The method for producing an electrolytic aluminum foil of the present disclosure is a method for producing an electrolytic aluminum foil, the method including supplying an electrolytic solution in an electrolytic cell provided with a diaphragm between an anode and a cathode and depositing an aluminum foil on a surface of the cathode by electrolysis, wherein the diaphragm is made of aluminum having a purity of 85.0% or more and has a plurality of pores having an average pore diameter of 100 to 1000 μm.

A process can be used for the treatment of an offgas stream, which is formed in a plant for the production of aluminum by electrolytic reduction of aluminum oxide in a melt, using at least one anode composed of a carbon-containing material. The offgas stream contains carbon oxides due to the reduction of the aluminum oxide by the carbon. At least a substream of the carbon oxides contained in the offgas stream is reacted with hydrogen or mixed with a hydrogen stream and is subsequently passed to a use. After purification and conditioning of the offgas stream in a device, an enrichment, for example with carbon monoxide, can subsequently be carried out in a reactor and the synthesis gas obtained in this way can be fed to a chemical or biotechnological plant for the synthesis of chemicals of value.

A system for extracting oxygen from powdered metal oxides, the system comprising a container comprising an electrolyte in the form of meltable or molten salt, at least one cathode, at least one anode, a power supply, and a conducting structure, wherein the cathode is shaped as a receptacle having a porous shell, which has an upper opening, the cathode being arranged in the electrolyte with the opening protruding over the electrolyte, wherein the conducting structure comprises a plurality of conducting elements and gaps between the conducting elements, wherein the power supply is connectable to the at least one cathode and the at least one anode to selectively apply an electric potential across the cathode and the anode, wherein the conducting structure is insertable into the cathode, such that the conducting elements reach into an inner space of the cathode, wherein the conducting structure is electrically connectable to the cathode, and wherein the system is adapted for reducing at least one respective metallic species of at least one metal oxide of feedstock inside the shell of the cathode with inserted conducting structure by applying the electric potential, wherein the potential is greater than the dissociation potential of the at least one metal oxide.

The invention relates to production of alloys based on aluminum. A method is proposed for producing aluminum-based alloys by electrolysis, according to which low-consumable anode of aluminum pot is used as a source of alloying elements. At the same time, in order to optimize master alloy consumption, one of the following options is chosen: dissolution of alloying elements from slightly soluble anodes; adding oxides and/or fluorides and/or carbonates of alloying elements to electrolyte melt of aluminum pot; simultaneous dissolution of alloying elements from slightly soluble anodes with addition of oxides and/or fluorides and/or carbonates of alloying elements to electrolyte melt of aluminum pot. The method comprises the following stages: introducing alloying elements into molten cathode aluminum by dissolving them in electrolyte melt of aluminum pot from low-consumable anode and/or by adding oxides/and fluorides and/or carbonates of alloying elements into electrolyte melt of aluminum pot; reduction of alloying elements introduced into electrolyte melt of aluminum pot on molten cathode aluminum to form the base for aluminum alloys; determining percentage of elements in the base for aluminum alloys; and bringing alloys to a given composition by adding alloying elements to the base for aluminum alloys in the required amount. The result is multicomponent aluminum alloys of a given composition with introduction of alloying admixtures in the process of aluminum production by electrolysis, and then the alloy is brought to a predetermined composition, providing simplification of technology and control, reducing master alloy consumption which leads to lower cost of aluminum alloy production.

