Aluminium World Journal 2013

TECHNOLOGY
2013 Edition
Global Media Communication Ltd.
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3AWJ 2013
Foreword By Christopher Fitcher-Harris
Aluminium World Journal 2013 features editorials, case studies,
company profiles, and product reviews.
The publication is divided by industry sector sections to ensure
ease of navigation.
The information contained in each section provides readers with
the tools to reduce operating costs, increase productivity, and
increase the life cycle of technology.
This edition contains a special feature report produced by Siemens
Metals Technologies entitled "The benchmark in aluminium rolling
- Effective Project management brings a lifetime of benefit for
aluminium producers".
I take this opportunity to thank the participating companies for
providing Aluminium World Journal 2013 with editorial, company
profiles, advertisements and corporate sponsorship.
Aluminium World Journal 2013 is available for you to read online,
download, and in print format.
Visit us online at: www.globalmediacommunication.com
If you should wish to discuss with me anything concerning the
content of this edition, do not hesitate to contact me.
Hope you enjoy the read!
Christopher Fitcher-Harris
Managing Director
Managing Director
Christopher Fitcher-Harris,
Production Manager
Sofia Henriksson
Sales Manager
Peter Jones
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Aluminium World Journal 2013
Global Media Communication Ltd.

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REAL TIME INSPECTION OF ALUMINIUM ENABLES FASTER
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Surface Vision

AWJ 2013
INDEX
Special Feature p. 7-14
EPC and Industry Projects p. 15-20
Bauxite Mining To Alumina p. 21-24
Primary Smelting and Processes p. 25-34
Anode Plant Technology p. 35-56
Materials Handling And Transportation p. 57-74
Company Profiles p. 75-85
Advertiser and Web Index p. 86

6
During the past five decades we have supplied hundreds of
new and modernized mills setting the benchmark for
producing quality strip in an efficient manner. The market
is ever changing and demands highest yield and tolerances
while minimizing environmental impact. Siemens VAI is at
the forefront of this challenge.
As a total solution provider the Dynamic Shape Roll DSR©
has been developed as a variable force distribution
actuator, replacing a conventional solid back-up roll,
Improving mill productivity and reducing operating costs.
The DSR©
enables you to meet market challenges of today
and the future. Your mill will produce a harder, wider and
thinner product portfolio ensuring product flatness,
increase your schedule flexibility, reduce material
breakages and roll changes.
The Intelligent flatness control algorithm uses feedback
from the shape roll to generate signals to vary the force
distribution across strip width.
The DSR©
’s performance is impressive; eliminating
undesirable roll contact and stress peaks. The control
range is considerably larger than 6hi and contoured roll
Answers for industry.
siemens-vai.com
Focus on Precision, Yield
and Green
design mills. True dynamic control is achieved by fast
response of the pads to changes in the force distribution
reference.
DSR©
Benefits:
Yield Savings – Achieves target flatness quicker and
retains longer during tail out.
No warm-up coils required during mill start-up or width
change.
Rolling passes reduced.
Rolling speed increased.
Productivity increased (product mix dependant).
Number of Back Up roll changes reduced.
Retrofitting of DSR©
requires minimal downtime and
recommissioning.
Be the leader in the field – with SIROLL ALU solutions from
Siemens VAI, a global supplier and your local partner.
Set the benchmark in Aluminum Rolling!

7AWJ 2013
SPECIAL FEATURE
Siemens Metals Technologies
The Benchmark In Aluminium Rolling p. 8-12
Effective Project Management p. 13-14

8 GLOBAL ISSUES
siemens-vai.com
Focus on Precision, Yield and Green
Set the benchmark in Aluminum Rolling!
Answers for industry.
We know what we’re talking about when it
comes to aluminum rolling.
During the past five decades we have
supplied hundreds of new and modernized
mills that set the benchmark for producing
quality strip in an efficient manner. The
market is ever changing and now demands
highest yield and tolerances while
minimizing environmental impact.
Siemens VAI is at the forefront of this
challenge.
On the basis of immense process know-
how and engineering experience,
Siemens VAI works with our customers to
meet their targets for productivity, quality,
yield and flexibility.
As a total solution provider, maximum mill
performance is assured with the latest
equipment design, advanced technological
packages, sophisticated electrical,
automation, environmental systems, and a
full range of vertically integrated supply
packages. With specialized technologies for
thickness, profile and flatness control, the
strictest quality and tolerance demands are
met for all downstream product
requirements.
At every stage of a mill’s productive
lifetime, we have the right solution to
ensure that your mill performs at its peak
level. Our portfolio includes:
New plants and mill modernizations
Complete equipment supply
Electrical and automation systems
Consultancy services and mill audits
Customized mill products
Worldwide, around-the-clock services
Be the leader in the field – with SIROLL
ALU solutions from Siemens VAI, a
global supplier but your local partner.
E10001-M1-Z53-V1-7600

9AWJ 2013
The Benchmark in Aluminium Rolling
Siemens Metals Technologies is a
global leader in the Metals Industry,
supplying the world’s metal producers
and processors with world class
equipment and services.
Metals Technologies (MT) in the UK
is the global Centre of Competence
(CoC) for aluminium and Rolling Mills
with responsibility for the engineering,
supply,installationandcommissioning,
and technological development and
innovation on a worldwide scale.
Siemens MT was established in the
United Kingdom 170 years ago and is
made up of a merger of a number of
companies, namely Loewy Robertson,
Davy Corporation, Davy International,
Kvaerner Metals and most recently
Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau
(VAI).
The UK team is made up of over 260
highly qualified people with many
years of experience based on a strong
heritage dating back through the
mergers and acquisitions mentioned
above. With our sophisticated know-
how and our deep experience in
aluminium, ranging from hot rolling
to the finished product, including cold
rolling and foil mills, Siemens MT can
meetbothupstreamanddown-stream
demands and build the mill that fits
the client’s requirements.
• Our solution has everything to
bring aluminium rolling mills up
to speed. This includes:-
• The most powerful roll drives for
higher throughput
• State of-the-art mechanical and
hydraulic solutions to optimize
performance and operational
efficiency
• Online process models and
neural networks will enable you
to produce more accurately than
ever before
• Proven automation solutions to
maximize your plant’s end-to-end
consistency
• Reliability and security for the
future
Siemens MT is the only mill builder
with in-house capabilities to bring
togetherthemechanicalandelectrical
technologies in one package.
Strategy
We use a wide range of specialised
technologies such as SIROLL DSR®
(Dynamic Shape Roll), SIROLL
SmartCrown®, AGC, automatic profile
and AFC flatness control along with in-
house technological instrumentation
to achieve highest product quality.
Key to the companies’ success is the
Project Management and Quality
Management systems which are used
within Siemens MT. The systems are
based on many years of experience
gained from the application in
numerous projects and are relevant
for both small and larger projects.
Project Management ensures for the
customer, not only conformity with our
quality standards but also that delivery
and commissioning take place on
schedule, while Siemens MT benefit
from the cost and quality control.
Siemens MT sources equipment from
the global market, whilst ensuring that
our quality systems are adhered to
by the suppliers. Equipment classed
as Intellectual Property (IP) is made
exclusively in our own workshops.
These manufacturing centres
are based in Montbrison, France,
Shanghai, China and in Worcester,
USA. All these specialised shops build
the mills components and provide
global support for the mill business.
Core Competence
Siemens MT supply a range of
aluminium rolling mills for hot rolling,
coldrollingandfoilrollinginvariousroll
configurations and for all strip widths.
The full range of cold rolling mills
including breakdown mills, tandem
mills with two, three, four or five
stands and thin strip mills for light
gauges including foil roughing are
also available. The mill stands are of
4-high or 6-high design and provide
the flexibility to cover the complete
range of alloys over a wide gauge
range. Strip widths are ranging up to
2,100 mm, and future expectations are
of widths up to 3,000 mm.
Latest references include:-
• Three Single-stand foil mills for
Shanghai Shenhou in 2006
• Single-stand cold rolling mill for
Chinalco Henan in 2011
• Single-stand cold rolling mill for
Chinalco South West Aluminium
in 2011
• Three-stand hot finishing mill for
Chinalco Ruimin in 2011
• Three-stand hot finishing mill
addition for Novelis Korea in 2011
• Single-stand 4 metre wide plate
mill for Aleris-Dingsheng in 2011
• Single-stand hot reversing mill
for Chinalco Nela in 2012
In addition during the last 5 years
we have supplied over 200 foil mill
Technological Control Systems (TCS)
for thickness and flatness control,
over 50 system’s were supplied to
Dingsheng Aluminium alone.
The Chinese market continues to grow
andisakeymarketforSiemensMT;this
is why Siemens MT has developed a
range of foil mill configurations based
on a standard design for each mill
providing economical solutions, fast
delivery and minimised production
start-up.

