Reduced ventilation of upper part of aluminum smelting pot: potential benefits, drawbacks, and design modifications

Abstract

Maintaining current draft conditions in the upper part of Al smelting cell requires important electricity consumption for the fans. A reduction of the ventilation rate could significantly diminish the total power requirement at the blowers. However, adverse changes in operating conditions due to this ventilation reduction may disrupt the pot thermal equilibrium. A CFD model was created to investigate the influence of ventilation reduction on pot thermal balance. With the objective of maintaining normal heat losses by the top of the cell, several modifications are simulated, such as using plate fins on the anode assembly, changing hood gap geometry and modifying anode cover thickness. Heat transfer rates are determined for these modified designs, and compared to those currently achieved.