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- Title
The Evolution of Søderberg Aluminum Cell Technology in North and South America.
- Authors
Barber, Mike; Tabereaux, Alton
- Abstract
In the 1940s, the horizontal stud Søderberg cells were considered to be superior to the small 30-kA Hall prebake cells, which at that time operated at a lower current efficiency and higher energy consumption. The amperage was first increased on the Søderberg cells from 30 kA to 50-60 kA and then later to 90-120 kA by basically increasing the anode length and the number of anode studs. Due to the increase in demand for aluminum metal, the less expensive Søderberg smelters proliferated in the 1940s to the 1970s in North and South America. In the 1970s, 24 Søderberg smelters located in North and South America had a primary aluminum capacity over 3 million tpy. The largest operating Søderberg smelter, Companhia Brasileira de Aluminio, has a plant capacity over 470000 tpy and started the last new Søderberg potline in 2007. However, poor magnetics inherent with end-to-end Søderberg cell busbar design limited any further increase in amperage while the side-to-side prebake cells were able to operate more efficiently at 200 kA and higher. Compared with prebake technology, Søderberg cells are now less efficient and have higher production costs, they are more difficult to automate and they have the greatest environmental and health challenges. Health studies from the middle of the 1970s showing a clear link between Søderberg tar fume exposure and the incidence of various types of cancer lead companies to propose a program of replacement. As a result, today there are only five Søderberg smelters operating in North and South America with a capacity of <1 million tpy.
- Subjects
ALUMINUM cell; ENERGY consumption; ALUMINUM metallurgy; ANODES; SMELTING furnaces; COMPANHIA Brasileira de Aluminio (Company)
- Publication
JOM: The Journal of The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS), 2014, Vol 66, Issue 2, p223
- ISSN
1047-4838
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s11837-013-0855-1