US2584565A - Fused bath electrolytic cell for the production and refining of metals - Google Patents

Fused bath electrolytic cell for the production and refining of metals Download PDF

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Publication number
US2584565A
US2584565A US689921A US68992146A US2584565A US 2584565 A US2584565 A US 2584565A US 689921 A US689921 A US 689921A US 68992146 A US68992146 A US 68992146A US 2584565 A US2584565 A US 2584565A
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channel
pan
cell
metal
metals
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US689921A
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English (en)
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Ferrand Louis
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25C—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION, RECOVERY OR REFINING OF METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25C3/00—Electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metals by electrolysis of melts
    • C25C3/06—Electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metals by electrolysis of melts of aluminium
    • C25C3/08—Cell construction, e.g. bottoms, walls, cathodes

Definitions

  • the sole which provides the negative pole of the cell is made up of assembled carbon blocks in the inside of which metal .parts are secured in various Ways that serve to lead in the electric current.
  • the cell providing the subject-matter of this invention which is designed for the electrical production or refining of metals, is arranged with the particular view of minimizing the voltage drop in the sole while decreasing as much as possible the power losses occurring between thev melted mass present in the cell or oven and the external current-intake members.
  • This cell belongs to ⁇ the class wherein the pan or Crucible is lagged with carbon on the inside thereof and wherein at least one of the electrodes or pole-pieces is located at the periphery of the cell.
  • the electrolytic cell according to this invention designed for the production or the electrolytic rening of metals and comprizing a carbonlagged pan and at least one fixed electrode located at the periphery thereof, is characterised in that the current is led between the metal processed in the cell and the said electrode in such manner that the voltage drop shall be extremely small, in order that the heat-power loss by conduction may be substantially equal to the electric power loss attending the passage of the current.
  • Figures 1 to 4 relate to a rst embodiment of a cell designed for the electrolytic production of aluminum, Figs. 1 and 2 being fractional vertical sections taken on lines I-I and II-II inFig. 3; Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical sectional views taken on lines III-III and IV-IV in Fig.r l.
  • the materials processed in the said cell are indicated merely by the levels reached thereby in the various parts of the cell.
  • Figures 5, 6 and'7 illustrate an,V electrodain eltatenal. cross-sectional' andv top plan'vtvieu respectively, t
  • Figure 8 is a fractional cross sectional view of the cell pan.
  • Figure 9 is a chart relating to the heat and electric losses.
  • Figure 10 is a vertical section of an electrolytic reiining cell with tivo metal layers.
  • the cell pan walls comprise layers of refractory materials 'l and layers of heat-insulating materials 8, 2li; they are lagged at the inside thereof with a carbon layer providing the sole of the cell. Cut in the top face of the sole are channels 20 (Figs. 3 and 7) which lead at one end thereof into a cavity provided in the sole.
  • a channel I0, 2I which is divided at 2I in two branch channels 22, I3 that lead into two cavities 23' that contain the negative electrodes It.
  • the various portions of said channel whose dimensions are chosen with particular care, are filled with metal to serve as a passage for the electric current which is fed into the cell pan or Crucible through positive electrodes i which generally are made of carbon.
  • 3v indicates the level of the liquid metal within the cell in operation, 23 the level of melted cryolite.
  • 3a Figs. Zand 3
  • the electrodes I are immersed in the bath and extend downwards to a few centimeters short of level 3, .Whilst the electrodes Ilirare almost entirely immersed in the metal present in cavities 23.
  • the branched channell lil, 2l, 22, i3, 23 may be likened to one single channel having a Ylength L and a constant section S, the length L being reckoned from cavity 25 'to either electrode lli, the distances to the branch point being' the same'for both, whilst section S is twice the mean section of portions 22, I3.
  • Fig. 9 shows how the said losses would vary in such a channel having a constant section throughout by varying the said section from zero upwards, the length L remaining constant.
  • the sections are plotted as abscissae and the losses calculated in calories are plotted as ordinates.
  • Curve I represents the losses by heat conduction; it is a straight line that starts from the origin; curve II, an equilateral hyperbola, represents the electric losses. The latter nd their minimum at the intersection of curves I and Il, i. e. at that point where the losses in caloric energy are equal to the losses in electric energy in the channel considered.
  • Joules effect is excessive (channel undersized in section) and the requirement stated above (the latter temperature being slightly higher than the surrounding temperature) is no longer complied with.
  • the temperature of the pole pieces I4 and of the free surface ofthe metal surrounding the same will rise until balance is reached between the thermal energy liberated by Joules effect in the channel itself and the thermal energy dissipated by convection and radiation from the end surfaces into the air. However, no thermal energy is borrowed from the cell itself.
