The Chemithon Corporation

Brooks Rand, Ltd.

Electrochemical Technology Corp.

Northwest Aluminum Technology

Other

Northwest Aluminum Technologies

Richard J Brooks

Burton Brooks

Drago Dragutin Juric

Craig W Brown

Theodore R Beck

Patrick B Frizzle

Albert Brucato

Frank O Johnson

Thomas W Marson

A method of treating an electrolyte for use in the electrolytic reduction of alumina to aluminum employing an anode and a cathode, the alumina dissolved in the electrolyte, the treating improving wetting of the cathode with molten aluminum during electrolysis. The method comprises the steps of providing a molten electrolyte comprised of ALF and at least one salt selected from the group consisting of NaF, KF and LiF, and treating the electrolyte by providing therein 0.004 to 0.2 wt. % of a transition metal or transition metal compound for improved wettability of the cathode with molten aluminum during subsequent electrolysis to reduce alumina to aluminum.

Electrolyte treatment for aluminum reduction

An electrolytic bath for use during the electrolytic reduction of alumina to aluminum. The bath comprises a molten electrolyte having the following ingredients: (a) AlF and at least one salt selected from the group consisting of NaF, KF, and LiF; and (b) about 0.004 wt. % to about 0.2 wt. %, based on total weight of the molten electrolyte, of at least one transition metal or at least one compound of the metal or both. The compound may be, for example, a fluoride, oxide, or carbonate. The metal can be nickel, iron, copper, cobalt, or molybdenum. The bath can be employed in a combination that includes a vessel for containing the bath and at least one non-consumable anode and at least one dimensionally stable cathode in the bath. Employing the bath of the present invention during electrolytic reduction of alumina to aluminum can improve the wetting of aluminum on a cathode by reducing or eliminating the formation of non-metallic deposits on the cathode. Removing sulfur from the bath can also minimize cathode deposits. Aluminum formed on the cathode can be removed directly from the cathode.

Bath for electrolytic reduction of alumina and method therefor

An electrolytic bath for use during the electrolytic reduction of alumina to aluminum. The bath comprises molten electrolyte having the following ingredients: AlF and at least one salt selected from the group consisting of NaF, KF, and LiF; and about 0.004 wt. % to about 0.2 wt. %, based on total weight of the molten electrolyte, of at least one transition metal or at least one compound of the metal or both. The compound is, a fluoride; oxide, or carbonate. The metal is nickel, iron, copper, cobalt, or molybdenum. The bath is employed in a combination including a vessel for containing the bath and at least one non-consumable anode and at least one dimensionally stable cathode in the bath. Employing the instant bath during electrolytic reduction of alumina to aluminum improves the wetting of aluminum on a cathode by reducing or eliminating the formation of non-metallic deposits on the cathode.

Combination for electrolytic reduction of alumina

An electrolytic bath for use during the electrolytic reduction of alumina to aluminum. The bath comprises a molten electrolyte having the following ingredients: (a) AlF,and at least one salt selected from the group consisting of NaF, KF, and LiF; and (b) about 0.004 wt. % to about 0.2 wt. %, based on total weight of the molten electrolyte, of at least one transition metal or at least one compound of the metal or both. The compound may be, for example, a fluoride, oxide, or carbonate. The metal can be nickel, iron, copper, cobalt, or molybdenum. The bath can be employed in a combination that includes a vessel for containing the bath and at least one non-consumable anode and at least one dimensionally stable cathode in the bath. Employing the bath of the present invention during electrolytic reduction of alumina to aluminum can improve the wetting of aluminum on a cathode by reducing or eliminating the formation of non-metallic deposits on the cathode.

in a hot combustion gas stream are removed therefrom by oxidizing the elemental mercury, to form a mercury compound, and adsorbing the mercury compounds on adsorbent particles such as activated alumina. Oxidation is catalytically promoted. After adsorbing a substantial quantity of mercury compounds, the spent adsorbent particles can be regenerated and re-used by heating the particles to decompose and drive off the mercury compounds. In another embodiment, oxidation of the elemental mercury is catalytically promoted at a catalyzing station, and the mercury compounds are removed from the gas stream by scrubbing.

Removal of mercury from a combustion gas stream and apparatus

An oxidation resistant, non-consumable anode, for use in the electrolytic reduction of alumina to aluminum, has a composition comprising copper, nickel and iron. The anode is part of an electrolytic reduction cell comprising a vessel having an interior lined with metal which has the same composition as the anode. The electrolyte is preferably composed of a eutectic of AlF.sub.3 and either (a) NaF or (b) primarily NaF with some of the NaF replaced by an equivalent molar amount of KF or KF and LiF.

