An Improved Finite Element Model for Thermal Balance Analysis of Aluminum Electrolysis Cells

Thermal balance analysis, through which the insulation construction and daily operations of aluminum cells can be determined to keep electrolysis temperature stable, is of capital importance for the cell design. This paper propose an improved thermal-electric coupling model based on finite element software ANSYS for thermal balance analysis. Besides ohmic heating effect and heat dissipation outside the cell, the model also takes into consideration the thermal effect caused by tapping, spent anode removal, fume/air extraction and raw materials heating. The numerical model is applied to a 305kA cell and is verified by comparing results with industrial measurements.