SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PURIFYING ALUMINUM

摘要

The application is directed towards methods for purifying an aluminum feedstock material. A method provides: (a) feeding an aluminum feedstock into a cell (b) directing an electric current into an anode through an electrolyte and into a cathode, wherein the anode comprises an elongate vertical anode, and wherein the cathode comprises an elongate vertical cathode, wherein the anode and cathode are configured to extend into the electrolyte zone, such that within the electrolyte zone the anode and cathode are configured with an anode-cathode overlap and an anode-cathode distance; and producing some purified aluminum product from the aluminum feedstock.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
(a) feeding an aluminum feedstock into a cell access channel of an aluminum electrolysis cell, wherein the aluminum electrolysis cell is configured with at least two zones, including a molten metal pad zone and an electrolyte zone, further wherein the aluminum feedstock is retained in the molten metal pad zone; (b) directing an electric current into an anode through an electrolyte and into a cathode, wherein the anode comprises an elongate vertical anode, and wherein the cathode comprises an elongate vertical cathode, wherein the anode and cathode are configured to extend into the electrolyte zone, such that within the electrolyte zone the anode and cathode are configured with an anode-cathode overlap and an anode-cathode distance; (c) wetting at least a portion of the surface of the elongate vertical anode with a molten material from the molten metal pad layer, wherein the molten material includes aluminum metal; (d) concomitant with the directing step, producing at least some aluminum ions in the electrolyte from the aluminum metal on the surface of the elongate vertical anode; and (e) concomitant with the directing step, reducing at least some of the aluminum ions in the bath onto the surface of the elongate vertical cathode to produce a molten purified aluminum product.