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US20140209457A1 - Aluminum smelter comprising electrical conductors made from a superconducting material - Google Patents

Aluminum smelter comprising electrical conductors made from a superconducting material Download PDF

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Publication number
US20140209457A1
US20140209457A1 US14/232,125 US201214232125A US2014209457A1 US 20140209457 A1 US20140209457 A1 US 20140209457A1 US 201214232125 A US201214232125 A US 201214232125A US 2014209457 A1 US2014209457 A1 US 2014209457A1
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
superconducting material
electrical
aluminum smelter
aluminum
electrical circuit
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US14/232,125
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English (en)
Inventor
Christian Duval
Steeve Renaudier
Benoit Bardet
Olivier Martin
Stéphane Wan Tang Kuan
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Rio Tinto Alcan International Ltd
Original Assignee
Rio Tinto Alcan International Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from FR1102198A external-priority patent/FR2977899A1/fr
Priority claimed from FR1102199A external-priority patent/FR2977898A1/fr
Application filed by Rio Tinto Alcan International Ltd filed Critical Rio Tinto Alcan International Ltd
Assigned to RIO TINTO ALCAN INTERNATIONAL LIMITED reassignment RIO TINTO ALCAN INTERNATIONAL LIMITED ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: DUVAL, CHRISTIAN, BARDET, Benoit, MARTIN, OLIVIER, RENAUDIER, Steeve, WAN TANG KUAN, Stéphane
Publication of US20140209457A1 publication Critical patent/US20140209457A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • 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
    • 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
    • C25C3/16—Electric current supply devices, e.g. bus bars
    • 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
    • C25C3/20—Automatic control or regulation of cells

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an aluminum smelter, and more particularly the electrical conductor system for an aluminum smelter.
  • An electrolytic cell comprising in particular a steel pot shell, an inner refractory lining, and a cathode of carbon material connected to conductors delivering the electrolysis current is provided for this purpose.
  • the electrolytic cell also contains an electrolytic bath comprising mainly cryolite in which alumina is dissolved.
  • the Hall-Héroult process consists of partly plunging a carbon block comprising the anode into this electrolytic bath, the anode being consumed as the reaction progresses.
  • a pad of liquid aluminum forms at the bottom of the electrolytic cell.
  • plants for the production of aluminum comprise several hundred electrolytic cells.
  • a high electrolysis current of the order of several hundred thousand amperes passes through these electrolytic cells.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates from above an electrolytic cell 100 in which the magnetic field is self-compensated through the arrangement of conductors 101 connecting this cell 100 to the next downstream cell 102 .
  • conductors 101 are eccentric in relation to cell 100 around which they turn.
  • An example of a magnetically self-compensated cell is known in particular from patent document FR 2469475.
  • Another solution for reducing the vertical component of the magnetic field involves using a secondary electrical circuit formed by one or more metal electrical conductors.
  • This secondary electrical circuit conventionally runs along the alignment axis or axes of the electrolytic cells in the aluminum smelter.
  • a current of a intensity which is a particular percentage of the intensity of the electrolysis current passes through this and thus produces a magnetic field that compensates for the effects of the magnetic field created by the electrolysis current.
  • This invention therefore has the objective of remedying all or part of the disadvantages mentioned above and providing a solution to the problems encountered in an aluminum production plant by providing an aluminum smelter in which manufacturing and operating costs are substantially reduced and spatial requirements are smaller.
  • This invention therefore relates to an aluminum smelter comprising:
  • the said electricity supply station having two poles
  • the electrical conductor made of superconducting material is placed wholly or partly within an enclosure forming a magnetic shield.
  • At least one electrical conductor made of superconducting material makes it possible to reduce the overall energy consumption of the aluminum smelter, and therefore the operating costs of the aluminum smelter. Furthermore, because of their smaller size, electrical conductors made of superconducting material allow for better management of the space available within the aluminum smelter. Because their mass is less than that of equivalent conductors made of aluminum, copper or steel, electrical conductors made of superconducting material require smaller and therefore less costly supporting structures.