10
Key Technologies
SIROLL Dynamic Shape Roll
(DSR®)
The SIROLL DSR® has its origins
back in the paper industry with the
NIPCO roll from Sulzer Escher Wyss.
Paper mills have always tended to be
much wider than mills in the metals
industry and problems of stability
occur at widths above 1,800mm. The
SIROLL DSR® was developed to
give improved control under these
conditions. Siemens MT have now
taken this technology and extended
it into the metals rolling field.
SIROLL DSR® replaces the top solid
backup roll usually employed in
4-high stands. It provides improved
flatness control, especially in the
critical areas at the head and tail ends
of the strip. This allows for significant
improvements in overall coil yield.
Currently the company considers the
SIROLL DSR® to be the only truly
online dynamic actuator that can
enable symmetric and asymmetric
changes to the roll gap profile during
ongoing production.
Operational benefits of the SIROLL
DSR® include:-
• Head and Tail Flatness –
improved yield by achieving
flatness guarantees quicker than
conventional roll
• Overall Flatness – flatness
guarantees of less than 3 I units
have been achieved with the
SIROLL DSR®
• Width Changes - with the SIROLL
DSR® it is possible to switch
rolling widths by considerable
amounts (in excess of 600mm)
and to still achieve excellent
flatness without any warm-up
(transition) coils
• Cold Starts - these are particularly
impressive with a SIROLL DSR®,
body of coil flatness of 8 I units
after just over 90 metres rolled
have been achieved after a
prolonged stop-page of sixteen
hours on 0.447mm strip at
1,870mm strip width
Based on a review of a typical new
large cold mill producing around
100,000 tonnes per annum Siemens
MT have estimated potential benefits
in the order of millions of dollars per
year. This of course does depend
on the product mix. The savings are
approximately evenly divided between
the benefits from improvements to
the head and tail performance and the
ability to minimise out of specification
material at width changes.
SIROLL DSR® Sectional Diagram
SPECIAL FEATURE
Cold Aluminium DSR® Mill at
Chinalco Henan

11AWJ 2013
SIROLL Air Bearing Shapemeter Roll Section
SIROLL Air Bearing
Shapemeter Roll
Withover500referencesworldwidethe
SIROLL Air Bearing Shapemeter roll is
Siemens MT principle technology for
the on-line measurement of flatness
for both the Aluminium and Steel
sheet and foil applications.
The SIROLL Air Bearing Shapemeter
roll comprises a series of hardened,
precision ground rotors, supported
by air film bearings on a stationary
stainless steel arbor. This design
results in low inertia rotating elements
with negligible frictional resistance
usuallyinherentinairbearings,thereby
eliminating the need for helper drives.
Connected by a detachable pneumatic
umbilical cord the electronics are
mounted remotely from the roll for
easy access and protection from harsh
mill environments.
An array of jets supplies each rotor
with air from a common plenum
chamber in the centre of the arbor.
The differential pressure measured
between the top and bottom of the
inside of each bearing is proportional
to the load applied to the rotor. Hence,
the tension is calculated at each rotor
position across the width of the strip to
provide the tension profile or ‘shape’
of the rolled strip.
Each differential pressure output
is measured by means of a high
integrity pneumatic transducer, which
is remotely located in the transducer
housing attached to the end of the
shapemeter arbor. Each measuring
channel has a single moving part, the
rotor. All other parts are stationary,
includingthemeasurementandsignal
transfer elements. The signal outputs
provide continuous readings that are
independent of mill speed allowing a
fast signal response and high accuracy
even at low rolling speeds.
Key benefits of the SIROLL Air
Bearing Shapemeter include:-
• Lower Cost Solution – Solid type
rolls more expensive
• Very Low Inertia Rotors – No drive
system required
• Very Compact Design – Greater
installation flexibility
• Simple Design – Low
maintenance, can be serviced on
site by customer
• No Electric's in Roll – Pressure
Transducers etc mounted in
remote Transducer box
• Signal Output – Continuous &
independent of mill speed
SIROLL Integral Solenoid
Valve Sprays (ISV)
The SIROLL ISV Sprays is one of the
metal industries leading spray valves,
with over 300 references worldwide
the SIROLL ISV Sprays have been
supplied to the rolling industry for
over 25 years. Proven extensively in
both steel and aluminium industries,
the SIROLL ISV Sprays are suitable for
all mill types, from hot mills through
to aluminium foil mills.
SIROLL ISV Sprays
Chinalco Southwest Aluminium
Mill

12 SPECIAL FEATURE
The SIROLL ISV Sprays system is
designed to apply zone cooling
and lubrication to the work rolls.
The system removes residual
flatness errors and controls the bulk
temperature of the mill during the
rolling process. Temperature control
is achieved by modulating the coolant
through individual ISV valves thereby
controlling the thermal profile of the
work rolls. Nozzle configurations are
specifically designed, using advanced
thermal modelling, to optimise the
spray patterns and coolant flow rates
tosuittherequirementsoftheprocess.
Schneider®
Coolant Filtration
Schneider® Coolant Filtration
Coolant filtration is an essential
element in the rolling and forming
of all metals. Since 2004 Siemens MT
has supplied the Schneider® Coolant
Filtration system for aluminium hot
and cold mills, steel, stainless steel,
copper/brass mills and for 2-piece
can making plants.
The market leader in the design,
supplyandoperationofmineraloiland
emulsion coolant filtration systems,
Schneider Filtration ‘know-how’ from
SiemensMTwillimproveperformance
and product quality throughout the
rolling and forming process.
The very high levels of filtration
achieved for both mineral oils and
emulsionswhenusingtheSchneider®
Coolant Filtration system maintains
the coolant in ‘as-designed’ condition.
The system extends the life of the
coolant providing an exceptional
sheet surface and foil quality. Specific
system design features and auxiliary
components are unique to the
technology. Today’s modern semi-
synthetic coolants require a different
approach to coolant handling and
filtration. Traditional methods do not
meetthenewdemandsforcleanerlow
smut sheets and for the conditioning
of the emulsion to keep the coolant
to its original design specification.
Filtration to and below the oil drop-
By doing this, the optimal thermal
performance may be achieved for
each and every application regardless
of the rolling duty or individual pass
schedules.
As a complement to the SIROLL ISV
Sprays and to minimise shape errors
at the strip edge, Siemens MT also
offer an integrated Hot Edge Spray
System to spray hot coolant outboard
of the strip edge to reduce work roll
thermal gradients.
Key benefits of the SIROLL ISV
Sprays include:-
• Easy Maintenance
• Universal Valve for all Mill Types
• Robust Design
• Small Installation Envelope
• High Reliability
• Advanced Thermal Modelling
• Stainless Steel Valve
let size is easily accomplished with
specially designed filter cloth media
for depth filtration using multiple
layers of different media.
Over 1400 Schneider® Coolant
Filtration systems are being used
today to roll, Aluminium, Steel,
Stainless Steel, Copper/Brass,
Titanium, Zinc and similar metals. The
Schneider® system has become the
industry standard in the rolling and
can industry.
Key benefits of the Schneider®
Coolant Filtration include:-
• Improved Filtration Performance
– less than 10μm
• Improved Product Quality
• Patented Green Filter Media -
safe to handle, no dust hazard
• Reduced Waste Streams - zero
waste available
• Eliminates Coolant Dumps
• Low Operating Costs
• Improved Process Performance –
increased roll life

13AWJ 2013
Effective project management brings a lifetime of
benefits for aluminium producers
Author; Albert Renshaw – Senior
Project Manager and PM@Siemens
UK Champion (RPP), Siemens VAI
Metals Technologies
For aluminium producers, when
building or modernising a production
line, the investment amount required
is not the only issue to be considered.
Any delays to a modernisation or the
belated commissioning of a new line
means loss of production and financial
revenue. Therefore, choosing the right
partner for a project is as important
as choosing the right technology. A
partner capable of providing effective
management from conception to
production ensures that an aluminium
plant is built on-time and according
to specification. This is the basis
for maximising value. Professional
project management provided on a
global stage is a core competence of
Siemens and a vital success factor for
our customers.
Project management is the process by
which projects are defined, planned,
monitored, controlled and delivered
such that the agreed benefits are
achieved. In general, more than 50%
of Siemens global sales is project-
related. In 2001, Siemens embarked
upon the global project management
programme“PM@Siemens”tosupport
the continuous and sustainable
improvement of project management
processesinallofitsbusinessactivities
worldwide. The aim was to establish
best practice through the application
of knowledge, skills, tools and
techniques in order to ensure business
excellence. Siemens employs more
than 15,000 project managers, all
working in accordance with the
company values of “excellence,
innovative and responsible.”
The philosophy is simple; there
are clearly defined roles and
responsibilities for all those involved
in a project. The programme ensures
that state-of-the-art processes,
methodologies and tools are applied
in ways appropriate to the complexity
of the tasks. By undertaking both
comprehensive training and an
internal certification process, Siemens
safeguards that its project managers
are trained and qualified such that
they are able to manage a project
On-Going Service & Support
Service to existing aluminium
producers and new customers is
critical to capture new business,
customers continue to request the
following studies:-
• Plant and Mill Studies – studies
to investigate ways to increase
plant productivity or change
specific mill or product
parameters which can help
clients choose the most cost
effective investment route for
future plant modernisation
• Mill Performance Optimisation
Studies – advice from rolling
process experts on how to
improve and optimise mill
productivity within the constraints
of the existing equipment
• Mill Alignment and Condition
Studies – measurement and
analysis of the status of existing
equipment with corresponding
report and recommendations
• Spares, Service and Training
Support – existing Siemens
clients can be offered complete
product life cycle services
including spares, product training
and site support from Siemens
service engineers
SiemensMTengineeringoffersthefull
range of studies as described above
and has a number of technological
tools and instruments available to
provide complete plant analysis,
fault identification, FE analysis, and
sophisticated reporting.
Author: G.Garfitt, BEng (Hons), MIET,
CEng, MBA
Sales Manager Plate and Aluminium
Mills
Contact Information: Siemens plc
Metals Technologies
E- mail: aluminiummill.metals@
siemens.com
professionally. Siemens project
managers are empowered to do the
right things in the right way and at the
right time to accomplish the project
goals. As a global partner, this means
globally uniform procedures that are
always executed in a systematic and
professional manner by appropriately
trained and qualified staff.
As a result of the PM@Siemens
programme, Siemens was the first
corporate company to have its project
management programme accredited
by the Association for Project
Management (APM), itself one of the
largest professional bodies of its kind
in Europe.
The need to find the right partner for a
project has already been emphasised.
Siemens VAI Metals Technologies is
a life-cycle partner for the metals
industry. Its UK headquarters, located
inSheffield,incorporatestheplateand
aluminium rolling mills businesses,
including the associated engineering
and technology. Mark Chatterton,
DirectoroftheSiemensVAIAluminium
Business, sees many advantages in
leveragingtheengineeringandproject

