WO2014116117A1 - An electrode for aluminium production and a method of making same - Google Patents
An electrode for aluminium production and a method of making same Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2014116117A1 WO2014116117A1 PCT/NO2014/000002 NO2014000002W WO2014116117A1 WO 2014116117 A1 WO2014116117 A1 WO 2014116117A1 NO 2014000002 W NO2014000002 W NO 2014000002W WO 2014116117 A1 WO2014116117 A1 WO 2014116117A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- electrode
- barrier layer
- accordance
- conducting elements
- made out
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- 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
- C25C3/08—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
- C25C3/06—Electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metals by electrolysis of melts of aluminium
- C25C3/08—Cell construction, e.g. bottoms, walls, cathodes
- C25C3/12—Anodes
-
- 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
- C25C3/12—Anodes
- C25C3/125—Anodes based on carbon
Definitions
- An electrode for aluminium production and a method of making same The present invention relates to an electrode for aluminium production and a method for making same.
- Aluminium metal is presently produced by electrolysis of an aluminium containing compound dissolved in a molten electrolyte, and the electrowinning process is performed in smelting cells of conventional Hall-Heroult design. These electrolysis cells are equipped with horizontally aligned electrodes, where the electrically conductive anodes and cathodes of today's cells are made from carbon materials.
- the electrolyte is based on a mixture of sodium fluoride and aluminium fluoride, with additions of alkaline and alkaline earth halides.
- the electrowinning process takes place as the current passed through the electrolyte from the anode to the cathode causes the electrical discharge of aluminium ions at the cathode, producing aluminium metal.
- pre-baked carbon anodes are fixed to steel studs that are part of an anode hanger.
- the anode has pre-formed bores which allow the steel studs to be entered into them.
- the fixation of the studs to the anode is commonly performed by pouring melted cast-iron in the annular space between each individual stud and the corresponding bore in the anode.
- conductive particles can be applied for rodding as shown in the Applicant's own patent application WO09/099335.
- one well known and potent tool is to aim at the reduction of the cathodic and/or the anodic voltage drop. Indeed, reducing cathodic voltage drop reduces ohmic energy loss in the cathode, allowing operators to either increase potline amperage and/or reduce pot voltage that ultimately results in a reduction of the specific energy consumption per ton of produced aluminium.
- Many means have been used to achieve cathodic voltage drop reduction, and one that is commonly known is the use of copper inserts to improve the conductivity of the commonly used steel collector bars. Many publications shows that the copper insert or element has at least one external side or surface that rest onto one corresponding surface of the steel collector bar.
- Another benefit of using copper as a high conducting element in cathodes is the more uniform cathodic current density achieved with such designs. For graphitized cathodes especially, a more uniform current density decreases the maximum erosion rate, thereby increasing cathode life.
- Fe in the steel collector bar may diffuse into the Cu metal of an adjacent insert of copper.
- This diffusion can result in an increase of ohmic resistivity of the composite collector bar, and followingly increase in the cathodic voltage drop over time. Similar effects with respect to ohmic resistivity can occur when applying composite conductors of the Fe - Cu type for anodes.
- the present invention relates to electrodes, anodes or cathodes, with composite conductors and a method for making same, where these detrimental effects can be reduced or avoided. More specific, the invention relates to an electrode for production of aluminium metal by electrolysis of an aluminium containing compound dissolved in a molten electrolyte, where the electrowinning process is performed in smelting cells of conventional Hall-Heroult design.
- the electrode comprises a calcinated carbon containing body having fixed thereto at least one composite metallic conductor comprising conducting elements of a Fe containing material and conducting elements of a Cu containing material.
- the composite conductor comprises a diffusion barrier layer material at the interface between the two conducting materials. Several materials for the diffusion barrier layer have been achieved to as well as methods for application of the layer.
- Fig. 1 is a phase diagram that disclose Fe diffusion into Cu
- Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the increase in resistivity when Fe diffuses into Cu
- Fig. 3 is a diagram showing concentrations of Fe in Cu for composite conductors without and with various barrier materials
- the invention relates to electrodes in general, but when referring to cathodes, there is one problem with collector bars in general, and that is that their operation temperature is well above 900°C, and other elements in contact with the collector bar may diffuse into the material and deteriorate the resistivity of the material. For normal steel collector bars, carbon ( C ) diffuses into the steel and the resistivity increases.
- a thin coating of TiB 2 powder was applied to a Cu - rod, and the effectiveness was measured in a diffusion experiment.
