采用数值仿真的方法对应用一种可减小铝液中水平电流的新型阴极钢棒的420 kA级铝电解槽进行三维计算,分析这种新型阴极钢棒对铝液中水平电流、槽电压以及电解槽温度分布的影响。结果表明:新型阴极钢棒可有效地减小铝液中X方向的水平电流;新型阴极钢棒中绝缘材料的加入在一定程度上增大了槽电压;当钢棒和钢棒糊接触不是很好时,新型阴极钢棒电解槽比传统阴极钢棒电解槽更容易出现阴极炭块和钢棒连接区域温度过高的情况。该计算结果可为铝电解槽在应用此种新型阴极钢棒后所获得的节能效果以及个别槽在运行过程中出现的问题提供理论依据。
3D thermal-electric field of 420 kA aluminum reduction cell with a kind of innovative cathode collector bar was calculated by using numerical simulation method. The effects of innovative cathode collector bars on horizontal current in aluminum liquid pool, cell voltage and temperature distribution were analyzed. The results show that the innovative cathode collector bar can effectively reduce the horizontal current density along X axis. The insulating materials in the innovative cathode collector bars increase the cell voltage to some extent. Under poor contact condition between the cathode collector bar and its paste, the cathode contact area of aluminum reduction cell with innovative cathode collector bars is easier to be overheated than that of aluminum reduction cell with conventional cathode collector bars. The research results can provide theoretical basis for the high energy efficiency achieved by most aluminum smelters and the problems in a few potlines during the application of the innovative cathode collector bar.