Aluminum smelter including cells with cathode output at the bottom of the pot shell and cell stabilizing means

Abstract

Aluminum smelter comprising: (i) a series of electrolytic cells, comprising an anode, a cathode and a pot shell equipped with a side wall and a bottom, each cathode including at least one cathode output, (ii) a main electric circuit through which an electrolysis current passes, including an electrical conductor connected to each cathode output of a cell N, and to the anode of a cell N+1, and (iii) a means to stabilize the electrolytic cells. At least one of the cathode outputs of the cathode of N passes through the bottom of the pot shell, and during the operation of N and N+1, the electrolysis current passes, in an upstream-downstream direction only, through each electrical conductor extending from each cathode output of N in the direction of N+1.

1 . An aluminum smelter comprising:
 (i) a series of electrolytic cells, designed for the production of aluminum according to a Hall-Heroult process,   each electrolytic cell comprising at least one anode, a cathode and a pot shell provided with a side wall and a bottom, the cathode comprising at least one cathode output;   (ii) a main electric circuit through which electrolysis current passes, electrically connecting the electrolytic cells together,   the electrolysis current initially passing through an electrolytic cell N, placed upstream, and secondly through an electrolytic cell N+1, placed downstream,   said main electric circuit comprising an electrical conductor connected to each cathode output of the electrolytic cell N,   the electrical conductor also being connected to at least one anode of the electrolytic cell N+1, in order to convey the electrolysis current from electrolytic cell N to electrolytic cell N+1; and   (iii) at least one means to stabilize the electrolytic cells selected from the group consisting of at least one secondary electric circuit through which an electric current passes, so as to compensate the magnetic field created by the electrolysis current, and a cathode with a grooved surface,   such that   at least one of the cathode outputs of the cathode of the electrolytic cell N passes through the bottom of the pot shell, and   during operation of the electrolytic cells N and N+1, the electrolysis current passes, in an upstream-downstream direction only, through each electrical conductor extending from each cathode output of the electrolytic cell N in the direction of the electrolytic cell N+1.   
     
     
         2 . The aluminum smelter according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the electrolytic cells are aligned along an axis, and in that the electrical conductor extends in a substantially rectilinear manner and in a manner substantially parallel to the axis of alignment of the electrolytic cells. 
     
     
         3 . The aluminum smelter according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one cathode output of each cathode passes through a downstream side wall of the pot shell. 
     
     
         4 . The aluminum smelter according to  claim 3 , characterized in that each cathode output passing through the downstream side wall of the pot shell of the electrolytic cell N comprises a metal bar with a copper insert or plate. 
     
     
         5 . The aluminum smelter according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the pot shell of the electrolytic cell N comprises several arches secured to the side wall and to the bottom of the pot shell, the electrical conductors connected to each cathode output passing through the bottom of the pot shell of the electrolytic cell N extending between the arches. 
     
     
         6 . The aluminum smelter according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the electrolytic cells include short-circuiting means. 
     
     
         7 . The aluminum smelter according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the short-circuiting means of the electrolytic cell N+1 comprise at least a short-circuiting electrical conductor placed permanently between electrolytic cell N and electrolytic cell N+1, each short-circuiting electrical conductor being electrically connected to one of the electrical conductors connected to one of the cathode outputs of the electrolytic cell passing through the bottom of the shell of the electrolytic cell N+1, and each short-circuiting electrical conductor being located a short distance from the electrical conductors connected to one of the cathode outputs of the electrolytic cell N. 
     
     
         8 . The aluminum smelter according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the short-circuiting means of the electrolytic cell N+1 comprise at least a short-circuiting electrical conductor placed permanently between electrolytic cell N and electrolytic cell N+1, each short-circuiting electrical conductor being electrically connected to one of the electrical conductors connected to one of the cathode outputs of the electrolytic cell passing through the bottom of the shell of the electrolytic cell N, and each short-circuiting electrical conductor being located a short distance from the electrical conductors connected to one of the cathode outputs of the electrolytic cell N+1. 
     
     
         9 . The aluminum smelter according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one secondary electric circuit comprises electrical conductors running along at least one line of the electrolytic cells at a right and/or left side of the electrolytic cells. 
     
     
         10 . The aluminum smelter according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one secondary electric circuit comprises electrical conductors extending along at least one line of the electrolytic cells, under said electrolytic cells. 
     
     
         11 . The aluminum smelter according to  claim 9 , characterized in that the electrical conductors of the at least one secondary electric circuit are made of a superconducting material. 
     
     
         12 . The aluminum smelter according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the electrical conductors of the at least one secondary electric circuit run along the electrolytic cells or the at least one line of the electrolytic cells at least two times. 
     
     
         13 . The aluminum smelter according to  claim 4 , characterized in that the metal bar is made of steel. 
     
     
         14 . The aluminum smelter according to  claim 10 , characterized in that the electrical conductors of the at least one secondary electric circuit are made of a superconducting material. 
     
     
         15 . The aluminum smelter according to  claim 14 , characterized in that the electrical conductors of the at least one secondary electric circuit run along the electrolytic cells or the at least one line of the electrolytic cells at least two times.