  • the layout of the electrical conductor made of superconducting material of the electrical circuit, in whole or in part, within an enclosure forming a magnetic shield has the advantage of preventing the electrical conductor made of superconducting material from generating a surrounding magnetic field.
  • the enclosure forming a magnetic shield may also be formed from superconducting material.
  • Superconducting materials form high-performance magnetic shields when kept below their critical temperature.
  • the electrical conductor made of superconducting material is formed of a cable comprising a central core of copper or aluminum, at least one fiber of superconducting material and a cryogenic casing.
  • a cooling fluid flows through the cryogenic casing.
  • cooling fluid is liquid nitrogen and/or helium.
  • the enclosure forming a magnetic shield is made of superconducting material and is laid out within the cryogenic casing of the cable forming the electrical conductor made of superconducting material.
  • This enclosure is therefore as close as possible to the electrical conductors made of superconducting material, so that the mass of the superconductive material of the enclosure is minimized and the superconducting material of the enclosure is kept below its critical temperature without the need to have another special cooling system.
  • the said electrical conductor made of superconducting material extends over a distance of ten meters or more.
  • an electrical conductor made of superconducting material is particularly advantageous when it is of a particular length, in particular of ten meters or more.
  • the electrical conductor made of superconducting material in the secondary electrical circuit is flexible and has at least one curved part.
  • the secondary electrical circuit may therefore comprise one or more portions that are not straight.
  • the flexibility of the electrical conductor made of superconducting material makes it possible to avoid obstacles (and so adjust to the spatial constraints of the aluminum smelter), but also to refine compensation of the magnetic field locally.
  • the enclosure forming the magnetic shield is located at least one of the extremities of the row or rows of electrolytic cells.
  • this also comprises at least one secondary electrical circuit along the row or rows of electrolysis cells through which a current passes, the said electrical conductor made of superconducting material forming part of the secondary electrical circuit and being positioned partly within the enclosure forming a magnetic shield.
  • the aluminum smelter according to the invention makes it possible to reduce the adverse effects of the magnetic field generated by the electrolysis current on the liquids present in the cells, achieving energy savings through the almost zero resistivity of the electrical conductors made of superconducting material which are kept below their critical temperature. It may seem paradoxical to make such a secondary electrical circuit specifically for the benefit provided by the magnetic field it generates and to hide this magnetic field generated on certain portions by placing it partly in an enclosure forming a magnetic shield. Depending on the configuration of the aluminum smelter, the magnetic field generated by the secondary electrical circuit is not beneficial throughout its length and it may be particularly advantageous to attenuate or cancel its effects on certain portions.
  • the electrical conductor made of superconducting material in the secondary electrical circuit runs along the row or rows of electrolysis cells at least twice in such a way as to make several turns in series.
  • the loop formed by the secondary electrical circuit thus runs along the row or rows of cells several times, and comprises several turns in series. This makes it possible to divide by the number of turns the intensity of the current flowing through the electrical conductor made of superconducting material and as a consequence to reduce the cost of the electricity supply station designed to deliver this current to the secondary electrical circuit and the cost of the junctions between the poles of the supply station and the electrical conductor made of superconducting material.
  • the electrical conductor made of superconducting material in the secondary electrical circuit comprises a single cryogenic casing, inside which the turns made by said electrical conductor made of superconducting material pass side by side.
  • a single cryogenic casing inside which the turns made by said electrical conductor made of superconducting material pass side by side.
  • the secondary electrical circuit comprises two extremities, each extremity of said secondary electrical circuit being connected to an electrical pole of a supply station which is not the same as the supply station for the main circuit.
  • the electrical conductor made of superconducting material in the secondary electrical circuit runs along the row or rows of electrolytic cells a predetermined number of times so that a secondary electrical circuit supply station delivering a current of intensity between 5 kA and 40 kA can be used.