14 SPECIAL FEATURE
management experience gained by
boththePlateandAluminiumBusiness
areas during the recent boom years in
the metals market. “Siemens global
project management experience
is one of our core strengths, which
differentiatesusfromourcompetitors.
The company is driven to ensure that
our project management skills are
‘best practice.’ As part of the company-
wide, global project management
programme, both plate mill and
aluminium mill project teams have
demonstrated these skills through
the completion of many complex
metallurgical infrastructure projects
during the last fve years”.
These are exciting times for the
Siemens VAI Aluminium Business,
as a number of high-profile projects
have recently been commissioned and
put into full operation. The following
examplesshowthetypicalbreadthand
complexityofprojectsdeliveredbythe
Siemens VAI Aluminium group:
This project comprises the supply
of a single-stand aluminium rolling
mill for Aleris Dingsheng Aluminium
(Zhenjiang)Co.LtdinJiangsuProvince,
China. The rolling mill is designed to
produce 250,000 tons per annum of
heat-treated and non-heat-treated
sheets and plates in widths of up to
4.1 meters. It is the first aluminium
plate mill ever to be implemented
by Siemens. Commissioning was
completed in early 2013. The Siemens
supplyscopeincludedmechanicaland
electrical equipment for the four-high
rolling stand, a hydraulic shear and the
roller tables for the new rolling mill.
New3-standaluminiumfinishingmill
for Novelis Korea Ltd.
For this project a new three-stand
finishing line was added to the existing
rollingmillthatwasoriginallysupplied
by Siemens in 1993. The project
boosted capacity and enables future
production of high-grade aluminum
strip for the automobile and beverage
can industries. Siemens supplied the
mechanical and electrical equipment
for this tandem rolling mill, including
a coiler and a coil-handling system.
Lightweight cropping shears are
installed in the entry section of
the finishing line. The first coil was
rolled in June 2013. The extended
hot rolling mill will greatly increase
annual capacity and will be capable of
rolling strip up to 2,250 millimeters
wide with a thickness spectrum from
1.8 to 6 millimeters.
Novelis Korea Ltd. is a subsidiary of
Novelis Inc. based in Atlanta, Georgia,
USA, a leading producer of aluminum
and aluminum products. Novelis
Inc. operates around 30 production
facilities worldwide. The company is
the global leader for rolled aluminum
products and in aluminum recycling.
Recently commissioned projects
in China include the 1+4 hot mill at
Chinalco Ruimin, the 1+1 hot mill at
Chinalco North East Light Aluminium,
thecoldmillwithDynamicShapeRolls
(DSR) at Henan Zhongfu Aluminium,
and the cold mill with DSR at Chinalco
Southwest in Chongqing, China.
These projects are currently setting
the benchmarks for aluminum rolling
plantsanddemonstratethebenefitsto
be gained from a partner who can offer
excellence in project management
across all sectors of the industry.
Contact Information:
Siemens plc
E-mail:
aluminiummill.metals@siemens.
com
Follow us on Twitter at:
www.twitter.com/siemensuknews
The Siemens Industry Sector
(Erlangen, Germany) is the world's
leading supplier of innovative and
environmentally friendly products and
solutionsforindustrialcustomers.With
end-to-end automation technology
and industrial software, solid vertical-
market expertise, and technology-
based services, the Sector enhances
its customers' productivity, efficiency,
and flexibility.
With a global workforce of more than
100,000 employees, the Industry
SectorcomprisestheDivisionsIndustry
Automation, Drive Technologies and
Customer Services as well as the
Business Unit Metals Technologies.
For more information, visit
http://www.siemens.com/industry
Aleris Aluminium Plate Mill
Novelis

15AWJ 2013
EPC AND INDUSTRY PROJECTS
ABB Switzerland
Rio Tinto Alcan ISAL Smelter in Iceland Expansion Project p. 16-20

16 EPC AND INDUSTRY PROJECTS
Rio Tinto Alcan ISAL Smelter in Iceland Expansion Project
Introduction
The power intensive industry, which is
characterised here as manufacturers
needing more than 7 MWh/t of their
outputproduct,ishighlydependenton
the technological development of the
manufacturing companies in the areas
of products conveying, transforming,
switching and controlling power at
medium and high voltages.
It is of mutual benefit to these
companies to cooperate for continuous
improvementsofqualityandefficiency
of their products and processes. For
Rio Tinto Alcan (RTA), HSE (Health-
Safety-Environment) aspects of their
equipment and production processes
are paramount in their evaluation
for construction and operation
potential.
The engineering and production
technique of ABB in the field of SF6
insulated switchgear, has presently
reached such a level that smelters
with high HSE-demands combined
with high demands of availability
and reliability of equipment, can
take confidence in choosing medium
voltage switchgear.
The specific properties of SF6 are
further outlined below.
Electrical Properties
The excellent dielectric properties
of SF6 are attributable to the
electronegative character of its
molecule. It has a pronounced
tendency to capture free electrons
forming heavy ions with low mobility,
making the formation of electron
avalanches very unlikely. The dielectric
strength of SF6 is about 2,5 times
higher than that of atmospheric
air under the same conditions, and
this leads to space demand of only
1/10th of conventional air insulated
switchgear. This fact is decisive for
economical considerations in many
cases for voltage levels of 33 kV and
higher.
Chemical Properties
SF6 can be heated to 500°C without
decomposition in the absence
of catalytic metals. SF6 is non-
flammable. Therefore, the risk of
ignition caused by an SF6 switchgear
malfunction is practically zero, as
well as the risk of damage caused
by an external fire is as limited as
possible. The fault current interruption
capability of SF6 is excellent. In its
pure state, SF6 is nontoxic, and this is
regularly confirmed on new gas prior
to delivery, by placing mice in a gas
mixture of 80 % SF6 and 20% oxygen
for a period of 24 hours (biological test
recommended by IEC 376).
220kV AIS Footprint

17AWJ 2013
Operation and Maintenance
The temperature within an arc in the
interruption chamber can be 15 000
K. However, only minor decomposition
remnants are present after each
interruption. CIGRE WG 23.10 is
working on an SF6 recycling guide,
covering purity criteria for SF6 SWG.
Criteria for handling of SF6 are based
on IEC 376 Standards for safety of
personnel and environment.
These factors contribute in minimizing
emissions to the atmosphere. The
normal leakage rate of HV Switchgear
can be expected to be 0,1 % - 0,5 %
per year.
Onlyauthorisedpersonnelareentitled
to work with SF6 in Iceland and other
EEA (European Economic Area – an
outer Layer of the EU) countries, as
mandated by an EU directive. Two
electricians of our substation staff
have passed through tests after
theoretical and practical training of
SF6 Gas Treatment with ABB near
Mannheim in Germany.
RTA ISAL have acquired special
equipment which is dedicated for
the sampling, testing, emptying and
refilling purposes.
RTA ISAL keeps track of its mass of
gas by annually weighing the reserve
gas and by having SF6 gas detectors in
the switchgear room and in the cable
cellar connected to the alarm system
ofthesubstation.Thepressuregauges
of each gas compartment are read off
once a week. They are also equipped
with a warning and alarm/trip level.
Environmental Aspects
SF6 does not contribute significantly
to stratospheric ozone depletion, as
it contains no chlorine, which is the
main agent in ozone catalysis, nor to
the Greenhouse effect, because the
quantities present in the atmosphere
are very small.
SF6 has infrared absorption
characteristics and is considered a
minuscule Greenhouse gas, duetoits
very long lifetime in the atmosphere.
It's contribution to global warming
however is very small, due to the
extremely low concentration of SF6
in the atmosphere.
Assessment on Engineering:
Theexperienceofmost,ifnotall,users
of SF6 switchgear, for a wide range
of operating conditions, is that this
technology has brought advantages
in performance, size, weight, global
costs and reliability.
However, for this endeavour to be
implemented,itisnecessarytoperform
a rigid risk analysis. This is carried out
jointly by knowledgeable consultants
with experience on operation, the
operators and maintenance staff of
the owner, and the manufacturer.
The findings of such risk analysis and
an SQRA (Semi Quantitative Risk
Analysis) shall form the basis for the
engineering of the switchgear.
The modern SF6 Switchgear, as
for instance manufactured by ABB
in Germany, is an extremely safe
equipment against Arc Flash. In spite
of this, the standard policy of RTA
ISAL is to control it remotely from the
control rooms.
Switchgear Room:
The IPU project (ISAL Production
Upgrade) needed space for the
installation of 13 bays of 60 kV Circuit
Breakers on double busbar. Due to
the limited space available near
the seaside, accommodating an air
insulated switchgear would not have
been possible without costly landfill.
The gas-insulated switchgear (GIS)
technology offered a feasible solution
on the available land. It was therefore
decided to construct a concrete
building beside the two 220/60 kV,
200 MVA, bays for the Step-down
transformersfeedingeachhalfof both
60 kV busbars. The link from the
ABB’s latest development in GIS has been to reduce the overall footprint drastically
Out of the total contribution of all
agents, the contribution of SF6 (less
than one part in ten thousand, 0,1
promille) is negligible.
secondary of these Step-downs is an
SF6 insulated busbar.

18 EPC AND INDUSTRY PROJECTS
degree of precision in the civil part
and in installation of transformers
and switchgear. Avoiding cable
connection here, offers the possibility
of undistorted condition analysis
of the transformers among other
benefts.
On the GIS, the local manoeuvring
cubicles have indicators for the
position of the respective switches.
However, for safety reasons, normally
the manoeuvring of the switches takes
place at the substation’s SCADA
system, or in one of the two new
Control Rooms constructed by IPU.
The GIS-room is fitted with an
overhead crane. This was integrated
with the installation of the
switchgear, and can be utilized in
repair of the switchgear if required.
The GIS is not particularly maintenance
demanding, but ISAL intends to
incorporate it in its switchgear
maintenance scheme, recording
the pattern of the control circuit
of the trip coils, the pattern of the
main current under the interruption
period and to record the length
of the total interruption period.
Control System
ISAL‘s main substation is supervised
by an Allen-Bradley Control Logix
controller, SuperMaster, that monitors
the status of high voltage and auxiliary
equipment, interfaces with Landsnet,
the national grid operator, and controls
transformer cooling, filter banks
and collects usage data (energy,
water consumption, etc.). Landsnet
can enforce automatic curtailment
of plant load remotely from their
National Control Centre. The required
load reduction is divided among the
potlines and adjusted for plant power
variations by the SuperMaster.
The new high voltage (HV) equipment
transformers, 220kV air-insulated
switchgear (AIS) and 60kV gas-insulated
switchgear (GIS) are controlled and
supervised by ABB Relian protective
relays. A communication gateway,
ABB COM600, passes information
between the protective relays (status,
process values, commands, etc.) and
SuperMaster, as well as the InTouch
SCADA system. In case of failure of the
plant‘s SCADA system, the COM600
can be used for supervision and control
of the HV equipment.
Each of the potlines is controlled,
protected and supervised by its
respective potline current controller.
PL1 and PL2 are controlled by state of
the art A-B Control Logix controllers
and PL3 by an ABB Controller (PSR).
The existing diode rectifer units of PL1
and PL2 are directly controlled by their
potline controllers, but rectifier units
of potline 3 are each controlled by an
ABB PSR. In case of a potline master
controller failure, all rectifier units
can be operated manually in stand-
alone mode.
The new rectifier units are each
controlled by a specialized ABB AC
800 PEC rectifier controller. The new
units fulfill the same requirement,
as the existing ones, of being able to
provide current to their potline in the
absence of a potline controller, in a
stand-alone mode.
Communications:
As the IPU project was one of integrating
new equipment with existing
equipment, several communication
paths had to be developed.
• SuperMaster / COM600
communicate through a serial
link using the IEC 60870- 5-101
protocol. A ProSoft module for
the Control Logix platform is used
This technique demanded a high

