Alcan International Limited

Rio Tinto Alcan International Limited

Jules Bergeron

Amir A Mirchi

Emmanuel Bergeron

Weixia Chen

Lise Lavigne

Jean Camire

Amir A Mirtchi

Martin Dionne

Pierre-Yves Brisson

Simon Leclerc

A multi-layer cathode block () for an electrolytic cell () has at least a surface layer () with a surface expansion index and a second layer () with a second expansion index. The surface layer () includes a surface wetting agent in a first total amount. The second layer () includes a wetting agent in a second total amount. The surface layer () is directly superposed to the second layer (). The second wetting agent in the second layer () includes metal boride precursors that react together to generate a metal boride component in situ when the cathode block () is exposed to start-up and operation conditions of the electrolytic cell (). The second total amount is lower than the first total amount and is selected so as to minimize the difference between the expansion indexes of the surface layer () and the second layer ().

Multi-layer cathode block

A new ramming paste for aluminum reduction cell cathodes is a high swelling cold ramming paste made of a blend of pitch, light oil diluent and an aggregate comprising a mixture of anthracite and crushed anode butts or calcined coke. The presence of the crushed anode butts or calcined coke increases the sodium swelling index of the paste by about four times higher than that of regular ramming pastes. This new high swelling cold ramming paste may also contain an amount of a refractory hard material, such as TiB.

High swelling ramming paste for aluminum electrolysis cell

A method is described for making aluminum reduction cell components, e.g. cathodes having stabilized surfaces, which comprises mixing together a carbonaceous material, TiBand up to 25% by weight of a finely divided additive consisting of a combination of two intimately mixed compounds and forming the mixture into a cell component, wherein at least a first of the two compounds has a higher melting temperature than the baking temperature. When the cell component is contacted with molten aluminum, the aluminum reacts with the additive to form a dense phase at the surface of the cell component, having low solubility in aluminum.

Stabilizers for titanium diboride-containing cathode structures

A thermal treatment system for thermally treating a sterile medium is controlled via a foot actuated switch to thermally treat the sterile medium to a desired temperature and/or form (e.g., slush). The thermal treatment system includes a basin recessed in a system top surface, while a surgical sterile drape is placed over the system and within the basin to form a drape container for containing the sterile medium. The basin may be configured to cool the sterile medium and form sterile surgical slush, or heat the sterile medium to provide warm sterile liquid. A dislodgment mechanism may be employed within a cooling basin to manipulate the drape and dislodge frozen pieces of sterile medium adhered to the drape. Information pertaining to the sterile medium and system operation may be displayed on a system display that has dimensions sufficient to provide visibility of the information to users located within extended ranges from the system. Alternatively, the thermal treatment system may be responsive to a remote control unit to enable users to control operation of the system remotely. The remote control unit may control various operating parameters and features of the system, and preferably emits system commands in the form of code signals. A receiver is employed by the thermal treatment system to receive the transmitted signals and facilitate system operation in response to those signals. In addition, the foot actuated switch and remote control unit may be utilized with thermal treatment systems having a plurality of heating and/or cooling basins.

Wettable and erosion/oxidation-resistant carbon-composite materials

A method of treating a carbonaceous cell component of an electrolyte cell for the production of aluminum, to impart protection against deterioration during operation of the cell. A liquid suspension of a refractory material dispersed in a lignosulfonate binder solution is prepared and applied as a protective coating to the surface of carbonaceous cell components and allowed to dry.

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Jonquière, Canada

Jules Bergeron