Module busbar arrangement for powerful aluminum electrolytic cells

Abstract

A busbar arrangement for an electrolytic cell utilized for the production of aluminum by electrolysis of molten cryolite salt where the cells are arranged in a side-by-side relationship. In the busbar, the upstream cathode collector and the downstream cathode collector of the upstream cell, the electric connecting arrangements, and the anode risers associated with the downstream cell are combined in the individual busbar modules. In each module, at least one anode riser is situated at the upstream side of the downstream cell and at least one anode riser is situated at the downstream side of the downstream cell. The anode risers at the upstream side are connected to the cathode rods of the upstream and downstream sides of the upstream cell. The anode risers at the downstream side of the downstream cell are connected to the cathode rods and cathode collectors of the downstream side of the upstream cell. The upstream and downstream anode risers are substantially symmetrical about the short planar axis of the cell.

1 . A busbar arrangement for electrical connection between two successive cells in a series of cells arranged in two rows in a side-by-side configuration and adopted for the production of aluminum by electrolysis, comprising: 
 an upstream cell and a downstream cell, an anode busbar of at least said downstream cell connected to anodes by respective anode bars, said anode busbar having an upstream side and downstream side;    a cathode busbar of at least said upstream cell comprising a plurality of cathode rods extending outwardly from a cathode shell for connection with respective upstream and down-stream cathode collecting conduits, flexible electrical conductors being provided between said cathode rods and the respective upstream and downstream cathode collecting conduits; and a plurality of current supply conductors or risers associated with the anode busbar of the downstream cell; and    said busbar arrangement further comprising upstream and downstream cathode collecting conduits of the upstream cell, connecting busbars, the anode risers associated with the downstream cell are joined so as to form a plurality of integral busbar modules; in each said module at least one anode riser is associated with the upstream side and at least one anode riser is associated with the downstream side of the anode busbar of the downstream cell; said at least one anode riser at the upstream side of the downstream cell is connected to the cathode rods and the respective upstream and downstream cathode collecting conduits of the upstream cell, whereas said at least one anode risers at the downstream side of the downstream cell is connected with the cathode rods and the respective downstream cathode collecting conduit of the upstream cell.    
   
   
       2 . The busbar arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein each said module is adapted for passing between 10 and 100 percent of the potline current.  
   
   
       3 . The busbar arrangement of  claim 2 , wherein each said module is adapted for passing between 18 and 30 percent of the potline current.  
   
   
       4 . The busbar arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one anode risers at the upstream side is adapted to distribute between ½ and ¾ of the module current.  
   
   
       5 . The busbar arrangement of  claim 4 , wherein said at least one anode risers at the downstream side are adapted to distribute between ½ and ¼ of the module current.  
   
   
       6 . The busbar arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one upstream and down stream anode risers are symmetrical about the short transverse axis of the downstream cell.  
   
   
       7 . The busbar arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein said connecting busbars are disposed under a bottom portion of said upstream cell and at least a portion of the connecting busbars of the outer modules envelopes the end portion of the respective cell, so as to extend at least at the level of molten metal in said cell.  
   
   
       8 . The busbar arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein there are more cathode rods at the upstream side connected to the collecting busbars at the portion of the cell closest to the neighbor row than the connecting busbars at the other end.  
   
   
       9 . The busbar of  claim 1 , wherein the electric connecting busbar is disposed under the bottom portion of the cell and at least a portion of the connecting busbar of the outer modules envelopes the end areas of the respective cells so as to be located at least at the level of the molten metal within the cell.  
   
   
       10 . The busbar arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein a vertically oriented component of the magnetic field Bz is directed upwardly in a left hand head of the electrolytic cell, according to direction of the current in the potline, said vertical component of the magnetic field is directed downwardly in the right hand head of the cell.  
   
   
       11 . The busbar arrangement of  claim 10 , wherein horizontal sections of said at least one downstream anode riser, the connecting busbars of the outer modules, and the cathode rods with the respective flexible electrical conductors at the upstream side of the upstream cell create in the melt the vertical component of the magnetic fields Bz directed downwardly at the left hand head of the cell and upwardly at the right hand head of the cell.  
   
   
       12 . The busbar arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein each horizontal section of said at least one upstream riser and said at least one downstream riser create in the melt on the right side from their location, according to the direction of the electrical current in the riser, a magnetic field directed downwardly relative to the axis Bz and directed upwardly relative to the axis Bz on the left side from their location.