A Review of Alumina Feeding and Dissolution Factors in Aluminum Reduction Cells

Modern aluminum reduction cells use point feeding technology to replenish alumina as it is consumed by the electrolytic process. The dissolution of alumina has become increasingly difficult to control as the cell sizes and electrolysis intensity have increased. The mass of alumina added per unit time is now much higher than a decade ago, and must take place within a smaller electrolyte mixing volume. In order to replenish the alumina concentration evenly, the alumina needs to be delivered, dispersed, dissolved, and distributed throughout the reduction cell. The dissolution itself follows a 4-step process that can be limited by a multitude of factors. The status of the research on each of these factors is reviewed in the present paper. Although research in laboratory cells has been conducted many times, and the impact of many factors on dissolution has been measured, published observations of alumina feeding on industrial cells are very sparse, especially regarding the dissolution dynamics in the space–time domain and the impact of the feeder hole condition. The present paper therefore presents a qualitative model of the factors governing alumina dissolution in industrial cells and offers the hypothesis that maintenance of the feeder hole condition is central to ensuring alumina dissolution and prevention of sludging.