Non-consumable anode and lining for aluminum electrolytic reduction cell

Finely divided particles of alumina are electrolytically reduced to aluminum in an electrolytic reduction vessel having a plurality of vertically disposed, non-consumable anodes and a plurality of vertically disposed, dimensionally stable cathodes in closely spaced, alternating arrangement with the anodes. A horizontally disposed, gas bubble generator is located at the vessel bottom, underlying the cathodes and the spaces between each pair of adjacent electrodes. The vessel contains a molten electrolyte bath composed of (1) NaF+Alf.sub.3 eutectic, (2) KF+AlF.sub.3 eutectic and (3) LiF. The alumina particles are maintained in suspension in the molten electrolyte bath by rising gas bubbles generated at the anodes and at the gas bubble generator during the reduction process.

Electrolytic reduction of alumina

Alumina is reduced to molten aluminum in an electrolytic cell containing a molten electrolyte bath composed of halide salts and having a density less than alumina and aluminum and a melting point less than aluminum. The cell comprises a plurality of vertically disposed, spaced-apart, non-consumable, dimensionally stable anodes and cathodes. Alumina particles are dispersed in the bath to form a slurry. Current is passed between the electrodes, and oxygen bubbles form at the anodes, and molten aluminum droplets form at the cathodes. The oxygen bubbles agitate the bath and enhance dissolution of the alumina adjacent the anodes and inhibit the alumina particles from settling at the bottom of the bath. The molten aluminum droplets flow downwardly along the cathodes and accumulate at the bottom of the bath.

A cell for the electrolytic reduction of alumina to aluminum comprises an electrolyte bath composed of halide salts having a density greater than aluminum but less than alumina. A non-consumable anode is located at the bottom of the bath, and a dimensionally stable cathode coated with titanium diboride is spaced above the anode and totally immersed in the bath. Particles of alumina are introduced into the bath where the alumina dissolves and forms ions of aluminum and oxygen. The oxygen ions are converted at the anode to gaseous oxygen which bubbles upwardly through the bath, agitating the bath. As a result, the bath is substantially saturated with dissolved alumina in the region of the anode, and the build-up of a layer of undissolved alumina on the anode is prevented. The aluminum ions are converted to metallic aluminum at the cathodes, and molten aluminum accumulates as a pool atop the bath above the cathodes. In one embodiment, the upwardly rising gaseous oxygen bubbles are prevented from mixing with the pool of molten aluminum.

Method and apparatus for electrolytic reduction of alumina

Alcohol and water are mixed as liquids in a volume ratio of water to alcohol in the range 0.3-1.0 to 1. The liquid mixture is heated in heat exchanging relation with the exhaust conduit of a gasoline operated internal combustion engine, to convert the mixture to a gaseous state which is then combined with a mixture of gasoline and air for introduction into the engine. The water-alcohol mixture is 3-14 vol. % of the gasoline.

Introduction of alcohol-water mixture into gasoline-operated engine

Waste newsprint is defibered in an aqueous bath to which is added a deinking agent. The resulting slurry or pulp is rinsed, drained and formed into paper sheets. The deinking agent is a C.sub.14 to C.sub.20 alpha olefin sulfonate or a mixture of C.sub.18 alpha olefin sulfonate and a non-ionic detergent, depending upon the conditions of the deinking bath.

Deinking of newsprint

An organic reactant is sulfonated by injecting it into a stream of gas comprising sulfur trioxide, at a venturi, and the resulting reaction mixture is quenched with a stream of cooled, recycled reaction product immediately downstream of the venturi in a conduit in which particles of reaction mixture are agglomerated into a film of the recycle stream and in which additional sulfonation reaction occurs.

Sulfonating method

A liquid containing carbon particles in a predetermined concentration is circulated through a multiplicity of channels in a solar panel to heat the liquid which is then circulated through a heat exchanger. The solar panel is clear and uncolored, and the surfaces of the panel contacting the liquid are wetted with a wetting agent added to the liquid. The carbon particles are also wetted. The liquid is uniformly distributed through all the channels in the panel.

Solar heating method

A scrubbing system including scrubbers having straight through or direct line gas flow, with steam pretreatment of the gases supplied to the scrubber. The scrubbing solution may be recycled. Where steam is present in the process, the effluent gas is partially recycled to the process upstream of the scrubber to maintain a predetermined level of steam moisture in the gases entering the scrubber.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Richard J Brooks