Test of an baked anode of an aluminum electrolyzer with a new nipple socket design

Abstract

The results of laboratory and industrial tests on a new design of a baked anode for aluminum electrolyzers are presented. At present, in the process of dismantling anodes from anode holders, there is a problem with the incomplete removal of cast iron filling from steel nipples. At loose contact of the nipple with the carbon block, there is the formation of a solid cast iron layer between the nipple and the anode, which leads to the formation of a thick solid bottom of the cast iron filling without a central hole provided in the corresponding drawing. This situation makes it difficult to remove the cast iron casting from the steel nipple. Moreover, the increased thickness of the bottom of the cast iron casting results in additional electrical resistance, which reduces electrical conductivity and adversely affects the voltage across the contact between the nipple and the anode. The anode of the new design offers a solution to this problem. A feature of the new anode design is the modification of the cast iron casting geometry by modifying the design of the anode holder nipple socket. The anode has trapezoidal protrusions located along the anode axis on both sides of the “lug” protrusion in the nipple socket. The new design provides stress concentration. It allows more efficient and less labor-intensive removal of the cast iron casting. Keywords: baked anode, anode dismantling, cast iron casting, electrical voltage drop, aluminum electrolyzer.