Use of recuperative heating for start-up of electrolytic cells with inert anodes
AssigneeAlcoa Inc.
InventorRoy A. Christini
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is directed to methods for preheating a molten salt electrolysis cell having inert anodes (24) using recuperative gas heating by combusting a first gas outside the cell chamber (20) in a combustion chamber (2) and using to heat a second gas in recuperator (8) which second gas us passed to the cell chamber (20). The inert anode can be a cermet inert anode.
Claims22
A method for preheating by recuperative gas heating a molten salt electrolysis cell having a chamber and an inert anode, comprising:
- (a) combusting a first gas outside of the cell chamber, said combusting producing heated products of combustion;
- b) passing the heated products of combustion of said first gas through a gas recuperator comprised of fire brick;
- c) heating a second gas in the gas recuperator without contacting the products of combustion of the first gas;
- and
- d) transferring the heated second gas to the cell chamber.
A method for preheating by recuperative gas heating an electrolysis cell including a cell chamber, a molten salt bath, and an inert anode, comprising
- a) combusting a first gas outside the cell chamber, said combusting producing heated products of combustion,
- b) passing said heated products of combustion through a gas recuperator,
- c) heating a second gas in die gas recuperator so that said second gas does not contact said heated products of combustion,
- d) transferring the heated second gas to the cell chamber, and
- e) restricting passage of said second gas from said cell for a period of time sufficient to heat the cell components.
A method for preheating by recuperative gas heating an electrolysis cell for alumina production having carbon-containing cell components and a cell chamber and an inert anode, comprising
- a) applying a protective layer to said carbon-containing cell components,
- b) combusting a first gas outside the cell chamber, said combusting producing heated products of combustion,
- c) passing said heated products of combustion through a gas recuperator,
- d) heating a second gas in the gas recuperator without contacting said heated products of combustion, and
- e) transferring the heated second gas to the cell chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.