Experimental model of the interfacial instability in aluminium reduction cells

Abstract

A solution has been found to a long-standing problem of experimental modelling of the interfacial instability in aluminium reduction cells. The idea is to replace the electrolyte overlaying molten aluminium with a mesh of thin rods supplying current down directly into the liquid metal layer. This eliminates electrolysis altogether and all the problems associated with it, such as high temperature, chemical aggressiveness of media, products of electrolysis, the necessity for electrolyte renewal, high power demands, etc. The result is a room-temperature, versatile laboratory model which represents Sele-type, rolling pad interfacial instability. The method can be used to obtain detailed experimental data and to test various theoretical models, which has never been done before

Sloshing instability and electrolyte layer rupture in liquid metal batteries

“…The period of rolling ( figure 8b) is determined, too. It is expected to deviate only slightly from the period of the gravity wave 38,39 . Further we expect that the natural sloshing frequencies in LMBs can be suitably approximated by wave solutions of two-layer systems due to the high density of the bottom alloy.…”

Momentum‐based approximation of incompressible multiphase fluid flows

“…The level set is approximated by using (35). The physical properties are reconstructed by using (36). The momentum and the pressure are computed by solving (37) to (39).…”

Classification of instability modes in a model of aluminium reduction cells with a uniform magnetic field

“…It is important to note that the discussion abo HD instability, which is always very long-wave and violent, as confirmed by a recent experiment [17]. The so-called MHD noise [18] involving waves of 0.5-2m in length and of finite but small amplitude is always present during the smelting process, but it does not affect the stability of the cells and thus is of no concern here.…”

“…(1b), rather than the boundary condition (2b). Expressions (17) and (18) represent travelling waves in the +y-direction and standing waves in the -x-direction with functions of x being their amplitudes. Thus for β >> 1 the pattern for both η and φ consists of channels along the y-axis, i.e.…”