Design and Trial of Electrical Collector Plate in Cathode Assemblies

Aluminium smeltingAluminium smelting is a very energyEnergy-intensive process; therefore, reducing power consumption has been a continuous focus of the aluminium smeltingAluminium smelting industry for many decades. A unique concept of electrical collector plate (ECP) has been developed and tested in industrial reduction cellsCell to validate the thermal electrical performances and financial benefits of the ECPECP design. The development process including thermo-electrical and thermo- mechanicalMechanical modellingModelling of various ECP designs will be discussed. The ECPECP cathode assembliesCathode assembly were installed and tested in industrial reduction cellsCell. Significant energyEnergy savings were realised and validated through stable operationOperation of trial cellsCell. It is also found that ECP cathode assembliesCathode assembly can provide versatile applications such as leveling out the cathodeCathode surfaceSurface current density and reducing horizontal current flow in the metal pad.