- a Cu rod was dipped into TiB2 slurry and a 100 micron thick layer was applied.
- the rod was put into a steel hollow and the assembly was heated to 950 °C for 14 days.
- a barrier is not limited to the compounds mentioned here.
- Other conductive metals, intermetallics or materials fulfilling the criteria, are potential barriers.
- low solubility is also an important property.
- the electrical conductivity of copper is very dependent of the impurity level, thus the solubility of a material defines the upper limit of the harm the material can do.
- the barrier material should be able to block Fe, at the same time the barrier material itself must not enter the copper phase.
- Hume-Rothery (Ref.: Lee J.D.: “Concise Inorganic Chemistry", 4 th Ed., Chapman & Hall, London 1991 , p. 136) has created a set of simple rules describing conditions to be fulfilled if extensively solid solution between metals should occur:
- Atomic size factor rule The relative difference between the atomic diameters (radii) of the two species should be less than 15%. If the difference is >15%, the solubility is limited. Crystal structure rule: For appreciable solid solubility, the crystal structures of the two elements must be identical.
- Valence rule A metal will dissolve a metal of higher valence to a greater extent then one of lower valence.
- the solute and solvent atoms should typically have the same valence in order to achieve maximum solubility.
- Electronegativity rule Electronegativity difference close to 0 gives maximum solubility. The more electropositive one element and the more electronegative the other, the greater is the likelihood that they will form an intermetallic compound instead of a substitutional solid solution. The solute and the solvent should lie relatively close in the electrochemical series.
- a barrier metal in accordance to the present invention should fall outside the above rules in comparison with Cu and Fe, since it should not interfere with them. Selection criteria for ceramics barrier materials
- interstitial solid solution When applying ceramics such as Refractory Hard Materials (RHM),as barrier material, interstitial solid solution can form if the smaller atom can be accommodated between the atoms in the metal lattice.
- RHM Refractory Hard Materials
- interstitial solid solution forms only if the atomic radius ratio of the two components r,/r m ⁇ 0.59.
- the composite conductor in the electrode comprises a diffusion barrier layer material at the interface between the two conducting materials. It has been demonstrated that;
- the diffusion barrier layer can be made of a ceramic material or a RHM material.
- Diffusion barrier layers of Nitrides or Borides such as TiN, TaN, ZrN, ZrB2, or TiB2 may also be applied.
- Methods for applying these diffusion barrier layer materials can comprise to prepare it as a slurry and apply it to the conducting elements by dipping at least one of the two conducting elements in said slurry followed by drying, or it can be applied by powder coating.
- a method for application of the diffusion barrier material may comprise that the barrier layer is applied by a Plasma coating technique.
- Preferred barrier layers of a metallic material includes; Mo, W, Ta or Ru.
- diffusion barrier layers can be prepared as a foil, by Chemical Vapor Deposition or Electroplating, and applied onto at least one of the two conducting elements before bringing these parts together.
- the thickness of the barrier layer can preferably be in the range 1 -1000 pm.
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (8)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
BR112015017071A BR112015017071A2 (en) | 2013-01-22 | 2014-01-20 | electrode for producing metallic aluminum, and method for producing an electrode |
AU2014210417A AU2014210417B2 (en) | 2013-01-22 | 2014-01-20 | An electrode for aluminium production and a method of making same |
CN201480005438.7A CN104937144B (en) | 2013-01-22 | 2014-01-20 | Electrode and preparation method thereof for aluminium production |
CA2896472A CA2896472C (en) | 2013-01-22 | 2014-01-20 | An electrode for aluminium production and a method of making same |
NZ709857A NZ709857A (en) | 2013-01-22 | 2014-01-20 | An electrode for aluminium production and a method of making same |
EP14743388.2A EP2948577B1 (en) | 2013-01-22 | 2014-01-20 | An electrode for aluminium production and a method of making same |
EA201500763A EA028191B1 (en) | 2013-01-22 | 2014-01-20 | Electrode for aluminium production and method of making same |
