Temperature control on hot pots in the aluminium production

The process of aluminium production is, even nearly 150 years after its discovery, not totally understood. Such a large quantity of factors influences the production process that no standard can be applied on it. In an aluminium reduction plant there are no two identical electrolysis cells. Differences in the start-up and operational disturbances alter the thermal and electrical behaviour of each cell individually. So every cell has to be monitored individually through the continuous changing bath composition and temperature variation. Every cell needs an individual dynamic optimisation of the chemical and thermal input, e.g. the AlF3- and CaF2-addition and the regulation of the anode-cathode distance. Self-regulating mechanism are the melting and freezing of the sidewall ledge, external mechanisms the lifting and lowering of the anodes. ...