Abstract
The energy consumption for aluminum production by the Hall-Héroult process has been significantly improved during the last few decades. This has been achieved mainly as a result of improved cell design and suitable process control strategies that have allowed higher cell currents and smaller anode-cathode distance (ACD). Without taking suitable corrective actions, operations at lower ACD conditions can negatively impact aluminum re-oxidation, by-pass current, alumina dissolution and anode effect rates. Superior operational practices are therefore required to maintain acceptably low instability levels along with lower specific energy consumption. This paper discusses anode effect fundamentals and greenhouse gas emissions in relation with industrial cells operating at low ACD at the Aluminerie Alouette plant in Quebec.
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Additional information
Pascal Coursol, Technology Manager, Patrick Coulombe, Casting Center Manager, Serge Gosselin, Reduction Manager, and Dany Lavoie, Technical Superintendant-Reduction, are all with Aluminerie Alouette. Jean-Marc Simard, Exaprom, and Jerry Marks, J. Marks and Associates, are independent consultants. Sylvain Fardeau is with the ALPSYS development team at Rio Tinto Alcan.
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Coursol, P., Coulombe, P., Gosselin, S. et al. Impact of operations at low anode-cathode distance on energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions at Aluminerie Alouette. JOM 63, 109–115 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-011-0121-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-011-0121-3