Computational modeling of flow in aluminum reduction cells due to gas bubbles and electromagnetic forces

Gas bubbles and electromagnetic forces (EMFs) in the electrolyte region of the aluminum reduction cells affect the flow pattern and hence the cell performance. Such performance is indicated by current efficiency. Dynamic simulation for the gas-induced flow in the aluminum reduction cell was performed using the Euler/Lagrange approach. The flow behavior and current efficiency in the cell are calculated due to different driving forces of gas bubbles, EMFs, and the combined effect of these driving forces. The gas bubbles-induced motion in the electrolyte (bath) layer was found more effective than the EMFs-induced motion. The bath velocity near the anode under various driving forces, bubble, EMFs, and the combined effect, was found to be 16.9, 5.8, and 25.2 cm/s, respectively, in the direction from the center of the anode to the projection of the anode, while the corresponding oppositely directed velocity near the cathode Oust above the interface) was 3.8, 2.8, and 6.5 cm/s, respectively. The average current efficiencies calculated due to the previous driving forces were found to be 92.99, 95.04, and 94.62 pct, respectively.