INCREASING THE POWER MODULATION WINDOW OF ALUMINIUM SMELTER POTS WITHrnSHELL HEAT EXCHANGER TECHNOLOGY

摘要

With power prices constantly rising, and varying aluminiumrnprices requiring operating flexibility, the financial incentive forrnsmelters to adopt a power modulation strategy is becoming larger.rnHowever, the power modulation window, in which a smelter canrnsafely operate its reduction cells, is limited. The Light MetalsrnResearch Centre has developed the Shell Heat Exchanger (SHE)rntechnology for controlling the heat dissipation from aluminiumrnsmelting pot shells. By varying the air flow through the SHE, thernheat removal from the shell can be increased or decreased asrndesired, doubling the previous power modulation window orrnallowing power modulation with minimal disturbance to the potrnthermal balance.rnThis paper presents experimental results from LMRC’s testrnfacility, which show the shell temperature response when the SHErnis operated in cooling or insulating mode. Steady state thermoelectricrnmodel results for these operating scenarios are alsornpresented, outlining the impact on ledge thickness and other potrnoperating conditions.