Computer Calculation of the Magnetic Effects in the Aluminium Electrolytic Cells

Abstract

Electromagnetic effects produced in the electrolytic cells during the production of aluminium are known to exist. In particular, these effects bring about movements in the liquid metal, as well as interface variations in level, that are detrimental to efficiency and energy consumption. An experimental study of these effects would raise a number of problems particularly difficult to solve technically at present. For this reason, it is advisable to have recourse to an electronic computer for working out the electric, magnetic, force and velocity field distributions within the liquid in the cell. This paper outlines the methods that we proposed and applied for the computing of the electric and magnetic fields.