least some aluminum ions in the electrolyte zone via the aluminum metal on the surface of the solid elongate vertical anode;
• and
• (e) concomitant with directing the electric current step, reducing at least some of the aluminum ions in the electrolyte zone at a surface of the elongate vertical cathode, thereby producing a purified aluminum product;
• wherein the solid elongate vertical anode is in direct fluid communication with the electrolyte zone via a thin layer of the aluminum metal located on at least a portion of the surface of the solid elongate vertical anode.