  • the electrical conductor made of superconducting material therefore makes as many turns in series as are required for it to be possible to use a supply station which can be easily obtained commercially and which is economically beneficial.
  • At least a portion of the electrical conductor made of superconducting material of the secondary electrical circuit is arranged on or along the right-hand side and/or the left-hand side of the electrolytic cells of the row or rows.
  • the main electrical circuit comprises at least one electrical conductor made of superconducting material placed wholly or partly within the enclosure forming a magnetic shield.
  • the series of electrolytic cells comprises at least two rows of electrolytic cells, and the electrical conductor made of superconducting material of the main electrical circuit placed wholly or partly within the enclosure forming a magnetic shield connects two rows of electrolytic cells.
  • the main electrical circuit comprises two electrical conductors each connecting one pole of the supply station for the main electrical circuit to one extremity of the series of electrolytic cells and at least one of the two electrical conductors connecting one pole of the supply station to one extremity of the series of electrolytic cells is made of superconducting material and placed wholly or partly within the enclosure forming a magnetic shield
  • the series of electrolytic cells comprises a single row and the electrical conductor made of superconducting material in the main electrical circuit placed wholly or partly within the enclosure forming a magnetic shield connects one extremity of the row to one pole of the supply station of the said main electrical circuit.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagrammatical view from above of a state-of-the-art electrolytic cell
  • FIG. 2 is a side view of a state-of-the-art electrolytic cell
  • FIGS. 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 and 7 are diagrammatical views from above of an aluminum smelter in which at least one electrical conductor made of superconducting material is used in a secondary electrical circuit,
  • FIGS. 8 and 9 are diagrammatical views from above of an aluminum smelter in which an electrical conductor made of superconducting material is used in a secondary electrical circuit,
  • FIG. 10 is a partial diagrammatic view from above of an aluminum smelter in which the latter comprises a secondary electrical circuit equipped with a curved portion,
  • FIG. 13 is a diagrammatical view from above of an aluminum smelter with a single row of cells.
  • FIG. 2 shows a conventional example of an electrolytic cell 2 .
  • Electrolytic cell 2 in particular comprises a metal pot shell 3 , made, for example, of steel.
  • Metal pot shell 3 is lined internally with refractory and/or insulating materials, for example bricks.
  • Electrolytic cell 2 also has a cathode 6 made of carbon material and a plurality of anodes 7 which are designed to be consumed as the electrolysis reaction in an electrolytic bath 8 comprising in particular cryolite and alumina progresses.
  • a covering of alumina and crushed bath generally covers the electrolyte bath 8 and at least partially the anodes 7 .
  • a pad of liquid aluminum 10 is formed.
  • Cathode 6 is electrically connected to cathode outputs 9 in the form of metal bars passing through pot shell 3 , cathode outlets 9 being themselves connected to electrical conductors 11 from cell to cell. Electrical conductors 11 from cell to cell deliver electrolysis current I 1 from one electrolytic cell 2 to another. Electrolysis current I 1 passes through the conducting members of each electrolytic cell 2 : first an anode 7 , then electrolytic bath 8 , liquid aluminum pad 10 , cathode 6 and finally electrical conductors 11 from cell to cell connected to cathode outputs 9 , so that electrolysis current I 1 is then delivered to anode 7 in next electrolytic cell 2 .
  • the electrolytic cells 2 of an aluminum smelter 1 are conventionally arranged and electrically connected in series.
  • a series may include one or more rows of electrolytic cells 2 .
  • the series comprises several rows F, they are generally straight and parallel to each other, and are advantageously even in number.
  • Aluminum smelter 1 comprises a main electrical circuit 15 through which an electrolysis current I 1 flows.
  • the intensity of electrolysis current I 1 may reach values of the order of several hundred thousand amperes, for example of the order of from 300 kA to 600 kA.
  • a supply station 12 supplies the series of electrolytic cells 2 with electrolysis current I 1 .
  • the extremities of the series of electrolytic cells 2 are each connected to one electric pole of supply station 12 .
