On the Modified Design of Anode Assembly in Hall-Héroult Cell Using Finite Element Method

The Hall-Héroult process is the most commonly used process for aluminium production through an electrolytic reduction of alumina dissolved in an electrolytic bath at 960 °C. The voltage drop for the anode group represents about 8% of the total cell voltage. The resistance between the connections that link the different parts of the anode assembly causes an increase in the anode voltage during the electrolysis process. This study investigates the factors affecting the anodic voltage drop, temperature, and stress distribution using the finite element method (FEM). These factors include the stub diameter, the number of thimble flutes, and the number of steel stubs. To verify and validate the modeled results, thermal and electrical measurements were carried out on ten prebaked anode cells. The findings indicate that the design of the steel stubs (in terms of diameter and number) significantly influences the reduction of the anodic voltage. In contrast, the number of thimble flutes may have a minor effect on the anodic voltage drop.