The invention relates to production of alloys based on aluminum. A method is proposed for producing aluminum-based alloys by electrolysis, according to which low-consumable anode of aluminum pot is used as a source of alloying elements. At the same time, in order to optimize master alloy consumption, one of the following options is chosen: dissolution of alloying elements from slightly soluble anodes; adding oxides and/or fluorides and/or carbonates of alloying elements to electrolyte melt of aluminum pot; simultaneous dissolution of alloying elements from slightly soluble anodes with addition of oxides and/or fluorides and/or carbonates of alloying elements to electrolyte melt of aluminum pot. The method comprises the following stages: introducing alloying elements into molten cathode aluminum by dissolving them in electrolyte melt of aluminum pot from low-consumable anode and/or by adding oxides/and fluorides and/or carbonates of alloying elements into electrolyte melt of aluminum pot; reduction of alloying elements introduced into electrolyte melt of aluminum pot on molten cathode aluminum to form the base for aluminum alloys; determining percentage of elements in the base for aluminum alloys; and bringing alloys to a given composition by adding alloying elements to the base for aluminum alloys in the required amount. The result is multicomponent aluminum alloys of a given composition with introduction of alloying admixtures in the process of aluminum production by electrolysis, and then the alloy is brought to a predetermined composition, providing simplification of technology and control, reducing master alloy consumption which leads to lower cost of aluminum alloy production.

The present invention relates to a method and a material for establishing a cathode barrier layer in electrolysis cells for production of aluminum of Hall-Heroult type, the barrier layer can comprise minerals combined with a compound that lowers the melting temperature of the minerals, such as fluorides.

A process for generating thermal energy and basic chemicals having the following steps: a) producing aluminum metal by fused-salt electrolysis in a fused-salt electrolysis plant, b) using aluminum metal for the generation of thermal energy and of chemical basic materials selected from the group carbon monoxide or hydrogen, by bringing carbon dioxide and/or water or a mixture containing a compound containing nitrogen and hydrogen and carbon dioxide and/or water into contact with the aluminum metal and converting it in an aluminothermic reaction to aluminum oxide and carbon monoxide and/or hydrogen, c) storage or chemical conversion of the carbon monoxide and/or hydrogen produced thereby, d) storage of the thermal energy generated in the process or conversion into other forms of energy, and e) recycling the aluminum oxide obtained in the process to the fused-salt electrolysis.

The process allows fused-salt electrolysis plants for aluminum production to be operated with regenerative energies of fluctuating output over time without having to shut down these plants. The process also allows energy generation to be coupled with the provision of basic chemicals that can be used in a closed-loop process.

A process for generating thermal energy and basic chemicals having the following steps: a) producing aluminum metal by fused-salt electrolysis in a fused-salt electrolysis plant, b) using aluminum metal for the generation of thermal energy and of chemical basic materials selected from the group carbon monoxide or hydrogen, by bringing carbon dioxide and/or water or a mixture containing a compound containing nitrogen and hydrogen and carbon dioxide and/or water into contact with the aluminum metal and converting it in an aluminothermic reaction to aluminum oxide and carbon monoxide and/or hydrogen, c) storage or chemical conversion of the carbon monoxide and/or hydrogen produced thereby, d) storage of the thermal energy generated in the process or conversion into other forms of energy, and e) recycling the aluminum oxide obtained in the process to the fused-salt electrolysis.

The process allows fused-salt electrolysis plants for aluminum production to be operated with regenerative energies of fluctuating output over time without having to shut down these plants. The process also allows energy generation to be coupled with the provision of basic chemicals that can be used in a closed-loop process.

It is disclosed a system and process for starting up an electrolytic cell. The system and process are particularly adapted for preheating an electrolytic cell or pot having cathodes before installing preheated anodes in the cell, for the production of a metal (e.g. aluminum). The system comprises one or more electrical heaters installed in the cell in place of the anode assemblies and can be used with a dry bath or a liquid melted bath (e.g. cryolite). The cell is preferably preheated by as many cell preheaters as there are anode assemblies. The cell preheater is preferably powered by current available in the pot's busbar. The invention is environmentally friendly as being preferably adapted for preheating a cell working with inert or oxygen-evolving anodes. Furthermore, the starting up process allows optimizing/reducing the time necessary for starting up the electrolytic cell, while securing the materials located inside the cell.

A novel cathode assembly and its use for the production of aluminum in an electrolysis cell.