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About Aluminium
Story of Applications and Products Benefits Production
Bauxite mining Alumina refining Smelting Cell chemistry and processes Technologies Processing Recycling process

Bauxite Residue (Red Mud)

Smelting
The basis for all primary aluminium-smelting plants is the Hall-Hroult Process, invented in 1886. Alumina dissolved in an electrolytic bath of molten cryolite (sodium aluminium fluoride) within a large carbon or graphite lined steel container known as a "pot". An electric current is passed through the electrolyte at lo voltage, but very high current, typically 200,000 amperes and up to 350,000 amperes for the latest generations. The electric current flows between a carbon anode (positive), made of petroleum coke and pitch, and a cathode (negative), formed by the thick carbon or graphite lining of the pot. Molten aluminium is deposited at the bottom of the pot and is siphoned off periodically, taken to a holdin furnace, often but not always blended to an alloy specification, cleaned and then generally cast. An aluminium smelter consists of one or more potlines. Each of them typically counts around 300 pots a produce some 150,000 tonnes of aluminium annually. However, some of the latest generation of potlines are in the 200-300,000 tonnes range. A typical smelter will produce 300,000 tonnes per year and the large ones up to one million tonnes.

Energy use
On average it takes some 15.7 kWh of electricity to produce one kilogram of aluminium from alumina. Design and process improvements have progressively reduced this figure from about 21kWh in the 1950s. Aluminium is formed at about 900C, but once formed has a melting point of only 660C. In some smelters this spare heat is used to melt recycled metal. Recycled aluminium requires only 5 per cent of the energy required to make "new" aluminium. Blending recycled metal with new metal allows considerable energy savings, as well as the efficient use of process heat. There is no difference between primary and recycled aluminium in terms of quality or properties. Aluminium smelting is energy intensive which is why the world's smelters are located in areas which have access to abundant power resources (hydro-electric, natural gas, coal or nuclear). Many locations are remote and the electricity is generated specifically for the aluminium plant.

Continuous process
The smelting process is continuous. A smelter cannot easily be stopped and restarted. If production is interrupted by a power supply failure of more than four hours, the metal in the pots will solidify, often requiring an expensive rebuilding process. From time to time individual pot linings reach the end of their useful life and the pots are then taken out service and relined.

Purity
Most smelters produce aluminium of 99.7 - 99.8% purity, which is acceptable for most applications. However, super purity aluminium (99.99%) is used for some special applications, typically those where hig ductility or conductivity is required. The marginal difference in the purities of smelter grade aluminium a super purity aluminium results in significant changes in the metal properties. Top of page

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