  • Joules effect is self-supporting. The conditions then are those of unsatisfactory operation from the electrical point of View.
  • the abscissa of line III is that optimum section So with which Joules effect is barely suflicient to cover the heat losses occurring in the channel without any borrowing from the cell itself, whilst the pole pieces I4 and the surface 26 of the surrounding metal are kept at normal temperature. Said optimum section determines the minimum electric losses acceptable without the risk of excessiveheat losses, part of which would then have to be covered by the cell itself.
  • channels I3 whose section is decidedly lower than and whose length is comparatively small, so that they will allow but little heat to flow from channels 22 to recesses 23 whilst only small electrical losses will be set up thereby; upon the whole, the length and section of channels I3 can easily be determined in such manner that the corresponding thermal and electrical losses shall be equivalent.
  • vertically adjustable partitions 29 in the form of refractory flagstones may be provided between said chamber and channels 22; owing to the heat-screening properties of said partitions, saine will enable the alteration of the thermal conductivity of the whole structure without substantially modifying the electric resistance, and consequently connecting the temperature distribution.
  • a gas burner (not shown) may be arranged at I6 above tap-hole I5 to heat the upper layers of the metal present in chamber 2
  • the metal converts gradually to the solid state' in the narrow and comparatively deep channels 22.
  • electrodes I4 made of manganese-steel contributes to lessening the thermal and electrical losses, since not only has such a steel a thermal conductivity which is from 5 up to 16 times less than that of aluminum andv from 3 to 10 times less than that of graphite (depending on the qualities employed), but it also possesses an electric conductivity which is about 35 times higher than that of graphite.
  • is provided in the middle of one single face of the cell, but it should be understood that one or several compartments similarly arranged could be provided at one or several other points in the perimeter of the cell, either in the middle of the sides or at the corners, etc. Moreover, it is not necessary that each channel leading from the pan should be branched.
  • the invention is not limited to the use of a cell for the electric melting of aluminum or 6 like metals vfrom cryolite or other materials for instance, it extends to the use of the cell for the electrolytic refining of metals.
  • Figure 10 illustrates av cell according to the invention designed for electrolytic rening processes in two metal layers; the lower anodic layer 3I .consisting of raw metal is connected here with the plus pole in the same way as in the preceding embodiment, the metal in the pan being connected with the minus pole while the cathodic upper layer 32 made up of rened metal is conneeted with the minus pole through a system of channels similar to the channels I0, 2l, 22, I3.
  • the connecting channel It' here is located at the upper portion of the pan, on a level with layer 32, its bottom 9 thus being located slightly above the plane 3 that separates the cathodic layer from the eiectroiyte layer 3'3I comprized between the two metal layers.
  • III here designates the positive electrodes and I 4 the negative electrodes; the current flows in the direction shown by the arrows.
  • a fused bath electrolytic cell for the production and rening of metals, said cell being ci the type comprising a pan adapted to contain in its bottom a body of metal constituting one pole of the cell, a wall structure surrounding said pan, and an electrode xedly secured within a cavity in said wall structure beyond the outer periphery of said pan
  • the improved means for conducting an electric current from the body of metal in said pan to Said electrode comprising a rst channel in said wall structure extending from a level lower than the bottom of said pan to the top of said wall structure, a lower channel connecting the bottom of said pan to the bottom of said first channel, a substantially horizontal upper channel connecting an intermediate point of the first channel with the bottom of said cavity, and a vertically adjustable refractory partition of heat-insulating material disposed in said first channel between the lower channel and the upper channel for adjustably controlling the effective cross-section and thereby the thermal conductivity of the current path between said metal and said electrode.
  • a fused bath electrolytic cell for the production and rening of metals, said cell being of the type comprising a pan adapted to contain in its bottom a body of metal constituting one pole of the cell, a wall structure surrounding said pan, and electrodes fxedly secured within respective cavities in said wall structure beyond the outer periphery of said pan, the improved means for conducting electric current from the body of metal in said pan to said electrodes, comprising anrst channel in said wall structure extending from a level lower than the bottom of said pan to the top of said wall structure, a lower channel l connecting the bottom of said pan to the bottom of said first channel, a pair of substantially horlzontal upper channels connecting intermediate -points of the first channel withV therespective bottoms of said cavities, the cross-sectional area of said lower channel being substantially less than the cross-sectional area of said pan and substantially less than the cross-sectional area 'of each of said cavities and the total crosssectional areaJ of said upper channels being equal to the cross-sectional area

