Mass Transport by Waves on the Bath Metal Interface in Electrolysis Cell

Abstract

The movement of waves on the surface of a fluid is always accompanied by a displacement of the fluid particles in the wave propagation direction, this is called the Stokes drift. This phenomenon can be found in aluminum electrolysis cells. More or less regular oscillations animate the interface between the electrolyte bath and the metal in a cell. It is well known that material, such as rafts of undissolved alumina and solidified bath and cryolite snow can float on the metal-bath interface. So these objects can be transported by waves on the interface. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on the works already done about the surface waves, interface waves and Stokes drift. Then the mass transport induced by these waves will be estimated for the case of the metal bath interface in the electrolysis cells.