Aluminium Pechiney

Joseph Chaffy

Bernard Langon

Michel Leroy

Maurice Keinborg

The invention relates to a circuit for electrical connection between two successive cells of a series or row, designed for the production of aluminium by electrolysis of alumina dissolved in molten cryolite by the Hall-Heroult process at an intensity of at least 150 kA and possibly attaining from 500 to 600 kA. The circuit for the electrical supply of the cells comprises, in addition to the circuit 8 for the supply of electrolysis current, a distinct circuit 17 for correcting and balancing the magnetic fields which is formed by conductors which are substantially parallel to the axis of the series and are traversed by a direct current in the same direction as the electrolysis current which creates, in the cells, a vertical correcting magnetic field directed downwards close to the left-hand heads of the cells and directed upwards close to the right-hand heads of the cells. The total current J2 traversing the magnetic correcting circuit is at most equal to the electrolysis current J1 and is preferably between 4 and 80% of J1.

Device for connection between very high intensity electrolysis cells for

The invention relates to a circuit for electrical connection between the cells of a row designed for the production of aluminium by electrolysis, by the Hall-Heroult process. It is applied to rows of cells arranged transversely to the axis of the row operating at a current higher than 250,000 amperes and possibly attaining from 300 to 600 kA. An anode frame 6 of the cell of rank n+1 in each line is supplied with current simultaneously by a plurality of upstream risers such as 11, 12, 13 which are substantially equidistant and symmetrical about the vertical plane containing the small axis 1 of the cell and by at least two downstream risers 15, 15S which are substantially symmetrical about this same vertical plane, these downstream risers 15, 15S being supplied by conductors connected to the downstream cathode outputs 4 of the cell of rank n, at least a proportion 24 of these connecting conductors passing beneath the cell of rank n+1 along a path substantially parallel to the large axis of this cell, the direction of the current in these portions 24 of conductors passing from the heads 17 towards the small axis 1.

Circuit for the electrical connection of rows of electrolysis cells for

The present invention concerns an electrolysis tank for the production of aluminum by means of the Hall-Heroult process, which operates at above 250,000 amperes, in particular from 270,000 to 320,000 amperes. The connection between each riser (7) and the anodic bus bar (5) is made by way of flexible electrical conductors (8); the central riser (7C) is disposed on the axis of the series, the two intermediate risers (7B, 7D) and the two equally spaced lateral risers (7A, 7E) through which substantially equal current strengths flow are connected to six upstream cathodic collectors (3), two central collectors (3A, 3B) two intermediate collectors (3C, 3D) and two lateral collectors (3E, 3F), and three downstream cathodic collectors (4), a central collector (4A) and two lateral collectors (4B, 4C). Equipotential connections provide for balancing of the current between the different sections of the upstream and downstream collectors. Those tanks are very stable in operation and have a high level of efficiency in regard to energy consumption.

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Saint Jean de Maurienne, France

Joseph Chaffy