  • Linking electrical conductors 13 connect the electrical poles of supply station 12 to the extremities of the series.
  • Main electrical circuit 15 comprises linking electrical conductors 13 connecting the extremities of the series of electrolytic cells 2 to supply station 12 , linking electrical conductors 14 connecting rows F of electrolytic cells 2 to each other, electrical conductors 11 between cells connecting two electrolytic cells 2 in the same row F, and conducting elements of each electrolytic cell 2 .
  • Supply station 18 for each secondary circuit 16 , 17 is separate from supply station 12 for main circuit 15 .
  • These superconducting materials may for example comprise BiSrCaCuO, YaBaCuO, MgB2, materials known from patent applications WO 2008011184, US 20090247412 or yet other materials known for their superconducting properties.
  • Superconducting materials are used to carry current with little or no loss due to generation of heat by the Joule effect, because their resistivity is zero when they are kept below their critical temperature. Because there is no energy loss a maximum amount of the energy received by the aluminum smelter (for example 600 kA and 2 kV) can be delivered to main electrical circuit 15 which produces aluminum, and in particular the number of cells 2 can be increased.
  • a superconducting cable used to implement this invention comprises a central core of copper or aluminum, tapes or fibers of superconducting material, and a cryogenic casing.
  • the cryogenic casing may be formed of a sheath containing cooling fluid, for example liquid nitrogen.
  • the cooling fluid makes it possible to keep the temperature of the superconducting materials at a temperature below their critical temperature, for example below 100 K (Kelvin), or between 4 K and 80 K.
  • electrical conductors of superconducting material are particularly advantageous when they are of some length, and more particularly of a length of 10 m or more.
  • FIGS. 3 , 4 and 5 illustrate different possible embodiments of an aluminum smelter 1 according to the invention by way of non-exhaustive examples.
  • the electrical conductors made of superconducting material are illustrated by dotted lines.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates an aluminum smelter 1 comprising two secondary electrical circuits 16 and 17 , through which currents of intensity 12 and 13 each provided by a supply station 18 .
  • Currents I 2 and I 3 flow through secondary electrical circuits 16 and 17 respectively in the same direction as electrolysis current I 1 .
  • secondary electrical circuits 16 and 17 provide compensation for the magnetic field generated by electrical conductors 11 connecting cells.
  • the intensity of each of electrical currents I 2 , I 3 is great, for example between 20% and 100% of the intensity of electrolysis current I 1 and preferably 40% to 70%.
  • Aluminum smelter 1 illustrated in FIG. 4 comprises a secondary electrical circuit 17 forming an internal loop through which an electrical current I 3 flows.
  • Aluminum smelter 1 may comprise a secondary electrical circuit 16 , 17 having an electrical conductor made of superconducting material and running substantially at the same place advantageously at least twice the same row F of electrolytic cells 2 , so as to produce several turns in series, as may in particular be seen in FIGS. 6 and 7 .
  • the intensity of current I 2 , I 3 passing through secondary electrical circuit 16 , 17 can, for the same magnetic effect, be divided by as many times as the number of turns provided.
  • the reduction in this current intensity also makes it possible to reduce energy losses due to the Joule effect at junctions and the cost of junctions between electrical conductors made of superconducting material and the inputs or outputs of electrical conductors for the secondary electrical circuit 16 , 17 .
  • the decrease in the overall intensity of the current flowing through each secondary electrical circuit 16 , 17 with electrical conductors made of superconducting material makes it possible to reduce the size of supply station 18 associated with them.
  • the use of one or more turns in series to form the secondary electrical circuits 16 , 17 made of superconducting material has the advantage of reducing the magnetic fields on the route between supply station 18 and the first and last electrolytic cell 2 , because the current intensity along this route is low (a single pass of the electrical conductor).
  • Aluminum smelter 1 according to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 comprises a secondary electrical circuit 16 whose electrical conductors twice run in series the length of rows F of the series.
