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Fundamental Loss of Current Efficiency During Aluminium Electrolysis and Its Correlation with Sodium Content Dissolved in the Aluminium

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Light Metals 2024 (TMS 2024)

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Abstract

Primary aluminium producers are inclined to maximize the cells’ current efficiency in order to enhance metal production and reduce production cost. For timely decisions, sodium content of the cathodic aluminium has been used as a performance indicator related to individual cell performances. This paper pinpoints the straightforward quantitative theoretical relation which exists between sodium content and current efficiency. This relation is based on the fundamental thermodynamics of the changing bath composition in the boundary layers and on mass transfers at the anodic and cathodic interfaces. Few simplifying hypotheses are used to predict the cell’s optimal current efficiency under a specific set of operating conditions. The proposed calculation methodology is described and a critical discussion is performed to highlight the impact of different factors on the current efficiency along with future considerations necessary to improve the current efficiency estimations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. GRIPS, Université du Québec À Chicoutimi, 555 Boulevard de L’université, Chicoutimi, QC, G7H 2B1, Canada

    Lukas Dion

  2. 1685 Castner, G7S 3A5, Jonquière, QC, Canada

    Paul Desclaux

Authors
  1. Lukas Dion
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  2. Paul Desclaux
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Correspondence to Lukas Dion .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Oculatus Consulting, Marietta, GA, USA

    Samuel Wagstaff

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Dion, L., Desclaux, P. (2024). Fundamental Loss of Current Efficiency During Aluminium Electrolysis and Its Correlation with Sodium Content Dissolved in the Aluminium. In: Wagstaff, S. (eds) Light Metals 2024. TMS 2024. The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50308-5_81

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