Alcoa Inc.

Aluminum Company of America

Calvin Bates

Larry F Wieserman

Patricia Stewart

Leroy E D'astolfo

Leroy E D'Astolfo

Roger W Kaufold

Joseph P Harenski

Daniel W Severa

Linda Gaydosik

Leroy E D'ASTOLFO

A solid material ( &prime;) circumscribing an anode system ( ) in an electrolysis apparatus is made from a mixture of cryolite and/or alumina (Al O ), where the solid material ( &prime;) contacts and surrounds the anodes ( &prime;).

Inert anode assembly

A spacer member in a furnace including an aluminum tube containing a ceramic material. The ceramic material provides high compressive strength and the composite product resists high temperature creep.

Ceramic core spacer blocks for high temperature preheat cycles

A cermet anode of an electrolytic cell is protected from thermal shock during cell start-up by coating an outer surface portion of the anode with a coating composition comprising carbon or aluminum or a mixture thereof. A particularly preferred coating composition includes an aluminum underlayer adjacent the outer surface portion of the anode, and a carbon overlayer overlying the underlayer. A support structure assembly supporting the cermet anode includes a high alumina ceramic material. In a preferred embodiment, the high alumina ceramic material is protected from thermal shock and corrosion by the coating composition of the invention.

Thermal shock protection for electrolysis cells

A method and apparatus for timely and accurate measurement of material parameters are disclosed. A test sensor measures the temperature of a sample of material as it is heated up and/or cooled down. A reference sensor is used to obtain differential temperature measurements as the temperature of the test sample is varied. A differential temperature trace is generated and analyzed in order to determine various characteristics of the material being tested. In one embodiment, the sodium fluoride to aluminum fluoride ratio (NaF:AlF,) and alumina concentration in a Hall bath aluminum smelting operation are determined in order to efficiently control smelting of aluminum metal. In this embodiment, bath temperature and liquidus temperature may be measured and compared in order to determine the amount of superheat of the bath and to prevent the operation of smelters at higher temperatures than necessary.

Method and apparatus for testing material utilizing differential temperature measurements

The present invention is a wax-based material for use in the lost wax process where the wax must be capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 350.degree. F., the wax-based material including: (a) a high temperature brittle wax; (b) about 5-30 wt % organic plasticizer including polyfunctional amines and alcohol amines and (c) about 5-10 wt % paraffin wax.

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Monroeville, PA, United States of America

Calvin Bates