  • aluminum smelter 1 comprises a secondary electrical circuit 16 which runs down both the left and right-hand sides of electrolytic cells 2 in the series (the left and right-hand sides being defined in relation to an observer located on main electrical circuit 15 and looking in the direction of the overall flow of electrolysis current I 1 ).
  • the electrical conductors (made of superconducting material) of secondary electrical circuit 16 in aluminum smelter 1 illustrated in FIG. 7 make several turns in series, including two turns running along the left-hand sides of cells 2 in the series and three turns running along the right-hand sides. The number of turns may be twenty and thirty respectively.
  • This cryogenic casing may comprise a thermally-insulated sheath through which a cooling fluid circulates. In a given location, the cryogenic casing may contain several passages of the same electrical conductor made of superconducting material side by side.
  • Aluminum smelter 1 may therefore comprise one or more secondary electrical circuits 16 , 17 incorporating an electrical conductor made of superconducting material having at least one curved part. This makes it possible to pass around obstacles 19 present within aluminum smelter 1 , for example pillars, as may be seen in FIG. 10 .
  • This also makes it possible to make local adjustments to compensation of the magnetic field in aluminum smelter 1 by locally adjusting the position of the electrical conductor made of superconducting material in secondary electrical circuit or circuits 16 , 17 , as is permitted by the curved part 16 a of secondary electrical circuit 16 in aluminum smelter 1 which may be seen in FIG. 10 .
  • This flexibility makes it possible to move the electrical conductor made of superconducting material from its initial position to correct the magnetic field by adjusting to change in aluminum smelter 1 (for example an increase in the intensity of the electrolysis current I 1 , or to use the results of the most recent magnetic correction calculations made available through the new power of computers and general knowledge of the subject).
  • the electrical conductors made of superconducting material in secondary electrical circuit or circuits 16 , 17 may be located beneath electrolytic cells 2 . I In particular, they may be buried. This arrangement is made possible by the small size of electrical conductors made of superconducting material and by the fact that they do not heat up. This arrangement would be difficult to achieve with electrical conductors made of aluminum or copper because they are of larger size for the same current intensity, and because they heat up and therefore need to be cooled (currently in contact with air and/or using specific cooling means). For a given layout of aluminum smelter 1 FIG.
  • Secondary electrical circuits 16 ′, 17 ′ are located on either side of an electrolytic cell 2 .
  • secondary electrical circuits 16 ′, 17 ′ impede access to electrolytic cells 2 , for example for maintenance work. They cannot however be located beneath electrolytic cells 2 , like secondary electrical circuits 16 , 17 with electrical conductors made of superconducting material because they have larger dimensions and need to be cooled.
  • Secondary electrical circuits 16 , 17 using electrical conductors made of superconducting material may conversely be located beneath electrolytic cells 2 . Access to electrolytic cells 2 is therefore not restricted.
  • the electrical conductors made of superconducting material may be contained partly within an enclosure 20 forming a magnetic shield.
  • This enclosure 20 may be a metal tube, for example made of steel. This brings about a substantial reduction in the magnetic field outside this magnetic shield. This therefore makes it possible to create passage zones in locations where this enclosure 20 has been placed, in particular for vehicles whose operation would have been disturbed by the magnetic field emanating from the electrical conductors made of superconducting material. This therefore makes it possible to reduce the cost of these vehicles (which would otherwise have to be provided with protection).
  • This enclosure 20 may advantageously be placed around electrical conductors made of superconducting material located at the end of a row F, as illustrated in FIG. 6 .
  • Enclosure 20 forming a magnetic shield can also be formed of superconducting material kept below its critical temperature. Superconducting materials form high-performance magnetic shields when kept below their critical temperature.
  • this enclosure made of superconducting material forming a magnetic shield may be laid out within the cryogenic casing of the cable forming the electrical conductor made of superconducting material.
  • Enclosure 20 is therefore as close as possible to the electrical conductors made of superconducting material, and the mass of the superconductive material of the enclosure is minimized and the superconducting material of the enclosure is kept below its critical temperature without the need to have another special cooling system.
