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Reducing PFCs with Local Anode Effect Detection and Independently Controlled Feeders in Aluminum Reduction Cells

  • Bauxite to Aluminum: Advances, Automation, and Alternative Processes
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Abstract

The global warming potential of perfluorocarbons (PFCs) is much higher than that of CO2 in the aluminum reduction industry; hence, the release of PFCs is becoming increasingly regulated. Mitigation of PFC release by reducing anode effects (AEs) occurring during aluminum reduction is challenging. In this study, online anode current measurements were conducted at the anode beam of 400-kA cells, following which a simple local AE detection model was developed for AE prediction. A satisfactory AE true positive prediction rate of 80.3% was obtained in an industrial test. An independently controlled feeder strategy was then developed and applied to cells integrated with the local AE detection and prevention. The results show that the process provides an improved current efficiency with low direct current power consumption. Finally, the immense potential to reduce AE is confirmed with twinkling AEs and normal AEs, and daily AE duration decreased by 42.8%, 60%, and 56.9%, respectively.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for the financial supports from the Chongqing Science and Technology Commission (cstc2018jcyjAX0769), the Research Foundation of Yangtze Normal University (Nos. 2016XJQN33, 2017QNRC07 and 2017KYQD40), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51674300, 61533020, and 51874365).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Materials Science and Engineering, Yangtze Normal University, No. 16, Juxian Road, Fuling, Chongqing, 408100, People’s Republic of China

    Shuai Yang

  2. School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, No. 932, Lushan South Road, Changsha, 410083, People’s Republic of China

    Shuai Yang, Hongliang Zhang, Zhong Zou & Jie Li

  3. School of Metallurgical Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, No. 932, Hongqi Road, Ganzhou, 341000, People’s Republic of China

    Xiaochong Zhong

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  1. Shuai Yang
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  2. Hongliang Zhang
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Correspondence to Shuai Yang.

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Yang, S., Zhang, H., Zou, Z. et al. Reducing PFCs with Local Anode Effect Detection and Independently Controlled Feeders in Aluminum Reduction Cells. JOM 72, 229–238 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-019-03786-0

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