LOW TEMPERATURE ALUMINUM FLOATING ELECTROLYSIS IN HEAVY ELECTROLYTE Na_3AlF_6-AlF_3-BaC1_2-NaCl BATH SYSTEM

Multiple regression equations of liquidus temperature, electrical conductivity and bath density of the Na_3AlF_6-AlF_3-BaC1_2-NaCl system were obtained from experiments by using orthogonal regression method. The experiments were carried out in 100A cell with low melting point electrolyte, the influences of cathodic current density, electrolytic temperature, density differences of bath and liquid aluminum on current efficiency (CE) were studied; when the electrolyte cryolite ratio was 2.5, w(BaC1_2) and w(NaCl) were 48% and 10%, respectively, CE reached 90% and specific energy consumption was 10.97k Wb/kg/kg. Because of the fact that aluminum metal obtained floated on the surface of molten electrolyte, this electrolysis method was then defined as low temperature aluminum floating electrolysis. The results showed that the new low temperature aluminum electrolysis process in the Na_3AlF_6-AlF_3-BaC1_2-NaCl bath system was practical and promising.