  • the enclosure made of superconducting material forming a magnetic shield can be made independently of the cable forming the electrical conductor made of superconducting material, around the cable. This is particularly the case when such an enclosure is to be installed around an electrical conductor made of superconducting material already installed.
  • the enclosure forming a magnetic shield made of superconducting material then has its own cooling system.
  • electrical conductors made of superconducting material have a mass per meter which may be twenty times less that of an aluminum electrical conductor for an equivalent current intensity.
  • the cost of supports for electrical conductors made of superconducting material is therefore less and they are easier to install.
  • Main electrical circuit 15 in aluminum smelter 1 may also comprise one or more electrical conductors made of superconducting material. So linking electrical conductors 14 electrically linking rows F together in the series may be made of superconducting material, as illustrated in FIG. 8 . Linking electrical conductors 13 linking the extremities of the series of electrolytic cells 2 to the poles of supply station 12 for main circuit 15 may also be made of superconducting material, as illustrated in FIG. 9 .
  • Linking electrical conductors 13 connecting the extremities of the series to the pole of supply station 12 generally measure between 20 m and 1 km depending upon the positioning of this supply station 12 . Because of these lengths and the intensity of the electrical current flowing through these conductors, it will be easily understood that the use of electrical conductors made of superconducting materials in these locations will make it possible to achieve energy savings. The compactness of such conductors made of superconducting material is also appreciated.
  • connecting electrical conductors 14 and/or 13 made of superconducting material makes it possible, especially according to one embodiment of the invention, to place them within an enclosure 20 forming a magnetic shield. This allows zones for the passage for vehicles or machinery to be created at the ends of the row. This in particular makes it possible to stabilize the electrolytic cells, by locally canceling, controlling and/or adjusting the magnetic fields generated by these linking electrical conductors.
  • enclosures ( 20 ) forming a magnetic shield around the linking electrical connecting conductors at the end of a row means that the length and size of the conductors can be reduced.
  • the linking electrical conductors linking the ends of two rows are U-shaped with two elongated legs, several dozen meters long, so that the magnetic fields generated by the base of the U do not too greatly impact the magnetic stability and operation of the cells arranged at the end of the row. Moving the base of the U away in this fashion makes the conductor costly, leads to high building costs and loss of productivity for a given surface. Being able to place such linking electrical conductors within enclosures forming magnetic shields reduces the length of the legs of the U because the magnetic field generated by the base of the U is no longer detrimental to cell operation at the end of the row.
  • Aluminum smelter 1 may also comprise a single row F of electrolysis cells 2 , as illustrated in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 . This applies for example to an aluminum smelter 1 that is under construction in which production starts when half electrolysis cells 2 have been built. This may also be the case where the available space does not make it possible to install several rows F of electrolysis cells 2 .
  • the extremity of row F of electrolysis cells 2 is electrically connected to supply station 12 for electrolysis current I 1 by electrical conductor 13 which is made of superconducting material.
  • electrical conductor 13 which is made of superconducting material.
  • an enclosure 20 forming a magnetic shield envelopes electrical conductor 13 to protect the single row F from the magnetic field effects generated by the passage of electrolysis current I 1 through electrical conductor 13 .
  • aluminum smelter 1 comprises a single row F of electrolysis cells 2 .
  • a high intensity electrolysis current I 1 flows through this row F of electrolysis cells 2 .
  • main electrical circuit 15 has a node and the electrical circuit separates into two circuits each of which has its own current intensity.
  • the electrical conductors delivering the current (of a intensity equal to half that of electrolysis current I 1 ) from the node to supply station 12 are of superconducting material. These electrical conductors of superconducting material may run along the sides of row F of electrolysis cells 2 several times (thrice in the example in FIG. 13 ).
  • electrical conductors made of superconducting material in an aluminum smelter 1 may prove advantageous where the conductors are sufficiently long.