19AWJ 2013
and software was developed to
pass information and commands
back and forth.
• InTouch SCADA / COM600 as well
as Relian / COM600
communicate over Ethernet using
the IEC 61850-8-1 protocol.
Paths 1) and 2) are completely
independent, allowing the
SuperMaster to supervise
operation and to generate
redundant alarms/ warnings in
case of break down of COM600 /
SCADA communications.
• SuperMaster / PML power
monitoring devices ION 7600
communicate through an RS-485
link using the Modbus RTU
protocol. A ProSoft module for
the Control Logix platform is
used and software was developed
to collect data from the intelligent
power meters. Supervision and
redundant control of plant power
transformer OLTC voltage
regulators (21 kV) is also
done via a Modbus link.
• InTouch SCADA / PML power
monitoring devices communicate
over Ethernet. A proprietary
Schneider Electric (ex. Power
Measurement Limited of Canada)
ION Enterprise system collects
detailed data from the ION 7600
meters, transients, sag/swell,
power quality and historical data
into a MS SQL database.
• Potline Controllers PL1 and PL2
/ AC 800 PEC rectifier controllers
communicate over Ethernet using
the EtherNet/IP protocol. The
interface on the PEC side is an
Anybus module developed by
HMS Industrial Networks. As the
EtherNet/IP Anybus module‘s
implementation allows only point
to point communication, gateways
were required for the swing units
S1 and S2, as they can be
connected to any potline and
therefore have to be able to
communicate with all the potline
controllers. The seamless
integration of the PEC controllers
of the rectifier units makes them
appear as Allen-Bradley
equipment to the rest of the world
(SCADA, MES, potline controllers,
etc.)
• Potline Controller PL3 PSR / AC
800 PEC rectifier controllers S1
and S2 communicate over an ABB
proprietary PowerLink using an
ABB PSR-PSR protocol.
• The four AC 800 PEC controllers
communicate with each other
through a dedicated redundant
PowerLink.
In Conclusion
As demonstrated by the Rio Tinto
Alcan Isal Smelter Production Upgrade
project, GIS can be integrated into
existing facilities to support expansion
and power supply for smelters
with high energy and health and
safety requirements. SF6 insulated
switchgear is an enviromentally
friendly and safe technology, with
excellent operational capacities.
An upgrade can be fully tailored
through engineering solutions to work
with, and around, existing technologies,
even where space restrictions may
need to be considered.
Futhermore, the communication
and control systems are designed to
integrate seamlessly with existing ones,
to provide flexibility and economical
advantages, while securing optimal
performance.
Authors:
Bjarni Jonsson, RTA ISAL
Leader of the Electrical Services,
Haflidi Loftsson, Staki ehf
Chief Engineer and Max Wiestner,
Head of the Aluminium business
within ABB

20 SURFACE INSPECTION
ABB’s history of powering primary aluminium plants started 45 years ago. Since
then, we have supplied complete electrification solutions and substations to more
than 60 aluminium smelters worldwide. The modernization of an existing plant to the
latest standards and production and efficiency levels – performed while it is still in
operation – requires a different set of skills and competencies than building a green-
field plant. ABB has in-depth knowledge of the aluminium production process and
the experience necessary to execute complex projects – always with the objective
to keep your production running day and night. For more information, visit us at
www.abb.com/aluminium
Keeping your production running day and night?
Certainly.
Global Product Group Aluminium
5405 Baden 5 Dättwil, Switzerland
aluminium@ch.abb.com

21AWJ 2013
BAUXITE MINING TO ALUMINA
UC Rusal
About UC Rusal p. 22
Recycling Red Mud p. 23-24

22
About UC RUSAL
UC RUSAL is a leading, global
producer of primary aluminium and
alloys with a particular focus on the
production and sale of value-added
products and one of the world's major
producers of alumina.
Thecompany’scurrentcapacitymeans
it is able to produce 4.7 million tonnes
of aluminium, 11.5 million tonnes of
alumina and 80 thousand tonnes
of foil per annum. In 2012 RUSAL
accounted for approximately 9% of
global production of aluminium and
8% of alumina.
RUSAL operates in 19 countries on
5 continents. The company employs
72,000 people across the globe.
RUSAL’s assets include 15 aluminium
smelters, 12 alumina refineries, 8
bauxite mines, 3 aluminium powder
plants, 3 silicon factories, 3 secondary
aluminium plants, 4 foil mills, 2
cryolite and 2 cathode plants.
Within its upstream business, UC
RUSALisverticallyintegratedtoahigh
degree, having secured substantial
supplies of bauxite and alumina
production capacity.
The Company’s core smelters, located
in Siberia, Russia, benefit from access
to stranded low-cost hydro generated
electricity enabling it to be a low-
cost producer of aluminium, with its
principal Siberian facilities in close
proximity to important European and
Asian markets.
The Company’s key sales markets are
Europe, Russia and the CIS countries,
NorthAmerica,South-EastAsia,Japan
andKorea.Themajorendusersconsist
of over 700 companies representing
transport, construction and package
industries.
RUSAL has a strong growth potential –
around 1 million tonnes of attributable
aluminium capacity are currently
under construction (equivalent to 25%
of the current Company’s production
volume):
- The BEMO Project, which involves the
construction of the 3,000 megawatt
BEMO HPP and BEMO aluminium
smelter in the Krasnoyarsk region
of Russia with a design capacity of
588 thousand tonnes of aluminium
per annum;
- The Taishet aluminium smelter
in the Irkutsk region of Russia has
a design capacity of 750 thousand
tonnes of aluminium per annum.
The company was founded in 2000
and, following its merger with SUAL
and the alumina assets of Glencore,
becametheglobalaluminiumindustry
leader in 2007.
RUSAL has a 27.8% interest in Norilsk
Nickel, the world’s largest producer
of nickel and palladium and one of
the largest producers of platinum and
copper.
Together with Kazakhstan’s National
Welfarefund“Samruk-Kazyna”RUSAL
is developing the Ekibastuz coalfield
in Central Asia.
RUSAL is currently focusing on
strengthening its competitive
advantages, including low production
cost, considerable raw material
base, proprietary R&D capabilities
and proximity to key markets.
RUSAL owns proprietary smelting
technologies (RA-300, RA-400 and
RA-500) and is developing new ones,
including a revolutionary inert anode
technology.
RUSAL’s ordinary shares are listed on
The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong
Limited (Stock code: 486). Global
depositary shares representing
UC RUSAL’s ordinary shares are
listed on the professional board of
NYSE Euronext Paris (RUSAL /
RUAL). Russian depositary receipts
representing RUSAL’s ordinary shares
are listed on the Moscow Exchange
(RUALR/RUALRS). RUSAL's
shareholders are En+ (48.13%),
ONEXIM Group (17.02%), SUAL's
shareholders (15.80%), Glencore's
subsidiary Amokenga Holdings
(8.75%) and RUSAL's management.
There is a 10.03% free-float.
Official website: www.rusal.com
UC RUSAL is a leading global aluminium producer.

23AWJ 2013
Recycling red mud
Annual world aluminium production
is expected to break the 50,000,000
tonnes barrier this year. Making one
tonne of aluminium requires about
two tonnes of alumina. The production
of two tonnes of alumina creates from
two up to four tonnes of red mud or
bauxite residue, presently waste from
the Bayer process and a potentially
valuable resource.
The total amount of bauxite residue
produced in the world annually is
estimated at around 200 million
tonnes. Red mud is a mineral residue
left after the extraction of alumina
from bauxite in the course of the
Bayer Process, the principal industrial
method of processing bauxite ores
into alumina.
Bauxite is one of the most complex
industrial ores, containing almost
all elements of the periodic table
in different quantities with alumina
being the predominant component
(making some 30 to 60% mass of all
ore components). Other major oxides
With todays technology, alumina and sometimes gallium are the only
commercial products being extracted from bauxite ores.
constituting industrial bauxites are
Fe2O3 (from 5 to 25% mass, SiO2 from
1 to 9 %, TiO2 from 1 to 7 %). Like most
ores and soils, bauxite can also contain
trace quantities of metals such as
beryllium, cadmium, chromium, lead,
manganese, arsenic, mercury, nickel
and naturally occurring radioactive
materials. To achieve extraction of the
main components, more advanced
technologies are to be evolved.
With today’s technology, alumina
and sometimes gallium are the only
commercial products being extracted
from bauxite ores. Correspondingly,
bauxite residue is primarily composed
of the insoluble in the alkaline Bayer
liquors fraction of the bauxite ore,
and some Ca and Na aluminosilicates
formed in the process as secondary
reactions.
At present, the amount of bauxite
residue being processed is limited.
Alumina production waste is mainly
disposedofinspecialfacilitiesknownas
bauxe residue disposal areas (BRDAs).
Due to the Bayer process, red mud has
residual alkalinity. The pH level of the
residue is generally up to 13 or higher
in some cases, due to the presence
of alkaline sodium compounds, such
as sodium hydroxide. Because of the
very small sizes of bauxite residue
particles (less than 100 microns) it
can be easily carried by wind over fairly
long distances from BRDAs.
To prevent the red mud from being
carried out from BRDAs and causing
harm to the environment or people,
differentmethodsarebeingusedsuch
as construction of new BRDAs with
special membranes and protective
layers,drydisposal,'slopeddeposition'
etc. With regards to RUSAL, the
company pays very special attention
to the environmental safety at all of
its operations and constantly monitors
the situation at each of its BRDAs.
Treatment methods include reducing
pH by carbonation, washing with large
quantities of seawater adding gypsum,
other amendments such as bitterns,
(all of which replace sodium with more
favourable elements such as calcium
and magnesium) as well as increasing

