It is disclosed a purifier assembly and method for removing impurities from an electrolytic bath before using the same with an electrolytic cell for making a metal, such as aluminum or aluminium. The assembly comprises a purification tank, located upstream the cell, for containing the bath; and at least one row, preferably at least two rows, of alternating vertically oriented cathodes and anodes configured to be operatively connected to a power supply for providing an electric current to the anodes and cathodes. The rows of vertically oriented cathodes and anodes are configured in size to be inserted into the tank. The purifier assembly is configured to maintain an anode-to-cathode distance (ACD) between the cathodes and anodes. The purifier is particularly adapted for removing sulfur, phosphorus, iron, and/or gallium from cryolite for the eco-friendly production of aluminum with a cell using oxygen-evolving or inert anodes, which preferably requires a purer bath.

A method for transforming a crystal form of an electrolyte containing lithium for aluminum electrolysis includes the following steps: S1, pulverizing the electrolyte containing lithium; S2, uniformly mixing an additive with the electrolyte powder to obtain a mixture, wherein the additive is one or more selected from the group consisting of an oxide of an alkali metal other than lithium, an oxo acid salt of an alkali metal other than lithium, and a halide of an alkali metal other than lithium; a molar ratio of a sum of alkali metal fluoride contained in the electrolyte, alkali metal fluoride directly added from the additive, and alkali metal fluoride to which the additive is converted under the high-temperature calcination condition in the mixture to aluminum fluoride is greater than 3; S3, calcining the mixture at a high temperature.

A method for transforming a crystal form of an electrolyte containing lithium for aluminum electrolysis includes the following steps: S1, pulverizing the electrolyte containing lithium; S2, uniformly mixing an additive with the electrolyte powder to obtain a mixture, wherein the additive is one or more selected from the group consisting of an oxide of an alkali metal other than lithium, an oxo acid salt of an alkali metal other than lithium, and a halide of an alkali metal other than lithium; a molar ratio of a sum of alkali metal fluoride contained in the electrolyte, alkali metal fluoride directly added from the additive, and alkali metal fluoride to which the additive is converted under the high-temperature calcination condition in the mixture to aluminum fluoride is greater than 3; S3, calcining the mixture at a high temperature.

A method for optimizing stability in an electrolysis cell of the Hall-Hroult type where the cell has suspended prebaked anodes and a cathode panel. The panel comprises several cathode blocks or cathode block sections. A metal pad and an electrolytic bath are located between said anodes and the cathode panel. The force field acting on the metal pad is calculated and monitored in a computer based model of the cell, whereby the local current paths and correspondingly the local forces in the metal above the cathode panel are modified by influencing selectively the current distribution in individual cathode blocks or block sections in the computer based model. At least one modification is implemented in the cell. The invention also relates to a correspondingly modified cell.

An insulation assembly is provided, including: a body of an insulating material with a lower surface configured to contact a sidewall an electrolysis cell; an upper surface generally opposed to the lower surface; and a perimetrical sidewall extending between the upper surface and the lower surface to surround the remainder of the body, the perimetrical sidewall including: an inner portion configured to face an anode surface of the electrolysis cell and provide a gap between the body and the anode surface of the electrolysis cell; wherein the body is configured to extend from the sidewall towards the anode surface.

This invention relates to nonferrous metallurgy, in particular to a device and method for electrolyte composition analysis based on differential thermal measurements for aluminum electrolysis control. The device is comprised of a metal body including a reference material and an electrolyte sample receptacle, temperature sensors immersed into the reference material and in an electrolyte sample, a system for registration, data processing, and visualization of obtained results. A method includes immersing a metal body into an electrolyte; filling a receptacles with the molten electrolyte; removing and cooling down the metal body having the filled receptacle above a crust on the molten electrolyte surface; drawing and analyzing differential-thermal curves based on which the liquidus temperature, electrolyte superheating and phase and blend compositions of electrolyte solid samples are determined taking into account all crystallizing phases the content of which in the electrolyte sample is no less than 3 wt %.

This invention relates to nonferrous metallurgy, in particular to a device and method for electrolyte composition analysis based on differential thermal measurements for aluminum electrolysis control. The device is comprised of a metal body including a reference material and an electrolyte sample receptacle, temperature sensors immersed into the reference material and in an electrolyte sample, a system for registration, data processing, and visualization of obtained results. A method includes immersing a metal body into an electrolyte; filling a receptacles with the molten electrolyte; removing and cooling down the metal body having the filled receptacle above a crust on the molten electrolyte surface; drawing and analyzing differential-thermal curves based on which the liquidus temperature, electrolyte superheating and phase and blend compositions of electrolyte solid samples are determined taking into account all crystallizing phases the content of which in the electrolyte sample is no less than 3 wt %.

A hydrocarbon feed stream is exposed to heat in an absence of oxygen to the convert the hydrocarbon feed stream into a solids stream and a gas stream. The gas stream is separated into an exhaust gas stream and a first hydrogen stream. The carbon is separated from the solids stream to produce a carbon stream. Electrolysis is performed on a water stream to produce an oxygen stream and a second hydrogen stream. A solid carbon block is formed. Alumina is smelted using the solid carbon block to produce aluminum. At least a portion of the oxygen of the oxygen stream and a second portion of the carbon of the carbon stream are combined to generate power and a carbon dioxide stream. At least a portion of the aluminum and a third portion of the carbon of the carbon stream are combined and heated to produce aluminum carbide.

A hydrocarbon feed stream is exposed to heat in an absence of oxygen to the convert the hydrocarbon feed stream into a solids stream and a gas stream. The gas stream is separated into an exhaust gas stream and a first hydrogen stream. The carbon is separated from the solids stream to produce a carbon stream. Electrolysis is performed on a water stream to produce an oxygen stream and a second hydrogen stream. A solid carbon block is formed. Alumina is smelted using the solid carbon block to produce aluminum. At least a portion of the oxygen of the oxygen stream and a second portion of the carbon of the carbon stream are combined to generate power and a carbon dioxide stream. At least a portion of the aluminum and a third portion of the carbon of the carbon stream are combined and heated to produce aluminum carbide.

The application is directed towards methods for purifying an aluminum feedstock material. A method provides: (a) feeding an aluminum feedstock into a cell (b) directing an electric current into an anode through an electrolyte and into a cathode, wherein the anode comprises an elongate vertical anode, and wherein the cathode comprises an elongate vertical cathode, wherein the anode and cathode are configured to extend into the electrolyte zone, such that within the electrolyte zone the anode and cathode are configured with an anode-cathode overlap and an anode-cathode distance; and producing some purified aluminum product from the aluminum feedstock.