Modeling Anode Current Pickup After Setting

Current reduction cell control strategies rely on pot-wide parameters such as the cell voltage to determine control actions. In an effort to reduce spatial variations in cell conditions, model-based control approaches have been proposed in conjunction to measurements of anode current distributions for estimation and control, such as calculating control actions for various locations in the cell. However, the lack of a dynamic anode setting model suitable for control purposes has seen the proposed estimators and controllers only suitable for use during idle shift periods. This paper discusses the important mechanisms driving the pickup of individual anode current, and present simulations showing the evolution of key control parameters. An application of online estimation of key process variables including anode-to-cathode distance and dissolved alumina concentration during anode setting was also provided.