24
Chinese national governments. For
instance, RUSAL's recycling project
was supported by the Ministry of
Science as a next-generation
technology. RUSAL's involvement in
the red mud recycling project is one of
themainfocusesofthecompanyinthe
sphere of environmental stewardship.
RUSAL’s Engineering and Technology
Centre is the project's engine, which is
supported by a think-tank, consisting
of major Russian technology and
engineering partners.
The Chinese government has set a
target of recycling 10% of all of its
red mud by 2015, and our Chinese
colleagues from Chalco have already
introduced several solutions taken
from the iron and rare-earth metals
extraction industry, to use the residue
for the steel and concrete industry.
TherecentmemorandumbetweenUC
RUSAL and Chalco foresees joint R&D
projects, and we hope that together
we can find ways to solve the red mud
problem.
At present, the recycling of alumina
productionwasteisaglobalchallenge.
The maximum recycling rate is about
30% for an individual plant. Worldwide
bauxite residue processing does not
exceed5milliontonnesperyear,which
means that less than 1/40th
of the
amountproducediscurrentlyrecycled.
The industry targets regarding the red
mud problem are quite ambitious.
The International Aluminium Institute
predictsthatatleast25%ofallredmud
will be recycled by 2025. This means
that a comprehensive technology for
complete bauxite residue processing
to marketable value-added products
is required to be developed.
Bauxite is one of the most complex industrial ores, containing almost all
elements of the periodic table.
organic matter content by mixing in
organic waste or establishing grass
pasture to initiate the nutrient cycle.
ThisisthecaseofQueenslandalumina
refinery (QAL) in Australia (RUSAL
owns a 20% stake in the refinery),
where red mud is neutralized with
seawater.
Onewayoranother,themajorproblem
is that there is no established bauxite
residue processing technology that
would be able to be applied at all the
aluminarefineriesintheworldbecause
the bauxite composition (depending
on the deposit) differs greatly. Finding
a way to utilize the red mud in other
industries, instead of disposing it in
BRDAs, could develop as the best
solution moving forward.
Today bauxite residue can be used
in the steel industry as an iron-
containing raw material, in cement
production, road construction as well
as in agriculture. A part of the bauxite
residue is used as an absorbent of
industrial gas, to treat industrial and
municipal wastewater, as a reductant
for soil, absorbent of heavy metals
and other harmful substances, as
a coagulant, pigment, catalyst and
ceramic.
RUSAL, which is one of the world’s
largest alumina producers, is now
building a pilot recycling plant at
the Ural aluminium smelter (UAZ),
Russia with an annual capacity of
40,000 tonnes looking to expand
it up to 200,000 tpa. According to
our analysis, the demand for red
mud and its byproducts stands at
3 million tonnes per annum from
Russian enterprises only, which can
easily generate a return on planned
investments. The main consumers of
the plant in Russia will be the iron and
steel industry and the construction
sector.
Following the launch of this facility,
UAZ will establish red mud treatment
operations, -creating a new niche on
the market- furthering the potential
to implement the technology in other
RUSAL plants.
Red mud recycling technologies are
being cultivated by the Russian and
Bauxite residue can be used in
the steel industry as an iron-
containing raw material.

MÖLLER®
Alumina
©DUBAL
Expertise in
©NorskHydro
25AWJ 2013
PRIMARY SMELTING AND PROCESSES
STAS Inc.
THE STARprobe™ p. 26-27
ECL
The ECL™ New Concept Furnace Tending Assembly p. 28-31
FLSmidth
MÖLLER Alumina Handling Systems p. 32-33
Riedhammer
Carbon Baking Technology p. 34

5
1
7
7
3
8
2
4
26 PRIMARY SMELTING AND PROCESSES
The STARprobe™
A new technology allowing simultaneous measurements of four cryolitic bath properties in only four minutes
1- Cart
2- Reusable probe tip
3- Probe
4- Electronic probe
head
5-Interface
computer
6-Power unit
7- Battery pack
8-Telescopic
towing arm
During the last 10 years, Alcoa has
developed a new device called the
STARprobe™ [1, 2, 3]. This technology,
now available through STAS, is a
portable device that takes real time
measurements of four bath properties
in electrolysis cells:
Superheat
Temperature
Alumina concentration
Ratio (excess AlF3)
(STAR)
This synchronicity of measurements
is the most important step forward in
improving the control and efficiency of
electrolysis cells.
Figure 1 shows one STARprobe™. The
device kit consists of a mobile cart and
two probes, one communication panel,
one interface computer, one power unit,
one battery pack and a telescopic towing
arm in the front.
How it works
The probe concept consists in making
a Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA),
which is a proven method [4], on a bath
sample and a reference. The reusable
Figure 1: STARprobe™ device kit
probe tip (Figure 2) includes two
high-precision type K thermocouples,
dynamically paired for compatibility.
The thermocouple on the left records
thecoolingrateofthebathsample,while
the thermocouple on the right records
the cooling rate of the reference. During
the cooling process – the bath sample
liquidus temperature – cryolite starts
to solidify, which slows the bath sample
cooling rate even further. At the eutectic
temperatureofthebathcryolite-alumina
phase diagram, the alumina starts to
solidify as well. Finally, at a much lower
temperature -that has reduced down
to the eutectic temperature of the bath
cryolite AlF3 phase diagram (Figure 1 of
[1]) -the excess AlF3 finally solidifies.
The reference temperature is selected
as the X coordinate instead of the
time, so the analysis results of the bath
sample are not affected by fluctuating
ambient conditions [1]. In fact, the shape
of the curve depends on two things
only: the design of the probe tip and
the composition of the bath sample.
This means that for a given probe tip
design, the shape of the curve is solely
dependant on the composition of the
bath sample.
The correlation algorithm is very fast,
and the calculated results are equivalent
to the XRD analysis, as presented [1]
and as independently verified on
many occasions so far by the author in
demonstrations performed in smelters
all around the world (for example, see
[5]).
How it is used in the potroom
The reusable, consumable probe tip
can take around 100 measurements. It
is connected to the probe head through
a probe lance, as seen in Figure 3. An
operatorcanusetwoofthoseassemblies
to measure cells simultaneously. That
way, a trained operator can obtain an
average time of just under 4 minutes
per measurement.
Figure 3: Probe assembly
The probe head includes a very high
resolution electronic thermocouple
readerthatreadsthethermocouplesand
transmits data via Wifi to the tablet PC
running the STARprobe™ application.
One tablet PC can simultaneously
process the data from the two probe
heads. After a few seconds, the results
are displayed on the tablet screen
(left side of Figure 4), stored in a file
on the tablet and can be transmitted
automatically to the plant database and/
or to the pot control system.
Figure 4: STARprobe™ application
displaying the results
ONE STEP AHEAD

3
12
27AWJ 2013
1 Sample cup Contains bath sample
2 Reference side Provides a reference cooling curve
3 Thermocouple connectors Measures temperatures
Figure 2: Reusable probe tip
Potential of process control
improvements using the
STARprobe™
The conventional way to control the bath
ratio and the temperature is to regularly
take bath samples and measure the
bath temperature. Most of the time,
bath sampling is not synchronized with
bath temperature measurement. In any
case, due to the delay in getting the bath
sample analyzed, the cell controller
typicallyneverreceivesnewtemperature
and ratio data at the same time. This lack
of synchronicity between the bath ratio
and bath temperature data and the lag
in getting the ratio data can be totally
eliminated by using the STARprobe™ to
measure both parameters at the same
time and by immediately transmitting
the results to the database and to the
pot control system via Wifi .
Furthermore, a typical bath ratio control
logic uses the data for both the bath
temperature and bath ratio in order
to control the bath ratio by adjusting
the amount of AlF3 added to the cell,
assuming a given and constant cell
superheat. As presented in [7], any
inconsistencies between the target bath
ratio and the target bath temperature
can create instabilities in the feedback
control loop.
Since the STARprobe™ also measures
thebathsuperheat,thebathratiocontrol
and the bath temperature control – or
rather the bath superheat control – can
be decoupled. The bath ratio can be
controlled by adjusting the amount of
AlF3 andthebathsuperheatbyadjusting
the target cell pseudoresistance
independently [8].
Improvements have already been
achieved in more than 10 of Alcoa’s
plants in terms of process control. In
parallel with the development of the
STARprobe™,Alcoahasdevelopedanew
cell controller called QLC which takes
full advantage of its STARprobe™ bath
properties measurement technology.
The QLC automatically acquires the
results of STARprobe™ measurements
in real time via Wifi [1,6].
The gains guaranteed by Alcoa [6] are
the following:
• 0.5% current efficiency (proven)
• 35 mV voltage savings (proven)
• 5% AlF3 savings (proven)
• 100-150 day potlife improvement
(still to be established)
• One time capital cost saving
(X-ray equipment) (proven)
• Labor savings for sampling/
analysis (proven)
• Improved understanding by
operators (proven)
The STARprobe™ technology is a new
way to control electrolysis cells. Other
companies around the world have
already taken advantage of this new
opportunity.
STAS is the exclusive supplier for the
STARprobe™ technology and offers
demonstrations upon request:
www.stas.com/en/starprobe
References
[1] Xiangwen Wang, Bob Hosler and
Gary Tarcy, Alcoa STARprobe™, Light
Metals, (2011), 483-489.
[2] Bob Hosler, Xiangwen Wang, Jay
Bruggeman and Patrick O’Connor,
Molten Cryolytic Bath Probe, US patent
no. 2005/0069018 A1.
[3] Xiangwen Wang, Bob Hosler and
Gary Tarcy, Systems and Methods
Useful in Controlling Operation of
Metal Electrolysis Cells, US patent no.
2007/0295615 A1.
[4]R.C.Mackenzie,DifferentialThermal
Analysis, Academic press London,
1970.
[5] M. Dupuis, P. Bouchard and J.-P.
Gagné, Measuring bath properties
using the STARprobe™ , 19th
International ICSOBA Symposium
(2012).
[6] Wang, X., Tarcy, G., Batista, E. and
Wood, G. Active pot control using Alcoa
STARprobe™, Light
Metals, (2011), 491-496.
[7]M.Dupuis,ExcessAlF3concentration
in bath control logic, National
Conference on Advancements in
Aluminium Electrolysis, Indian Institute
of Metals, Angul Chapter, (2006).
[8] M. Dupuis and J-P. Gagné, Testing
a new STARprobe™, ALUMINIUM 89
(2013) 1/2, 76-79.
PierreBouchard,Eng.,M.Sc.-President
Telephone Office:
+ 1-418-696-0074 ext. 2222
bouchard.pierre@stas.com
www.stas.com
Jean-Pierre Gagné, Eng., M. Eng. –
Technical Manager, Electrolysis and
Carbon Technologies : Telephone
Office: + 1-418-696-0074 ext. 2417
jpgagne@stas.com
www.stas.com

