Long-term testing and evaluation of cathode components in a commercial aluminum cell

Technical Report · Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7124511· OSTI ID:7124511

Church, K D; Morris, E G; Joo, L A ^[1]; Stewart, D V; Morgan, W R; Tabereaux, A ^[2]

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1. Great Lakes Research, Elizabethton, TN (USA)
2. Reynolds Metals Co., Sheffield, AL (USA)

Since 1886, essentially all primary aluminum has been produced in Hall-Heroult electrolytic cells which electrochemically reduce alumina to the metal in an energy/capital intensive process. Nearly five per cent of the electrical energy generated in the United States in consumed in this Hall-Heroult process, at the rate of 6--8 kwh/lb. of aluminum produced. It has been in the aluminum industry's interest for the past several decades to utilize titanium diboride in some capacity as the cell cathode, either with conventional consumable carbon anodes or ultimately with nonconsumable, inert anodes. Eventual achievement of either or both of these goals will represent a technological breakthrough and make possible a significant reduction in the energy requirement to produce aluminum. The overall objective and achievement of this program was to better define the technical and economic viability of graphite-containing titanium diboride materials in low-cost shapes for use as cathodes in aluminum electrolytic cells as a precursor to subsequent demonstration and commercial application. This report covers the development of possible failure mechanisms, evaluations of the thermal shock resistance of non-cylindrical shapes, and an assessment of energy savings and technical/economic viability. In this program, titanium diboride-graphite (TiB{sub 2}-G) materials was demonstrated to be superior to dense TiB{sub 2} materials which had been previously evaluated in studies by others in terms of longevity, thermal shock properties, and the ability to manufacture large, complex components. 129 figs., 5 tabs.

• Research Organization: Great Lakes Research, Elizabethton, TN (USA); Reynolds Metals Co., Sheffield, AL (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/CE
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-87ID12689
• OSTI ID: 7124511
• Report Number(s): DOE/ID/12689-1-Vol.1-Add.; ON: DE90010896
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
ALUMINIUM
PRODUCTION
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
PROCESS CONTROL
ELECTRODES
PERFORMANCE TESTING
REDUCTION
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
TITANIUM BORIDES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMMERCIALIZATION
COMPILED DATA
ECONOMICS
ENERGY CONSERVATION
GRAPHITE
MATERIALS TESTING
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
THERMAL SHOCK
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
BORIDES
BORON COMPOUNDS
CARBON
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTROL
DATA
ELEMENTAL MINERALS
ELEMENTS
INFORMATION
METALS
MINERALS
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
TESTING
TITANIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
320303* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Industrial & Agricultural Processes- Equipment & Processes
360101 - Metals & Alloys- Preparation & Fabrication
360204 - Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories- Physical Properties
400400 - Electrochemistry