Slot Cutting in Anodes

摘要

BROCHOT, a well known French-based company, has designed, manufactured and installed a new item in its line of equipment for anode handling systems in aluminium smelters. This is part of the continuous research and development to improve its equipment and customer service. The new item is a machine for cutting slots in the under-side of anodes for the electrolysis of aluminium.Electrolysis of aluminium releases gases at the anode which form a film on the surface and partially insulate it from the bath, thus reducing the efficiency of aluminium production. While the gas generated on the vertical faces of the anode escapes quite easily, that formed on the underside tends to remain longer, unless measures are taken to evacuate it.There is, therefore, a strong trend in the aluminium industry towards making slots along the underside of the anodes so as facilitate this evacuation. Slots also provides an opportunity to control, to some degree, the direction and velocity of electrolyte that is driven by the bubble flow. This control can be enhanced by inclining the top of the slots.