Cathode collector bar of an aluminium production cell

Abstract

An aluminium production cell is equipped with an optimized current collector bar designed to reduce the energy consumption and increase the cell lifetime. The cell comprises a carbon cathode (7, 9) with an elongated cathode current collector bar (1, 13, 24) of highly electrically conductive metal in particular copper, provided with an outer protective layer (15) of a temperature-resistant metal in particular steel that is in contact with the carbon cathode (7, 9). Optimization is achieved by coating the cathode current collector bar (1, 13, 24) of highly electrically conductive metal with a carbon-based layer (14, 22) comprising ramming paste alone or with carbon particles, carbon pieces, solid carbon layers, carbon paste and/or carbon glue containing electrically conductive particles, the outer protective layer (15) of temperature-resistant metal being disposed over and/or around the carbon-based layer (4, 22).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.