  • the use of electrical conductors made of conducting material is particularly advantageous in the case of secondary electrical circuits 16 , 17 designed to reduce the cell-to-cell magnetic field effect through loops of the type described in patent document EP 0204647—when the intensity of the current flowing in main electrical circuit 15 is particularly high, over 350 kA., and when the sum of the current intensities flowing in the secondary electrical circuit in the same direction as the current flowing in the main circuit lies between 20% and 100% of the current in the main circuit, and preferably from 40% to 70%.
  • a main electric circuit 15 comprising both a linking electrical conductor 14 made of superconducting material connecting the rows and arranged within an enclosure forming a magnetic shield, linking electrical conductors 13 between the ends of a series to the poles of the supply station 12 made of superconducting material arranged within an enclosure forming a magnetic shield, and one or more secondary circuits 16 , 17 further comprising electrical conductors made of superconducting material making several turns in series arranged partly within enclosures forming a magnetic shield.
  • the invention may extend to aluminum smelter using electrolysis with inert anodes.

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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)
  • Containers, Films, And Cooling For Superconductive Devices (AREA)
US14/232,125 2011-07-12 2012-07-10 Aluminum smelter comprising electrical conductors made from a superconducting material Abandoned US20140209457A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR1102198A FR2977899A1 (fr) 2011-07-12 2011-07-12 Aluminerie comprenant des conducteurs electriques en materiau supraconducteur
FR1102199A FR2977898A1 (fr) 2011-07-12 2011-07-12 Aluminerie comprenant des cuves a sortie cathodique par le fond du caisson et des moyens de stabilisation des cuves
FR1102198 2011-07-12
FR1102199 2011-07-12
PCT/FR2012/000283 WO2013007894A2 (fr) 2011-07-12 2012-07-10 Aluminerie comprenant des conducteurs electriques en materiau supraconducteur

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US14/232,168 Expired - Fee Related US9598783B2 (en) 2011-07-12 2012-07-10 Aluminum smelter comprising electrical conductors made from a superconducting material

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EP (2) EP2732075B1 (es)
CN (2) CN103649375A (es)
AR (2) AR087124A1 (es)
AU (2) AU2012282374A1 (es)
BR (2) BR112014000760A2 (es)
CA (2) CA2841300C (es)
DK (1) DK179966B1 (es)
EA (1) EA201490256A1 (es)
IN (1) IN2014CN00886A (es)
MY (1) MY166183A (es)
NO (1) NO2732075T3 (es)
RU (2) RU2014104795A (es)
SI (1) SI2732075T1 (es)
TR (1) TR201807790T4 (es)
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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
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EP3643813A4 (en) * 2017-12-29 2020-07-29 Obshchestvo S Ogranichennoy Otvetstvennost'yu "Obedinennaya Kompaniya Rusal Inzhenerno-Tekhnologicheskiy Tsentr" MODULAR BUS LAYOUT FOR SERIES OF ALUMINUM ELECTROLYS CELLS

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR3009564A1 (fr) * 2013-08-09 2015-02-13 Rio Tinto Alcan Int Ltd Aluminerie comprenant un circuit electrique de compensation
FR3032459B1 (fr) 2015-02-09 2019-08-23 Rio Tinto Alcan International Limited Aluminerie et procede de compensation d'un champ magnetique cree par la circulation du courant d'electrolyse de cette aluminerie
FR3042509B1 (fr) * 2015-10-15 2017-11-03 Rio Tinto Alcan Int Ltd Serie de cellules d'electrolyse pour la production d'aluminium comportant des moyens pour equilibrer les champs magnetiques en extremite de file
FR3115942B1 (fr) 2020-11-05 2025-04-11 Nexans Boîtier cryostat pour circuit câblé supraconducteur, et circuits câblés supraconducteurs associés
FR3116147B1 (fr) 2020-11-10 2023-04-07 Nexans Dispositif de connexion électrique pour fils supraconducteurs

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CN103649375A (zh) 2014-03-19
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US9598783B2 (en) 2017-03-21
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US20140138241A1 (en) 2014-05-22
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