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Electrolytic Production Of Metals (AREA)
  • Vertical, Hearth, Or Arc Furnaces (AREA)
US689921A 1943-08-11 1946-08-12 Fused bath electrolytic cell for the production and refining of metals Expired - Lifetime US2584565A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR898817X 1943-08-11

Publications (1)

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US2584565A true US2584565A (en) 1952-02-05

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US (1) US2584565A (fr)
CH (1) CH263330A (fr)
DE (1) DE898817C (fr)
FR (1) FR982981A (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2685566A (en) * 1949-08-25 1954-08-03 Pechiney Prod Chimiques Sa Molten metal electrolysis cells
US2866743A (en) * 1955-12-30 1958-12-30 Aluminium Ind Ag Device for the current supply to the cathodic layer in three-layer aluminium refining cells
FR2709498A1 (fr) * 1993-09-03 1995-03-10 Vaw Ver Aluminium Werke Ag Procédé et installation d'affinage d'aluminium.

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US795886A (en) * 1905-04-01 1905-08-01 Anson Gardner Betts Making aluminium.
US1815977A (en) * 1927-05-23 1931-07-28 Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co Apparatus for making glass
US1833806A (en) * 1928-02-04 1931-11-24 Aluminium Ind Ag Electrolytic refining of aluminum
US2407691A (en) * 1938-04-08 1946-09-17 Suchy Robert Cell for the production of metals by electrolysis of fused electrolytes

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US795886A (en) * 1905-04-01 1905-08-01 Anson Gardner Betts Making aluminium.
US1815977A (en) * 1927-05-23 1931-07-28 Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co Apparatus for making glass
US1833806A (en) * 1928-02-04 1931-11-24 Aluminium Ind Ag Electrolytic refining of aluminum
US2407691A (en) * 1938-04-08 1946-09-17 Suchy Robert Cell for the production of metals by electrolysis of fused electrolytes

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2685566A (en) * 1949-08-25 1954-08-03 Pechiney Prod Chimiques Sa Molten metal electrolysis cells
US2866743A (en) * 1955-12-30 1958-12-30 Aluminium Ind Ag Device for the current supply to the cathodic layer in three-layer aluminium refining cells
FR2709498A1 (fr) * 1993-09-03 1995-03-10 Vaw Ver Aluminium Werke Ag Procédé et installation d'affinage d'aluminium.

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE898817C (de) 1953-12-03
FR982981A (fr) 1951-06-18
CH263330A (fr) 1949-08-31

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