28
Innovation in motion
Innovation is in everything we do and in all the equipment we design and
build.
For over 60 years, ECL™ has been the benchmark for reliable, high quality
and cost-effective equipment for aluminium smelters, for all technologies.
We will maintain that focus now and in the future.
www.ecl.fr

29AWJ 2013
The ECL™ New Concept Furnace Tending Assembly:
Focus on safety, productivity and operational costs savings
Since the first Furnace Tending
Assembly (FTA) commissioned by
ECL™ in 1963 in Slatinia, Romania, the
design and tasks of this machine have
evolved. For the first time in industry
history, ECL™ has performed a total
rethink of the FTA, based on:
• A modular structure providing
higher performances in terms of:
safety, shorter commissioning
time, productivity, quality and
operational cost savings.
• A streamlined architecture -
providing significant weight and
height reductions.
• Better, faster and more efficient
coke suction flow rates and
enhanced speed in tool
movement.
• The possibility to have one or
two grabs and/or one or two
filling pipes on the crane.
• An evolutionary design greatly
improving maintenance access,
costs and ergonomics.
ECL™ has focused its efforts in safety,
productivity and operational costs-
savings in order to deliver a new
concept FTA achieving maximum
availability and reliability.
A modular and streamlined
structure
Most FTAs consists of a twin girder
cross travel structure supporting a
tools trolley. Each machine is tailor-
made for the smelters following the
specific requirements and technical
imperatives of the production
technology used.
The ECL™ New Concept FTA is based
on a modular structure, that offers
several advantages over conventional
designs. It’s lighter than a regular
crane. As the FTA is the main piece
of equipment supported by the baking
furnace building’s rails, this weight
reduction has a direct impact on their
design and cost requirements.
The modular concept leads to a
simplification of the FTAs overall
structure. Each of the crane’s
constituting elements and the links
between them (pneumatics, electrics
and optical) have gone through a total
rethink that makes them individual
modules rather than imbricated
elements. The resulting crane is faster
to commission and easier to maintain.
Furthermore, the location of the FTA
tools (dedicated for working on the
pits) has been modified to greatly
improve the operator’s visibility.
Consequently the accuracy of tools’
movements is improved, - reducing
the potential of damage on the tools
and flue walls.
The modularity of the cranes also
allows flexibility with regard to
implementing upgrades. A second
grab and/or a second filling pipe,
can be installed on a machine to
facilitate a possible increase in anode
production. Whereas the design of
all FTAs is made according to the
customer’s requirements, the ECL™
New concept FTA leaves room for
further enhancements and future
developments.

Environment, Health and
Safety first
In harsh environments with heat, gas,
and dust; it is essential to prioritize
environment, health and safety for the
smelter and above all the operators.
The Research & Development
department of ECL™ had a strong
focus on providing an ergonomic
cabin, paying special attention to
air quality and temperature control,
visibility, safety and reliability.
To minimize the safety risks (falling,
pinching, crushing, suffocation)
ECL™ has equipped its crane with
the following safety features:
• Retractable step ladder with
guardrail to access the crane.
• An emergency evacuation access
- whatever the position of the
main trolley - in case of power cut
or damages on tools in the
furnace.
• Higher number of emergency
stops and push buttons.
• Improved lighting - accomplished
by relocation of floodlights to
minimise shade interference.
Further, the cabin itself has been
subject to many changes and
transformed into a shell around the
operator. The cabin is more spacious:
itssizeincreasedby75%.Thenewsize
of the cabin brings many advantages.
The operator benefits from a 70%
widerwindowarea,providingabrighter
environment and better visibility. With
a visibility range of 10 metres under
the cabin, the operator is now able
to see the bottom of the pit which
makes the operation of coke filling
and sucking much easier. 2 to 3 people
can fit in the cabin simultaneously,
which offers a great opportunity for
training and management purposes.
The seats have been rethought and
are now motorized - enabling cross
travel movements to facilitate and
guarantee seat position accuracy
perfectly in front of the tools. The seat
includes height adjustment as well as
air and mechanical suspension, arm
support and body fixation for greater
ease and flexibility. As an additional
option cameras can be installed on
the suction pipe, which will eliminate
back bending and improve the overall
safety observation. The operator can
also adapt the control units (joystick)
according to his morphology. The
smooth driving of the FTA is therefore
facilitated and fatigue of the driver
considerably reduced.
An easy maintenance, safer
and cheaper
By redesigning its FTA, ECL™ has
significantly improved the working
environment for the operator, as well
as enabled maintenance works to be
carried out - which was previously
problematic due to the difficult access
to key areas of concern. The New
Concept FTA is now equipped with
several onboard platforms and access
points, including:
New cabin; more spacious, better
visibility and improved ergonomy

31AWJ 2013
• A complete upper platform giving
full access to the grab hoist unit,
the top of the storage hopper
(sucking pipe elbow) and the top
of the filter hopper to perform
filter bags changing.
• Maintenance platform, which
provides access to the valve
situated between the cyclone and
the filter hopper as well as the
valve used to control the de-
dusting sucking during the pit
filling phase.
• A platform situated at the top of
the sucking pipe.
• Direct access point to the 25
metric tons hoist, situated above
the main trolley.
• Direct access point situated
between the top of the FTA girder
and the long travel maintenance
platform.
• Lifting points and lifting rails -
installed directly on the crane - to
facilitate dismantling of the heavy
components that are not directly a
accessible (moto-reducer, air
condition unit, hoist unit).
No effort has been spared in ensuring
thesafetyforboththeoperatorandthe
maintenance staff. The large number
of onboard platforms puts an end to
having to rely on any cumbersome
external mobile platform, which is
usually unavailable when required.
A New Concept FTA combining
reliability and greater performance
A double filling pipe
The new architecture of the FTA
is based on a double filling pipe
assembly that can be used individually
or simultaneously. This system of
double filling pipe compared with a
conventional FTA (1 filling pipe, 1 grab
and 1 sucking pipe) allows an increase
of almost 10% of the FTA utilization
rate and therefore productivity. FTA
utilization rate is carefully computed
by ECL™ engineers to match the
customer’s production needs, while
ensuring a minimum 25% backup
capacity. This approach ensures
that the FTA is not oversized (which
would result in over pricing) and that
the anode production requirement
is met.
ECL™ engineers also worked to make
the filling pipe more resistant to
shocks, coke temperature variation
as well as decreasing the risks of pipe
blocking and falling.
A powerful sucking pipe
From a rate of 65 m3/h to a rate
of 110m3/h: this is the new suction
capacity of the sucking pipe set up in
the FTA which almost doubles suction
speed. Moreover, the sucking pipe is
equipped with a new shock absorption
system which assists in avoiding the
risk of crushing for the pipes.
Conclusion
Here is the reality: produce more,
faster, at a lower cost in a safer way. The
New Concept FTA helps to achieve
all this.
Author: Anne-Gaëlle Hequet,
Communication Manager with ECL,
fully part of Rio Tinto Alcan.
Double filling
pipe system

