CH592164A5 - Electrolytic plant for primary aluminium prodn. - is laid out above ground to separate productive from ancillary processes - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrolytic installation for the prodn. of prim. Al includes electrolytic cells assembled above ground level, equipment for the main productive operations arranged on guide rails in the floor, and auxiliary equipment for maintenance, cleaning, etc. suspended from overhead from cranes and/or beams, so that there is no interference between the two sets of equipment. There is >=1 row of electrolytic cells and >=1 row of guide rails parallel to the cells, whilst there is pref. a row of guide rails on each side of the row of cells. When there are two rows of cells, the guide rails between serve both adjacent cells. The cells are formed by vats and the components of the main equipment are lower in height than the cells, lifting mechanisms being provided to raise the working details to the level required. The layout eliminates the need for a large amt. of space around the vats sunk below ground, and the unavoidable obstruction of some pieces of equipment by others. The working conditions from the health point of view are also improved since the space in which the operatives work is no longer filled with the gases of electrolysis. The basis intention is to separate the two operational programmes (1) the supply of the mineral, removal of the metal, etc. and (2) replacement of used anodes, cleaning, etc.