About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Aluminum Reduction Technology
|
| Presentation Title |
Numerical Investigation of the Copper Insert Configuration in the Cathode Assembly |
| Author(s) |
Simon Tremblay, Daniel Marceau, Antoine Godefroy, Dominic Dubé, Sébastien Charest |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Simon Tremblay |
| Abstract Scope |
Energy resources have become increasingly limited and expensive. Smelters are then driven towards a lower energy consumption operation (lower internal heat) to maximize the profitability of their production. However, a lower internal heat modifies the thermal balance of the cell and may lead to operational complications. In those cases, the cell lining needs to be adjusted accordingly. One possible way to operate at reduced internal heat with a proper thermal balance is to limit the heat loss through the collector bars by reducing the length of the copper insert. However, doing so will cause an increase of the cathodic ohmic resistance and a variation of the heat loss distribution. Considering a cost function based on key performance indicators, this paper proposes a strategy to determine the optimal configuration of the copper insert in the cathode assembly to minimize the energy consumption and ensure an appropriate thermal balance. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: Light Metals |
| Keywords |
Aluminum, Modeling and Simulation, Process Technology |