About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2027 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Aluminum Reduction Technology
|
| Presentation Title |
Transient Electro-Magnetic-Flow Simulation of Current Fluctuations in Industrial Aluminum Reduction Cells and Their Effects on Interface Stability and Cathode Wear |
| Author(s) |
Bin Liu, Hongkun Niu, Guisheng Liang, Qing Han, Bin Fang, Junqing Wang |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Bin Liu |
| Abstract Scope |
The integration of renewable energy into energy-intensive electrochemical systems introduces complex multi-physics challenges, particularly in the behavior and degradation of electrode materials under fluctuating electrical inputs. This study presents a transient, strongly coupled electromagnetic-fluid simulation of a 200 kA industrial aluminum reduction cell to investigate the material and interfacial responses to variable current conditions (±10%, ±20%, ±30%). Results show that the bath-metal interface experiences nonlinear deformations driven by dynamic Lorentz forces, with depressions reaching 3.5 cm. Simulations reveal a 14.4-fold increase in cathode wear rate under intensified current loading, emphasizing the coupled mechano-electrochemical stresses that accelerate material degradation. The model, validated against industrial data with <8.8% error, offers new insights into large-scale electrochemical systems' durability and interface reliability under renewable energy integration. These findings position aluminum electrolysis as a critical testbed for understanding multi-physics interfacial behavior in next-generation sustainable energy technologies. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: Light Metals |
| Keywords |
Aluminum, Modeling and Simulation, Other |