A Numerical Assessment of Anodic Large Bubble on Horizontal Current in Metal Pad of Aluminum Electrolytic Cells

This study reports on an assessment of an anodic large bubble on the horizontal current in the metal pad of an aluminum electrolytic cell using a numerical model. The effects of bubble position and coverage on the horizontal current were investigated. The predicted results show that large bubbles have a significant impact on the horizontal current: The horizontal current with a bubble located at the right part of carbon anode (cell side) will provide coverage of 33.3% up to 30,174 A m(-2) compared with 13,001 A m(-2) without bubble at the upper surface of metal pad; For a fixed bubble position, the maximum horizontal current increases and the location of the maximum horizontal current density shifts from the anode center to the cell center with increasing the bubble coverage; The bubble position (for a fixed bubble coverage) significantly influences horizontal current. When the bubble varies from the cell center to the cell side, the maximum horizontal current density will increase and the location of the maximum horizontal current density shifts from the cell center to the cell side. When the whole anode is covered with a large bubble, a large inward horizontal current appears on the cell side and the maximum inward horizontal current can reach up to 35,575 A m(-2).