About FLSmidth
FLSmidth®isamarket-leadingsupplier
of equipment and services to the
global minerals and cement industries.
FLSmidth supplies everything from
single machine units to complete
minerals and cement flow sheets
including associated services.
With more than 15,000 employees,
FLSmidth is a global company with
headquarters in Denmark and local
presence in more than 50 countries
including project and technology
centres in Denmark, India, USA and
Germany.
FLSmidth has over the past 131 years
developed a business culture based on
threefundamentalvalues:competence,
responsibility and cooperation.
It is FLSmidth’s vision to be the
customers’ preferred full-service
provider of sustainable minerals and
cement technologies. This is reflected
in focused research and development
efforts aimed at fulfilling customers’
future needs in terms of innovative
technical solutions, high reliability and
availability, minimum environmental
impact, and the lowest possible
product lifecycle costs.
The FLSmidth in-house resources are
primarily engineers who develop, plan,
design, install and service equipment,
with most of the manufacturing being
outsourced to a global network of
subcontractors. This has proven to be
both a robust and sustainable business
model. FLSmidth therefore has a
flexible cost structure, which makes it
possible to plan and adjust resources
to prevailing market conditions.
FLSmidth is a learning organization,
and our people are our most valuable
resource. FLSmidth’s strategy entails
strongemphasisonselecting,attracting
and retaining the right people who can
support value creation in FLSmidth.
FLSmidth in the alumina business
FLSmidth first entered the alumina
industrymorethan100yearsago.Today
FLSmidth has an experienced team
of engineers and support staff with
extensive alumina experience
located in offices around the world –
and offers the latest equipment for
most areas of an alumina plant.
Red side, white side and alumina
handling
Based on the Bayer process, invented
by the Austrian chemist Josef Bayer, the
aluminaproductionprocesscanbesplit
into a ‘red side’ and a ‘white side’.
Red side solutions
FLSmidth offers equipment for the
complete bauxite handling, storage,
crushing and grinding flowsheet,
complementing the digestion or
dissolution of bauxite in hot caustic
liquor. This is followed by the complete
Settler-Washer train flowsheet for Red
Mud using the leading technology
acquired from Dorr-Oliver Eimco.
White side solutions
FLSmidth offers white side equipment,
covering the complete flowsheet after
the hydrate precipitation process,
including MÖLLER equipment
technology for alumina handling and
load-out.
Overall, FLSmidth equipment covers
more than 50 percent of the equipment
needs of a complete alumina plant,
from the bauxite mine to the above
refinery equipment. In addition,
FLSmidth also offers all equipment
for alumina handling in the smelters.
MÖLLER Technology
Through MÖLLER® technology,
FLSmidth specializes in design,
engineering,procurement,erectionand
commissioning of pneumatic material
handling systems for turnkey projects
and components for the alumina
industry. Our capabilities of handling
fresh alumina, reacted alumina,
crushed bath and aluminiumfluoride
comprise of:
• Large capacity storage silo (up to
85.000 t realized) including anti-
segregation filling and discharge
• MÖLLER airlift conveying
systems (up to 6oo t/h realized)
• Pressure vessel dense phase
conveying either with MÖLLER
Turbuflow® or our standard
conveying pipe
• MÖLLER screw pump conveying
systems
• Truck/wagon loading and
unloading stations
• Dosage systems
• MÖLLER Fluidflow® pipe air
slide and rectangular air slide
conveying systems
• MÖLLER direct pot feeding
systems either with 100 %
MÖLLER Fluidflow pipe air slide
conveying technology or as a
hybrid of MÖLLER Turbuflow
conveying pipe and MÖLLER
Fluidflow pipe air slide
• PTM filling stations
• Modular designed systems – plug
and play -
For more than 75 years the MÖLLER®
brand has stood for high quality
standard systems with more than 5000
references worldwide.
Actual contracts under execution
for Emirates Aluminium Smelter
(reacted alumina silos, MÖLLER
direct pot feeding system, PTM filling
stations, fresh alumina truck unloading
stations and pressure vessel dense
phase conveying systems for a mix of
crushed bath/alumina oxide) and for
UC RUSAL/RusHydro’s Boguchansky
Aluminium Smelter (MÖLLER direct
pot feeding system) prove the strong
position of FLSmidth in the global
aluminium smelter industry.
FLSmidth Hamburg GmbH
Haderslebener Strasse 7
25421 Pinneberg, Germany
hamburg@flsmidth.com
Phone: +49 4101 7880
MÖLLER Alumina Handling Systems -
High performance, high efficiency.

33AWJ 2013
FLSmidth is your expert in handling of fresh alumina, reacted alumina, crushed bath
and aluminiumfluoride
Large capacity storage silo including anti-segregation filling and discharge
MÖLLER airlift conveying
Pressure vessel dense phase conveying either with MÖLLER Turbuflow®
or
standard conveying pipe
Truck/wagon loading and unloading stations
Dosage systems
MÖLLER Fluidflow®
pipe air slide conveying systems
MÖLLER direct pot feeding systems
PTM filling stations
Modular designed systems - plug and play -
FLSmidth Hamburg GmbH
Tel: +49 4101 788-0 hamburg@flsmidth.com
www.flsmidth.com
Alumina handling
Expertise in
©NorskHydro

35AWJ 2013
ANODE PLANT TECHNOLOGY
Fives Solios
Real Time Central Control For Anode Baking Furnaces p. 36-39
STAS Inc.
World Class Electrolysis Equipment p. 40-41
Brochot Group
Advanced Technology From Brochot p. 42-45
Innovatherm
Upgrade Of Existing Fume Treatment Plants p. 46-51
Alstom
Novel Anode Bake Furnace Gas Cleaning p. 52-55

36 ANODE PLANT TECHNOLOGY
Qatalum is operating one of the most efficient and most environmentally-
friendly aluminium smelters in the world.
By implementing the best available technology in terms of Firing & Control
Systems and Fume Treatment Centers on the Anode Baking Furnaces, Qatalum
ensures that the operation of its furnaces is safe and that the stack emissions
of condensed and volatile tars, dust and hydrogen fluoride are kept under
the most stringent environmental levels.
Thanks to its long experience both in Firing & Control Systems and FumeTreatment
Centers, Fives Solios offers additional synergies as part of an integrated FCS/FTC
design to further improve emissions, OPEX, working and safety conditions
for a more reliable Anode Baking Furnace.
Fives Solios, designing today the plants of the future
What about the compliance of your Anode Baking Furnace?
Qatalum selected Fives Solios’ solutions for its Anode Baking Furnace
to comply with the highest standards in terms of safety and emissions
Driving progresswww.fivesgroup.com

37AWJ 2013
HELIOSRT
- REAL TIME CENTRAL CONTROL FOR ANODE BAKING FURNACES
Summary
For more than 20 years, the mobile
ramps composing the fires of the
Firing and Control system (FCS) have
been controlled and monitored by
redundant computers (Central Control
System). The master computer
makes calculations based on data
collected from each ramp through
thecommunicationnetwork.Theramp
PLCs have no other functions than
applying the commands sent by the
master computer. (See figure 2).
In the last ten years, the CAPEX
and OPEX of the control system
architecture have increased with no
significant improvements regarding
the anode baking process, day to day
operation and maintenance. Indeed,
the main changes were only to replace
the wired network by an Ethernet
Wireless one and to fulfil the new
safety requirement, the PLC became
Safety Integrated PLC (SIPLC).
Fives Solios has developed HeliosRT,
an innovative solution based on a Real
Time Ethernet Network that allows
entrusting the entire FCS control to
the Central Computers only, without
distributed PLC. The control system
architecture is greatly simplified:
it uses only one Real Time Central
Controller and remote Inputs/Outputs
for each mobile piece of equipment.
(See figure 3).
The robustness and reactivity of
the control as well as the required
safety loops are preserved. The
maintenance and day to day operation
are simplified.
Furthermore, Real Time Network
and accurate time synchronisation
between the ramps open new
perspectives to improve the Baking
Process management and to enhance
Safety.
Simplified Day to Day Operation
HeliosRT is fully automatic: less
intervention is required from the
operator.
All the operator action and follow-
up are done using only Real Time
Supervisory Human Machine Interface
(RTS-HMI – Control Screens). Indeed,
the ramp screens and their dedicated
HMI are replaced by the RTS HMI
displayed on screens located on each
side of the Anode Baking Furnace
(ABF) and on WiFi tablet PC for a local
control close to each ramp for unusual
or maintenance operations.
Industrial, Open and Well-Proven
Technology
HeliosRT isamodernsolutionbasedon
anopenandwell-proventechnologyin
many industries: Ethercat technology
[2] is used for the Real Time Network
along with Twincat from Beckhoff as
Real Time Controller.
Reliable Network
Earlier, WiFi Networks have simplified
the conventional infrastructure, but
they are more difficult to install, to
configure and to maintain because
they can be disturbed by other
WirelessNetworksorradiousers(such
as meteorological and army radars)
[1]. Moreover, the WiFi infrastructure
increases the latency time that is
already present in the communication
on any TCP/IP Ethernet network. This
can become an issue with SIPLC that
required for their safety data to be
updated regularly. It also forbids the
developmentofnewcontrolprinciples
basedonanenhancedsynchronization
of the ramp actuators.
HeliosRT Ethercat Network is a wired
Class C Ethernet Network that
uses dedicated hardware on the
slave device side and a dedicated
process data protocol transported
directly in the Ethernet Frame to
ensure high performance. The
dedicated components simplified
the network implementation and
unlike a WiFi Network, the Ethercat
Network has predictable and steady
performances
Enhanced Safety
To achieve the same level of Safety
as expected by most users and as
promoted by Fives Solios, reliable
Figure 1 – Anode Baking Furnace

continuous communications between
thepiecesofequipmentaremandatory
andmodernconventionalarchitectures
required SIPLCs on the key ramps
(Auxiliary Equipment, Exhaust Ramp
& Heating Ramp) are required for
managing independent safety loops in
addition to the Process Safety handled
by the Process Controller.
HeliosRT Safety is enhanced compared
to a modern conventional architecture
using SIPLC but without the cost
impact of the SIPLC technology.
The safety loops, that were managed
by several SIPLCs, tasks are now
managedbyonlyonededicatedSafety
Controller. The testing maintenance
and traceability of the safety program,
which are key points of the standard
IEC 61508, are easier as there is only
one safety program to manage.
The safety loops are more robust and
thereactivityofthesystemisimproved
as there are no perturbations due to
any communication latency time.
HeliosRT technology allows reliable
and accurate localization of the ramp
onthefurnace.Withthegeneralisation
of the WiFi Network, unless costly
systems were integrated, the system
was depending on the operator
inputs to know on which section the
ramp was localized. This could have
consequences on the Process follow-
up and on the Safety.
Because the Real Time Controller is
running on an Industrial Computer,
the great calculation power available
allowsincreasingtheaccuracyofsome
Safety Modules developed by Fives
Solios such as the blocked flue wall
detection.
Robustness Improved
By design, HeliosRT architecture is
simple to understand and to maintain.
The hardware is reduced, and has less
active components to be programmed
before change-over (no WiFi Network
with very specific settings, no Ethernet
component switches or others to be
programmed, no complicated IP
address plan to be set, no firmware
to be updated on all the components,
so they can be compatible with each
other, and so on).
Moreover, by reducing the number
of components on the ramps, their
electrical cabinets are simplified and
their sizes are reduced along with the
solicitations for the air-conditioning
system.
The Ethercat Network is a redundant
wired network. The Communication is
more reliable than on a WiFi Network
because it cannot be disturbed by
external phenomena. Of course this
Network could suffer from the same
problems as other Wired Networks
such as plugs, sockets and cables
that are cumbersome and cannot
endure cyclic change-over. For that
reason, specific cables and plugs were
tested to be more resistant and easy
to change. Backup solutions such as
additional cables and plugs are part of
the design so that process continuity
is always ensured.
Figure 2 - ABF Control System Architecture

