BUSBAR ARRANGEMENT FOR ALUMINUM ELECTROLYTIC CELLS

摘要

The invention relates to busbar arrangements for aluminum electrolytic cells. In a first aspect, the invention provides at least one generally horizontal collector busbar on each side of the cell and a number of current tapping points along each collector busbar so that current flows along the collector busbar in opposite directions on each side of the taps. This produces changes of sign in the vertical component of the magnetic field acting on the pad in the longitudinal direction and helps to prevent pad instabilities. In a second aspect, the current taps for the collector busbars are vertically disposed so as to convey current well below the level of the metal pad so that adverse magnetic effects caused by further distribution of the current are minimized. In a third aspect, when the cells are arranged in a row, current is conveyed between cells in a round-end undercell crisscross arrangement with long horizontal runs of the busbars of adjacent cells being positioned close together with currents flowing in opposite directions to counteract adverse magnetic effects. These aspects of the invention allow electrolytic cells to be operated more efficiently and with decreased capital investment costs.