Experimental Studies of the Dynamic Form

An experimental setup is created to study the dynamic behavior of the side ledge under the electrolysis in a cryolite-alumina electrolyte. The installation features a built-in window on the side panel, allowing for variation in the lining material and consequently the heat flow. The dynamic formation of a side ledge is experimentally investigated based on temperature, electrolyte velocity, and heat flow during aluminum electrolysis. The study determines that the rate of ledge formation and thickness depends on the heat flow resulting from electrolyte temperature, cell side temperature, and liquidus temperature. In the experimental cell, the side ledge profile can be categorized into three zones: the ledge at the bottom in contact with liquid aluminum, the ledge at the metal/electrolyte interface, and the ledge at the electrolyte level. If the inner wall temperature exceeds the liquidus temperature, ledge formation ceases; conversely, if it is lower, formation persists until thermal equilibrium is reached. Thus, the stability of the side ledge correlates with the heat transfer from the center to the cell walls, while the dynamic behavior of solidification/melting in the metal zone occurs slowly and deviates from the expected behavior of the side ledge.