Electrolytic cell for the production of aluminum by fused salt electrolysis
AssigneeSwiss Aluminium Ltd.
InventorsRudolf Pawlek, Peter Lagler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The precipitated liquid metal in a cell for the electrolytic production of aluminum contains, with the exception of its uppermost, freely moveable layer, an electrically conductive granular material. At least one trough containing molten electrolyte saturated with aluminum oxide is provided outwith the vertical projection of the anode or anodes. The top of the trough lies above the surface of the liquid metal, but is always at least partly below the surface of the electrolyte. The direct electric current is conducted away from the molten metal by cathode elements which are wet by aluminum.
Claims18
An electrolytic cell for use in the production of aluminum comprising:
- a pot having a floor and sidewalls;
- a melt of liquid aluminum positioned within said pot on said floor having a top surface at a height h.sub.1 with respect to said floor;
- a molten electrolyte positioned within said pot on said melt having a top surface at a height h.sub.2 with respect to said floor;
- at least one vertically projecting anode positioned within said pot and in said molten electrolyte such that the top surface of said melt is a distance d from the bottom surface of said at least one vertically projecting anode;
- melt movement suppression means provided within said pot and in said melt having a top surface at a distance h.sub.3 with respect to said floor wherein h.sub.3 <h.sub.1 such that the top surface of said melt movement suppression means is a distance a from said top surface of said melt;
- and
- trough means radially spaced from said at least one vertically projecting anode having a top edge at a distance h.sub.4 with respect to said floor wherein h.sub.1 <h.sub.4 <h.sub.2 such that the interior of said trough is separated from said melt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.