About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Electrode Technology for Aluminum Production
|
| Presentation Title |
Unusual Transverse and Wing Cracks in Cathodes |
| Author(s) |
Shashidhar Ghatnatti, Hao Zhang, Jack Edwards, Lucinda Van Rensburg, Murray Ure |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Shashidhar Ghatnatti |
| Abstract Scope |
Boyne Smelter Ltd (BSL), the second largest Aluminium smelter in Australia, had experienced early failures in few of its Modified Sumitomo (S170) technology cells in 2022 which has been completely resolved. The trace elements in metal indicated infiltration up to collector bars.
An autopsy campaign targeting 50% of failed cells revealed a unique cathode failure mechanism of transverse and wing cracks occurring predominantly in the first few cathode blocks from the tap end. These cells had a few critical process lead indicators, which were significantly different towards the end of their life. This paper describes the unique failure mechanisms that occurred mostly during cathode preheating, casting and cell baking. Corrective measures taken to recover the situation are discussed as well as various hypothesis regarding the failure mechanism. It was possible to isolate and validate mechanical stress as a root cause through the physical observations made during the autopsy campaign. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: Light Metals |