Bar to Block Contact Resistance in Aluminum Reduction Cell Cathode Assemblies

Abstract

Contact resistance between the collector bar and cathode block has been previously 2 contributing roughly 100 mV to cell voltage. This paper proposes four mechanisms as contributors to high contact resistance through low contact pressure and large scale intermittent contact. These mechanisms are: temporary bowing of the bar during solidification of cast iron joints, shrinkage of the bar during the phase change from ferrite to austenite, mismatch of iron and carbon surface texture due to axial thermal expansion, and reduced contact pressure due to creep in the steel bar.

Anode Bottom Burnout Shape and Velocity Field Investigation in a High Amperage Electrolysis Cell

“…The use of input material parameter values, their temperature dependence, the cell aging process and the complexity of the operational practice makes the precise inputs difficult and requires creative mind to find the right solutions suit practical demand of industry. For instance, the electric current distribution is considerably affected by the influence of the initial shape and position of an anode and the curvature of the aluminium [10], effects of the gas bubble concentration at the anode bottom [13], and the various contact resistances in the cathode assembly [14] and anode connectors. These features are available as the initial setup parameters within the software.…”