special - ALUMINIUM-Nachrichten – ALU-WEB.DE

ALUMINIUM SMELTING INDUSTRY
the resulting findings to our design, and this
is a major part of our continual improvement
process. Guards and fences are used to protect
personnel from moving machinery that starts
automatically. Electronic aids are also strategically
located that will stop any piece of
equipment or the complete system, should a
specific area be breached.
Operator comfort is also in the forefront,
with noise abatement equipment and dust
collection provided for specific components
of the system.
Sustainability, the final word
Schematic diagram of cathode block oven, bar furnace and assembly area
field sites, providing detailed layout and foundation
drawings. These drawings include the
utility requirements necessary for the client to
construct or modify a building to install the
new equipment.
In the course of our engineering study,
the assembly line production target is only
one aspect of the project. The system design,
which incorporates several pieces of material
handling equipment as well as heating systems,
hydraulic and pneumatic systems, is all
engineered to exacting standards that reflect
the smelter’s immediate and long-term objectives.
Typically, a single master control station is
located so as to provide the operator with a
clear view of where the bars and blocks are
assembled and sealed in the critical mating
and sealing process.
Safety
As stated above, system reliability is of primary
importance, but not more important
than safety and ergonomics for the operators.
The GNA cathode sealing system is the
result of many years’ experience in designing
and building such equipment for aluminium
smelters, and this is reflected in the safety
aspect of day-to-day operations. Having performed
risk analysis studies on cathode systems
for several clients, we routinely apply
To ensure optimum performance and the
ongoing production capability of the GNA
assembly line, comprehensive manuals and
training are provided, both for the system
operators as well as the maintenance personnel.
The training consists of classroom sessions
and also a hands-on experience directly
on the assembly line. Continuous technical
support and spare parts are made available
to the client long after we have left their site,
thus ensuring the plant can maintain a stable
supply of sealed cathode block assemblies for
the life of the smelter.
Author
Ted Phenix is CEO of GNA alutech inc, based in
Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada.v
Slotting anodes and recycling carbon
Slots cut in the bottom surface of the
anodes are an effective way to evacuate
the gas continuously formed during
the aluminium reduction process, thus
reducing the accumulation of gas bubbles
underneath the anodes. Major benefits
commonly achieved by the use of slots in
the anodes are the reduced cell resistance
and the improved cell stability. Depth of
slot is important to ensure these benefits
last for the entire anode life (full life
slot); slot shapes are important to achieve
other benefits in the pots management
thanks to the control of the gas exit direction
and related area of influence. T. T.
Tomorrow Technology, based in Italy
close to the city of Padua, has achieved
particular knowledge in anodes cutting
and slotting technology. Internal R & D
as well as long experience in the design
and manufacture of dedicated equipment
for anodes cutting and slotting, as well as
for the carbon area, have been the basis
to develop the patented Automatic Slots
Cutting Machine.
The most recent of the anodes slotting machines
manufactured by T. T. is incorporated
in the automatic anodes slotting line delivered
to Trimet Aluminium in Hamburg, Germany,
which is now in operation to feed the slotted
anodes to the potrooms. This line manages in
fully automatic mode to cut one or two slots
in the bottom of two completely different
anodes types. The line in Hamburg has been
supplied with a dedicated carbon material
recovery system and aspiration and filtration
unit, which allow 100% recycling of carbon
material produced while slots are cut. The accurate
value of recycling rate is at 99,995%,
far above the expectations of the customer.
An air filtration unit was designed to meet
the severe requirements of the local authorities.
Noise reduction, capture of all the dust
and carbon material emissions and discharges
together with the proprietary design of critical
parts of the line to reduce pollution impacts
contribute to have the highest environmental
protection while the anodes are slotted.
Recycling of the carbon material recovered
from the slotted anodes is achieved through
collecting, transporting, sizing, buffering and
returning to the raw material silos the carbon
material which is reprocessed in the mixer to
form new anodes. Recycling benefits to the
smelter and the environment are: reduced
amount of raw materials used to produce
anodes, reduced wastes, conserving natural
resources, and saving money.
The equipment manufactured by the company
is furthermore particularly designed to
minimise operator exposure to any potential
hazards during operation as well as during
74 ALUMINIUM · 1-2/2013