The invention provides a lining for an aluminium electrolyzer having inert anodes and is enclosed in a cathode casing comprising a bottom formed from taller blocks having projections and shorter bottom blocks. The shorter bottom blocks are mounted at the ends of the bottom of the cathode device. The shorter bottom blocks alternate with the taller bottom blocks having projections. Vertical channels are provided in the projections of the blocks over the entire thickness of the block for the mounting of conductive elements formed from aluminium and are attached in the lower part to a current-carrying collector that is in the form of a plate which extends out of the ends of the bottom blocks and through the longitudinal sides of the cathode casing.

A method for optimizing stability in an electrolysis cell of the Hall-Héroult 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.

A method for optimizing stability in an electrolysis cell of the Hall-Héroult 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.

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.

An anode, in particular an anode for the use in aluminium electrolysis cells, includes an anode body with a first stub hole for the insertion of a stub for the connection with a voltage source. The anode includes at least a first aluminium core and a second aluminium core that are arranged inside the anode body for the connection with the voltage source. A first distance between the first aluminium core and the bottom of the anode is different from a second distance between the second aluminium core and the bottom of the anode.

An anode, in particular an anode for the use in aluminium electrolysis cells, includes an anode body with a first stub hole for the insertion of a stub for the connection with a voltage source. The anode includes at least a first aluminium core and a second aluminium core that are arranged inside the anode body for the connection with the voltage source. A first distance between the first aluminium core and the bottom of the anode is different from a second distance between the second aluminium core and the bottom of the anode.

An apparatus for use in the electro-production of metals, comprising a plurality of anodes and a plurality of cathodes in an interleaved configuration, wherein each anode and cathode pair forms a cell; a plurality of power supplies, each cell associated with one or more respective power supplies; and the power supplies are arranged to control a direct current in the one or more cells to a predetermined value.

An apparatus for use in the electro-production of metals, comprising a plurality of anodes and a plurality of cathodes in an interleaved configuration, wherein each anode and cathode pair forms a cell; a plurality of power supplies, each cell associated with one or more respective power supplies; and the power supplies are arranged to control a direct current in the one or more cells to a predetermined value.

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

The invention relates to an electrolytic cell (1) for the production of aluminium (2) including collector bars structure modifications (13,14,15,16) under the cathode (4), namely a copper collector bar held in a U-shaped profile or directly embedded into the cathode. This leads to an optimized current distribution in the liquid aluminium metal (2) and/or inside the carbon cathode allowing for operating the cell at lower voltage. The lower voltage results from either a lower anode to cathode distance (ACD), and/or to lower voltage drop inside the carbon cathode from liquid metal to the end of the collector bar.