Viscosity of conventional cryolite-alumina melts

Abstract

The study covers the viscosity of NaF–AlF3–CaF2–Al2O3 conventional cryolite-alumina melts with a cryolite ratio CR = 2.3 depending on the CaF2, Al2O3 content and temperature. The viscosity of cryolite-alumina electrolyte samples prepared under laboratory conditions and electrolyte samples of industrial electrolytic cells was measured by the rotary method using the FRS 1600 rheometer («Anton Paar», Austria). The laminar flow region of the melt determined according to the dependence of viscosity on shear rate at a constant temperature was 10–15 s–1 for all the studied samples. The temperature dependence of cryolite-alumina melt viscosity was measured at a shear rate of 12 ± 1 s–1 in the temperature range from liquidus to 1020 °C. It was shown that the change in the viscosity of all samples in the investigated temperature range (50–80 °С) can be described by a linear equation. The average temperature coefficient of linear equations describing the viscosity of cryolite-alumina electrolytes prepared in laboratory conditions was 0.005 mPа· s/°С, which is 2 times less compared to industrial cell electrolytes. Thus, the change in the viscosity of industrial cell electrolytes with increasing temperature is more significant. Both alumina and calcium fluoride additives increase the cryolite melt viscosity. The viscosity of samples prepared with the conventional composition NaF–AlF3–5%CaF2–4%Al2O3 (CR = 2.3) is equal to 3.11 ± 0.04 mPа· s at an electrolysis operating temperature of 960 °C, while the viscosity of industrial cell electrolytes with the same cryolite ratio is 10–15 % higher and falls in the range of 3.0–3.7 mPа· s depending on the electrolyte composition.