Electrolysis tank comprising an anode assembly contained in a containment enclosure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016326661-A1
Application number	US-201515111486-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 23, 2015
Priority date	Jan 27, 2014
Publication date	Nov 10, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

This cell ( 1 ) comprises a pot shell ( 2 ) defining an opening through which an anode block ( 10 ) is designed to be moved, said anode block ( 10 ) being suspended from an anode support ( 8 ) forming with said anode block an anode assembly mobile in relation to the pot shell ( 2 ), and a confinement chamber ( 22 ) defining a closed volume above said opening for the containment of the gases generated during the production of aluminum, the anode support ( 8 ) being connected to an electrical conductor ( 26 ) to supply an electrolysis current to the anode block ( 10 ), the anode assembly is fully contained in the confinement chamber ( 22 ), and in that the electrical connection between the mobile electrical conductor ( 26 ) and the anode support ( 8 ) is made within the confinement chamber ( 22 ).

First claim

1 . An electrolytic cell, for the production of aluminum by electrolysis, comprising a pot shell having an inner lining defining an opening through which an anode block is designed to be moved, said anode block being suspended from an anode support forming with said anode block an anode assembly mobile in relation to the pot shell, and a confinement chamber defining a closed volume above said opening for the containment of gases generated during the production of aluminum, the anode support being connected to an electrical conductor to supply an electrolysis current to said anode block, characterized in that the anode assembly is fully contained in the confinement chamber, and in that the electrical connection between the mobile electrical conductor and the anode support is made within the confinement chamber.

2 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 1 , characterized in that the electrical conductor extends into the confinement chamber outside a volume defined by the top of the anode block during movement of the anode block through the opening.

3 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 1 , characterized in that the confinement chamber comprises a top portion acting as a lid, said top portion being mobile to allow the anode assembly to be extracted.

4 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 1 , characterized in that the electrical conductor is mobile and in that the confinement chamber comprises a fixed portion having a window through which extends the mobile electrical conductor, the mobile electrical conductor comprising a first portion extending outside the confinement chamber and a second portion extending within the confinement chamber which is electrically connected to the anode support.

5 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 4 , characterized in that the electrolytic cell comprises sealing means to prevent the gases generated during the electrolysis reaction from leaving the confinement chamber via the window through which the mobile electrical conductor passes.

6 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 5 , characterized in that the mobile electrical conductor passes through the fixed portion of the confinement chamber in a substantially vertical way, and the sealing means include a dynamic seal around the mobile electrical conductor.

7 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 6 , characterized in that the mobile electrical conductor passes through a horizontal part of the fixed portion.

8 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 6 , characterized in that the mobile electrical conductor comprises, between the second portion and the first portion, a rectilinear sealing portion of constant section.

9 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 5 , characterized in that the mobile electrical conductor passes through the fixed portion of the confinement chamber in a substantially horizontal way, and the sealing means include a sealing component configured to completely close the window, whatever the position of the mobile electrical conductor through the window.

10 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 9 , characterized in that the sealing component surrounds the mobile electrical conductor and is mounted interdependently with the mobile electrical conductor.

11 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 10 , characterized in that the sealing component is a metal plate extending in a plane substantially parallel to the fixed portion through which the mobile electrical conductor passes.

12 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 10 , characterized in that a compensating component is arranged between the sealing component and the mobile electrical conductor.

13 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 10 , characterized in that the electrolytic cell comprises means for guiding the sealing component in translation, the guiding means comprising two substantially rectangular frames fixed against the fixed portion of the confinement chamber so as to surround the window of the fixed portion and arranged relative to each other so as to define between the frames a space within which the sealing component is designed to slide, the electrolytic cell further comprising means for expansion compensation interposed between the two frames.

14 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 1 , characterized in that the electrical conductor is a non-deformable rigid electrical conductor.

15 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 1 , characterized in that the anode assembly is supported by the electrical conductor and moved via the electrical conductor.

16 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 15 , characterized in that the electrolytic cell comprises moving means for moving the electrical conductor in substantially vertical translation, the moving means being arranged entirely outside the confinement chamber.

17 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 16 , characterized in that the moving means comprise a jack specifically associated with the mobile electrical conductor acting as a support for the anode assembly.

18 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 1 , characterized in that the electrical conductor does not extend in line above said anode assembly.

19 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 18 , characterized in that the mobile electrical conductor is arranged under the anode support the anode assembly.

20 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 4 , characterized in that the top portion of the confinement chamber rests on the fixed portion of the confinement chamber.

21 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 20 , characterized in that the fixed portion defines a substantially rectangular horizontal opening and the top portion rests substantially horizontally on the fixed portion.

22 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 20 , characterized in that the top portion may include a plurality of adjacent hoods substantially longitudinal and parallel to each other, extending in a substantially transverse direction of the electrolytic cell between two opposite longitudinal edges of the electrolytic cells.

23 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 20 , characterized in that the fixed portion of the confinement chamber comprises a vertical portion extending substantially vertically around and above the opening defined by the pot shell and the inner lining.

24 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 1 , characterized in that the electrolytic cell comprises means of fixing the anode support onto the electrical conductor, the fixing means being completely contained inside the confinement chamber.

25 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 1 , characterized in that the electrolytic cell comprises a plurality of anode assemblies and, for each anode assembly, at least one electrical conductor electrically connected to the anode support.

26 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 1 , characterized in that the anode support comprises a bar extending substantially horizontally between two opposite longitudinal edges of the electrolytic cell.

27 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 26 , characterized in that each of the opposite ends of the bar is electrically connected to an electrical conductor.

28 . An electrolytic cell according to claim 27 , characterized in that each of the opposite ends of the bar is supported by the electrical conductor and moved via the electrical conductor.

29 . An elec

Assignees

• Rio Tinto Alcan Int Ltd

Inventors

• Martin Olivier
• Duval Christian
• Renaudier Steeve
• BARDET Benoit

Classifications

• C25C3/16

  Electric current supply devices, e.g. bus bars · CPC title

• C25C3/10 Primary

  External supporting frames or structures · CPC title

• C25C3/12 Primary

  Anodes · CPC title

• C25C3/22

  Collecting emitted gases · CPC title