US1833806A - Electrolytic refining of aluminum - Google Patents

Electrolytic refining of aluminum Download PDF

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Publication number
US1833806A
US1833806A US330987A US33098729A US1833806A US 1833806 A US1833806 A US 1833806A US 330987 A US330987 A US 330987A US 33098729 A US33098729 A US 33098729A US 1833806 A US1833806 A US 1833806A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
anode
aluminum
anodes
electrolytic
current
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Expired - Lifetime
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US330987A
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English (en)
Inventor
Weber Julius
Zeerleder Alfred Von
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Aluminium Industrie AG
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Aluminium Industrie AG
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Publication date
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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
    • C25C3/24—Refining

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the electrolytic refining of aluminum, and includes a novel process for producing highly pure metallic aluminum from less pure metal, and a spe- .6 cial electrode used therein.
  • the invention is directed particularly to the extraction of refined aluminum in a solid and dense form from pig or ingot aluminum, aluminum alloys and the like. It constitutes an improvement more particularly in that refining processes wherein the electrodes, used in a solid form, are immersed in a molten electrolyte, for example containing halogen salts, which electrolyte has a melting point lower than that of either electrode and is maintained in a molten condition below the melting point of either electrode.
  • a molten electrolyte for example containing halogen salts
  • the general objects ofthe present invention are to render more efiicient the refining process, to increase the purity of the product,
  • the present invention consists in the novel electrolytic process of producing pure metallic aluminum, and the novel materials or electrodes used therein, and the novel features of process, operation and means herein described or illustrated.
  • the difliculties referred to are altogether avoided and the desired advanta es are obtained by the employment, in the fescribed process, of anodes each having a substantially larger surface than an anode of the same size or dimensions and the same weight, but with plain l or flat sides or surfaces.
  • the present invention is characterized by presenting the solid anode metal in a form so departing from a creased, not merel It is not at first sight clear that such anodes,
  • Anodes may be of various form or design, and may afford a surface from twice to eight times the extent of an anode havin the same length and breadth but with flat sides.
  • the cell 5 is shown as having an entering pipe 6 to permit the circulation or replacement of electrolyte, and an exit pipe 7.
  • the electrolyte or bath 8 is a molten bath having a melting point lower than and maintained below the melting point of either electrode. As described in the prior applications such bath may contain halogen-salts, namely halides of aluminum and halides of another metal or metals having alkaline properties,
  • a typical bath comprises halogen salts of aluminum together with halogen salts either of one or more alkali metals or one or more alkali earth metals, or all of these salts,
  • a simple bath consists of NaCLAlCl- In the bath are shown immersed alternated catholes 9 in the form of plain slabs or plates and anodes 10 of s ecial form, but of the same size, that is lengt and breadth, as the cathodes.
  • the special anode 10 is shown as formed to present enlarged exposed surface by means of a system of elevations or ribs 11 and de pressions or grooves 12. This undulated form materially increases the surface.
  • the ribs and rooves are formed at both sides of the an e and in such manner that the ribs at one side are 0 posite to the grooves at the other side, so that the anode is given a substantially uniform thickness from surface to surface at every oint, and presents no parts which, being thlcker than others, would still contain aluminum, while the thinner parts of the anode would already be completely exhausted.
  • An analogous increase of exposed surface may be effected in various other ways, for example by having the ribs and grooves run in intersecting directions so as to form prominences of the shape of pyramids.
  • the anode may be produced not only by casting but b rolling or by extrusion into appropriate s apes.
  • the electrical connections may be made in various ways, but for example, as shown, the
  • anode plates 10 and the cathode plates 9 are connected in parallel.
  • a conductor 13 connects the cathodes and a conductor 14 connects the anodes, and the roper current may be supplied to these con uctors both for the purpose of heatin the electrolyte to maintain it in molten con ition, and for electrode osition. Or the heating may be effecte by a secondary current or by external means.
  • Other ways of electrical connections may be applied, for example the connection in series, es ecially according to the well known Hay en or series system, which has been known and used for many years, for example in copper refining, and which is described in. various publications, such as Enineering and Mining Journal, New York,
  • the anodes and cathodes may be of such relative character or arranged that a cell voltage of 0.3 volt between anodes and cathodes the current density at the anodes may be 0.5 amperes or less per square decimeter, and at the cathodes 1.0 amperes or more, with an appropriate distance of sep aration and electrolyte of'high conductivity as described.

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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)
US330987A 1928-02-04 1929-01-08 Electrolytic refining of aluminum Expired - Lifetime US1833806A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE305458T 1928-02-04

Publications (1)

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US1833806A true US1833806A (en) 1931-11-24

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US330987A Expired - Lifetime US1833806A (en) 1928-02-04 1929-01-08 Electrolytic refining of aluminum

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US (1) US1833806A (en:Method)
FR (1) FR663152A (en:Method)
GB (1) GB305458A (en:Method)
NL (1) NL25715C (en:Method)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2480474A (en) * 1945-12-14 1949-08-30 Reynolds Metals Co Method of producing aluminum
US2512157A (en) * 1946-03-20 1950-06-20 Reynolds Metals Co Purification of aluminum
US2539743A (en) * 1946-01-03 1951-01-30 Reynolds Metals Co Electrolytic refining of impure aluminum
US2584565A (en) * 1943-08-11 1952-02-05 Ferrand Louis Fused bath electrolytic cell for the production and refining of metals
US2594881A (en) * 1949-12-28 1952-04-29 Rochester Lead Works Inc Electrode for chromium plating
US3101311A (en) * 1956-12-28 1963-08-20 Chemionics Engineering Lab Inc Energized anode assembly
US10407786B2 (en) 2015-02-11 2019-09-10 Alcoa Usa Corp. Systems and methods for purifying aluminum
WO2023210748A1 (ja) * 2022-04-27 2023-11-02 国立大学法人東北大学 高純度アルミニウムの製造方法、製造装置、製造システム、及び、高純度アルミニウム

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2584565A (en) * 1943-08-11 1952-02-05 Ferrand Louis Fused bath electrolytic cell for the production and refining of metals
US2480474A (en) * 1945-12-14 1949-08-30 Reynolds Metals Co Method of producing aluminum
US2539743A (en) * 1946-01-03 1951-01-30 Reynolds Metals Co Electrolytic refining of impure aluminum
US2512157A (en) * 1946-03-20 1950-06-20 Reynolds Metals Co Purification of aluminum
US2594881A (en) * 1949-12-28 1952-04-29 Rochester Lead Works Inc Electrode for chromium plating
US3101311A (en) * 1956-12-28 1963-08-20 Chemionics Engineering Lab Inc Energized anode assembly
US10407786B2 (en) 2015-02-11 2019-09-10 Alcoa Usa Corp. Systems and methods for purifying aluminum
WO2023210748A1 (ja) * 2022-04-27 2023-11-02 国立大学法人東北大学 高純度アルミニウムの製造方法、製造装置、製造システム、及び、高純度アルミニウム

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB305458A (en:Method) 1929-09-05
NL25715C (en:Method)
FR663152A (fr) 1929-08-17

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