Simulation of Anode Bubble during Aluminium Electrolysis
Jan. 2017 - Jun. 2017
To reduce the damage of anode bubbles during aluminium electrolysis, over 6 months, I used ANSYS Fluent analysis software to simulate the movement of bubbles in different side tilt angle, and then, I compared the results through different aspects to provided the improved plan.
Understood about the working principle of electrolyzer and anodes in order correctly establish the Fluent model and carry out FEA Analysis in the following processes.
Successfully simulated the trajectory and the shape of bubbles which formed at the bottom of the anode in electrolysis reaction by using ANSYS Fluent.
Use post-processing software, which are Tecplot and CFD-Post, to visualize experimental data and draw the results into continuous video and plots.
Completed the simulation results, discovered how the bubbles move and figuring out the corrosion and inefficiency of the anode bubble in electrolysis reaction.
Engineered side walls a 15 ° tilt angle, made fillet on the edge of bottom and perforated at the anode for improving anode to reduce the damage caused by bubble.
In an aluminum reduction cell, bubbles are generated on the anode surfaces. Before they get out of the bath, they linger over between the gap of the anode and the cathode, which leads to additional voltage drop. The alumina concentration adjacent to the anode is also affected. How are the bubbles formed and what kinds of shape they have are the important issues. Simulation can provide detailed information about bubbles.
First of all, I have modeled and meshed the electrolysis cell of industrial aluminum electrolysis. And then, because the analysis in this research focused on the influence of the variation of the sidewall tilt angle on anode bubble movement, so the tilt angles of the anode sidewalls were modeled and meshed respectively; then I simulated the bubble movement process during aluminium electrolysis in ANSYS Fluent analysis software; finally, the post-processing results were analyzed and compared. The video and various parameters allow the comparative analysis and optimization of the tilt angle of the anode side wall.
Through the analysis of the movement of the bubbles at the tilt angles of different anode sidewalls, this experiments provided many basis information for the optimization of industrial aluminum anodes, such as the phase and state of the anode bubbles at different anode tilt angles sidewall, the rising processes of anode bubbles, the bubble fracture process, and the negative effects of bubbles.
Bubbles Movement
0 ° tilt angle
3 ° tilt angle
6 ° tilt angle
