Aluminum reduction cell anode stub hole design using weakly coupled thermo-electro-mechanical finite element models

Abstract

Electrical power accounts for the largest part of the primary aluminum production cost, hence smelters strive to improve their overall efficiency. Current Hall–Héroult reduction cell technology generally uses cast iron to connect steel conductors to carbon electrodes. In this paper, the reduction of anodic connector electrical losses was investigated through a combination of simple experiments and weakly coupled thermo-electro-mechanical finite element models. A novel phenomenological constitutive model was used to predict the electrical contact resistance at the cast iron to carbon interface. Parametric design studies were carried, and substantial savings are expected from the optimization of the anodic connector geometry.