SA515360744A SA515360744B1 (en) | 2013-01-22 | 2015-07-09 | An Electrode for Aluminium Production and a Method of Making Same |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
NO20130123 | 2013-01-22 | ||
NO20130123A NO338410B1 (en) | 2013-01-22 | 2013-01-22 | An electrode for making aluminum and a method for forming the same |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO2014116117A1 true WO2014116117A1 (en) | 2014-07-31 |
Family
ID=51227824
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/NO2014/000002 WO2014116117A1 (en) | 2013-01-22 | 2014-01-20 | An electrode for aluminium production and a method of making same |
Country Status (10)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP2948577B1 (en) |
CN (1) | CN104937144B (en) |
AU (1) | AU2014210417B2 (en) |
BR (1) | BR112015017071A2 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2896472C (en) |
EA (1) | EA028191B1 (en) |
NO (1) | NO338410B1 (en) |
NZ (1) | NZ709857A (en) |
SA (1) | SA515360744B1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2014116117A1 (en) |
Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5704993A (en) * | 1995-10-10 | 1998-01-06 | The Regents Of The Univerisity Of California, Office Of Technology Transfer | High conductivity composite metal |
US6231745B1 (en) * | 1999-10-13 | 2001-05-15 | Alcoa Inc. | Cathode collector bar |
US20060151333A1 (en) * | 2002-12-30 | 2006-07-13 | Sgl Carbon Ag | Cathode systems for electrolytically obtaining aluminum |
EP1927679A1 (en) * | 2006-11-22 | 2008-06-04 | Alcan International Limited | Electrolysis cell for the production of aluminium comprising means to reduce the voltage drop |
WO2009055844A1 (en) * | 2007-10-29 | 2009-05-07 | Bhp Billiton Innovation Pty Ltd | Composite collector bar |
Family Cites Families (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US6528185B2 (en) * | 2001-02-28 | 2003-03-04 | Hong Kong Polytechnic University | Cobalt-tungsten-phosphorus alloy diffusion barrier coatings, methods for their preparation, and their use in plated articles |
DE10227034A1 (en) * | 2002-06-17 | 2003-12-24 | Km Europa Metal Ag | Copper casting mold |
AU2003274399A1 (en) * | 2002-10-18 | 2004-05-04 | Moltech Invent S.A. | Anode current feeding connection stem |
-
2013
- 2013-01-22 NO NO20130123A patent/NO338410B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
-
2014
- 2014-01-20 NZ NZ709857A patent/NZ709857A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2014-01-20 EP EP14743388.2A patent/EP2948577B1/en active Active
- 2014-01-20 AU AU2014210417A patent/AU2014210417B2/en not_active Ceased
- 2014-01-20 EA EA201500763A patent/EA028191B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2014-01-20 WO PCT/NO2014/000002 patent/WO2014116117A1/en active Application Filing
- 2014-01-20 BR BR112015017071A patent/BR112015017071A2/en active Search and Examination
- 2014-01-20 CA CA2896472A patent/CA2896472C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2014-01-20 CN CN201480005438.7A patent/CN104937144B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2015
- 2015-07-09 SA SA515360744A patent/SA515360744B1/en unknown
Patent Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5704993A (en) * | 1995-10-10 | 1998-01-06 | The Regents Of The Univerisity Of California, Office Of Technology Transfer | High conductivity composite metal |
US6231745B1 (en) * | 1999-10-13 | 2001-05-15 | Alcoa Inc. | Cathode collector bar |
US20060151333A1 (en) * | 2002-12-30 | 2006-07-13 | Sgl Carbon Ag | Cathode systems for electrolytically obtaining aluminum |
EP1927679A1 (en) * | 2006-11-22 | 2008-06-04 | Alcan International Limited | Electrolysis cell for the production of aluminium comprising means to reduce the voltage drop |
WO2009055844A1 (en) * | 2007-10-29 | 2009-05-07 | Bhp Billiton Innovation Pty Ltd | Composite collector bar |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
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See also references of EP2948577A4 * |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP2948577A4 (en) | 2016-04-20 |
SA515360744B1 (en) | 2018-12-10 |
NO338410B1 (en) | 2016-08-15 |
AU2014210417B2 (en) | 2017-06-29 |
EP2948577A1 (en) | 2015-12-02 |
EP2948577B1 (en) | 2018-12-05 |
NZ709857A (en) | 2019-07-26 |
EA028191B1 (en) | 2017-10-31 |
EA201500763A1 (en) | 2015-11-30 |
CN104937144A (en) | 2015-09-23 |
CN104937144B (en) | 2019-09-03 |
CA2896472C (en) | 2020-04-14 |
CA2896472A1 (en) | 2014-07-31 |
NO20130123A1 (en) | 2014-07-23 |
AU2014210417A1 (en) | 2015-07-16 |
BR112015017071A2 (en) | 2017-07-11 |
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