Ledge-free aluminum smelting cell

US5667664A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Comalco Aluminum Limited · AU

Inventors

• Drago D. Juric · Melbourne, AU
• Raymond Walter Shaw · New Gisborne, AU
• Geoffrey J. Houston · Melbourne, AU
• Ian A. Coad · Melbourne, AU

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 9, 1996
• Grant date: Sep 16, 1997
• Expiry date: Sep 9, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C25C3/06
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

An aluminium smelting cell comprising side walls (5) and a floor (2) defining an active cathode, an anode (3) overlying the cathode floor (2), some said side walls (5) being covered by a wetted cathode material (6), such as one contained TiB.sub.2, so that the covered side walls become active cathode surfaces on which a film of aluminium metal forms to protect the side wall parts against bath attack, thereby enabling the cell to operate at the desired temperatures without the usual protective side ledge of the frozen electrolyte material.