39AWJ 2013
Anode Baking Process
Improvement
HeliosRT “Injector Matrix Control”
specific algorithm combines the
temperature set points set by the
operator and the temperatures
read for each flue wall with other
measurements such as CO, air
flow inside the flue wall and so on,
to calculate the optimal injector
sequencing.
The Real Time Network and accurate
time synchronization between the
ramps allow an accurate sequencing
of the injection, to optimise the air
consumption inside each flue wall
along with the fuel flow across each
Heating Ramp. Flooding situations
are avoided. A complete combustion
and a homogenous injection flame
are preserved.
The advanced injection management
leads to significant gain on the overall
fuel consumption and a reduction of
the unburnt fuel residues along with
an improvement for the homogeneity
and consistency of the baking level
-inside and across- the various pits.
HELIOSRT
HeliosRT reduces the investment cost
(CAPEX) of the FCS and provides
several operation benefits: improved
safety, less maintenance, lower energy
consumption, and fewer unburnt
emissions.
HeliosRT is an innovative solution to
a more efficient FCS based system
on a well proven technology in many
industries. A first industrial reference
on anode baking furnaces for the
aluminiumindustrywillstartoperation
in 2013.
References
1. Nicolas Fiot, Christian Coulaud,
“Wireless communication for
secured Firing and Control
Systems in Anode Baking
Furnaces”, TMS2011.
2. Ethercat Technology Group –
General presentation.
3. Nicolas Fiot, Xavier Genin
“New Central Control System
Architecture for Anode Baking
Furnaces”, TMS2012.
By Nicolas FIOT,
Solios Carbone,
32 rue Fleury Neuvesel,
BP24, 69702
Givors Cedex,
France
Figure 3 – New ABF Control System Architecture

WORLD CLASS ELECTROLYSIS EQUIPMENT FROM STAS
CAT / Covered Anode Tray
STAS has developed new technologies
dedicated to the potrooms and the
rodding shop, among which the AAPS
/ Automatic Anode Positioning System
andtheCAT/CoveredAnodeTray,which
are used in the potroom to improve
operational and safety aspects of the
anode changing process, and the EIC
/ Electrically Isolated Platform which
provides a fully safe environment for
the operators working above the pots.
On the existing conveyor system of the
rodding shop plant, STAS provides an
Anode Butt Inspection System (ABIS)
and also an Anode Stub Inspection
System (ASIS) to perform the automatic
inspection of anode butts and stubs.
The Automatic Anode
Positioning System
In modern aluminium smelters, huge
amounts of prebaked anodes need to
be replaced continually and properly
positioned in electrolysis cells. However,
manualpositioningmethods–evenwith
the best trained operating crews – are
quite conducive to variability and a lack
of consistency, exposing operators to
safety hazards.
The Automated Anode Positioning
System, or AAPS, is a fully automated
system developed by Alcoa Canada
& STAS which can be implemented
on existing or new Pot Tending
Machines (PTMs) to ensure optimal
anode positioning. Based on laser
measurements using the anodic beam
as a reference, the AAPS also relies on
loadsensingdevicestoavoidpositioning
errors related to mechanical play.
WiththeAAPS,thedurationoftheanode
replacement cycle can be reduced by up
to 25%. The system is also designed to
minimize the period of time between
the removal of the anode butts from
the electrolysis cell and their storage in
the transport tray. The system therefore
contributes in improving the health and
safety conditions for floor operators by
reducingtheirexposuretoHFemissions,
gases and particulates.
Using the AAPS in combination with the
Covered Anode Tray (see below), the
anode butts can be quickly loaded into
closed containers, which further reduces
HF emissions in the potroom.
The Covered Anode Tray
Once the used anodes (anode butts) are
removed from the cells, they are usually
placed on anode trays for transportation
and cooling, a process during which
Hydrogen Fluoride (HF) – a particularly
toxic gas for the environment and
human beings – is generated in large
quantities.
Manufactured by STAS, the Covered
Anode Tray, or CAT, is a specifically
designed container that confines the
cooling anode butts in an enclosed
container shortly after their removal
from the cells in order to reduce HF
emissions from the anode butts by up
to 50% [1].
The panels of the closed container
are automatically activated by the
movement of the anodes when they are
inserted or removed. The CAT features
a patented mechanism used to seal the
gap around the anode rod and to ensure
optimum confinement while minimising
downtime and maintenance costs. The
geometry of the containers can be easily
adapted for use with any plant anode
trays and transport vehicles.
The Electrically Isolated Platform
Live parts up to 2 KV are within reach
in certain layouts of a Hall-Heroult
potroom, special tools are required
during operation and maintenance
activities to protect workers against
electrical hazards.
Thanks to its triple level of isolation,
the Electrically Isolated Platform or EIP
virtually eliminates electrical hazards by
preventing the circulation of an electric
current between the live parts and the
ground, thus ensuring the safety of the
operator.
STAS uses industrial boom lifts and
modifiesthemwithveryspecificelectrical
insulation material at the first joint
hinge, which eliminates the possibility
of short circuits if a boom lift were to
come into contact with two different
electrical potentials in the potroom. An
important feature of the STAS EIP is its
Realtime Isolation Supervisory System
(RISS) that validates the insulation of
the boom lift in real time, using STAS’
proprietary instrumentation. If for
any reason the electrical insulation is
broken, the platform operator, while still
protected against electrical shocks, is
immediately informed by an alarm that
an insulation barrier is non-functional
ONE STEP AHEAD

41AWJ 2013
and that maintenance is required.
STAS Anode Butt Inspection System
and Anode Stub Inspection System
At the end of their life cycle, anode
butts need to be cleaned from the bath
residue before recycling the residual
carbon. Inadequate cleaning leads to
highsodiumlevelsintheresidualcarbon
(which is reused in the anode fabrication
process), causing problems such as
cracks in the anodes and shortened
life expectancy of the anode baking
furnaces.
In addition, abnormal shapes (defects)
couldindicatetheneedtoadjustprocess
parameters such as the thickness of the
carbon that remains underneath the cast
iron thimbles, which gives information
on the anode cycle, etc. Such process
data provides relevant information for
optimizingthefabricationofnewanodes
and the electrolysis process.
Typically, only a few anode butts are
manually inspected, and limited useful
information is available from such an
inspection scheme.
After the removal of residual carbon
and cast iron thimbles, the stubs of
each anode rod assembly also have to
be carefully inspected to determine if
the assembly can be used again or if it
needs to be routed to the repair area.
Stubs tend to deform and corrode in the
EIP / Electrically
Isolated Platform
cells, and such defects can reduce the
efficiency of, or jeopardize the anode
assembly process, or cause major
downtimes when faulty stubs
have to be removed.
To take all these problems into
consideration, STAS supplies two
automated systems based on high-
resolution artificial vision: the ABIS
/ Anode Butt Inspection System [2]
and the ASIS / Anode Stub Inspection
System [3].
The ABIS measures a certain number of
geometrical characteristics of the anode
butts and is easily integrated into the
conveyor system of the rodding shop.
The ABIS measures and analyses all the
anode butts processed at the rodding
shop, identifies a certain number of
defects, and performs the monitoring
of anode butt cleanliness with regard
to the residual bath remaining on the
surface.
The ASIS measures more than 30
geometrical parameters associated
to the anode rods and stubs. These
measurements are used to route rod
assemblies through the repair area or
to the equipment used to align up the
external stubs if repairs are needed. The
measured parameters are stored in the
plant database. The characteristics of
each anode rod can be followed up, and
statistical analyses are made available
for process control.
The ABIS and the ASIS are available
separately but can be combined to
ensure the best possible performance
regarding anode cycle optimization.
About STAS
STAS Inc. (www.stas.com) is a well
established company and a recognised
leaderinitsinnovativeabilitiestodevelop,
fabricate and commercialise new
technologically advanced equipment
for the aluminium industry.
STAS is serving a global market place
on a custom-made basis, with quality
specifications that comply with world
standards.
Founded in 1989, STAS employs
more than 150 persons, including 80
engineers and technicians with broad
expertise in process and design. STAS’
headquarters are in the heart of Quebec,
Canada, where about 2.5 million tonnes
of aluminium are produced by some
of the world’s most technologically
advanced plants. STAS holds licenses
with Rio Tinto Alcan and Alcoa.
References
[1] Jean-Pierre Gagné et al, HF
Emission Reduction from Anode Butts
Using Covered Trays, Light Metals,
(2012), 557-560.
[2] Jean-Pierre Gagné et al, ANODE
BUTT AUTOMATED VISUAL
INSPECTION SYSTEM,
Light Metals, (2008), 895-898.
[3] Jean-Pierre Gagné et al, ANODE
STUB INSPECTION SYSTEM, Light
Metals, (2007),
1021-1024.
Jean-Pierre Gagné, Eng., M. Eng. –
Technical Manager, Electrolysis and
Carbon Technologies : Telephone
Office: + 1-418-696-0074 ext. 2417
jpgagne@stas.com
www.stas.com
ASIS / Anode Stub
Inspection System
ABIS / Anode Butt
Inspection System

BROCHOT, YOUR PARTNER
IN THE LIGHT METAL INDUSTRY
ALUMINIUM
Potrooms
• Electric pot ramming machines with paste feeding
machines and/or data box
• Anode raising beam
On a single machine delivery or on a turnkey basis :
Carbone plant
• Full anode handling system and rodding shop
equipment
•
Cast house
•
•
•
• Water cooling system
AFTER-SALES SERVICES
•
• Maintenance and training
• Spare Parts
SIMULATION
of all processes on demand
Special vehicles
• Furnace charging and tending machine
• Transport of bath or alumina
•
•
•
93297 Tremblay en France Cedex www.brochot.frTel:
Fax:
brochot@brochot.fr

43AWJ 2013
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY FROM BROCHOT
A PROVEN SOLUTION FOR ANODE SLOT CUTTING
The French based company :
Brochot is a well-established supplier
of production process equipment
to the non-ferrous metals industry.
The company is represented on a
worldwide basis with offices in Canada,
China, Russia and Middle-East and
3 workshops in Quebec, France and
China. The company’s portfolio is
extensive and increasing, in particular
with the addition of recent equipment
supplytothecopperandzincindustries
by the Brochot Hydromet division.
Brochot’sprincipalactivityremainsthe
design, development, manufacturing
and supply of equipment for the
primary aluminium sector. In this
sector Brochot is well known for
supply of individual machines and
complete turnkey projects for anode
rodding shops and anode handling
installations.
A recent successful installation is
the supply of an anode slot cutting
machine to the NALCO plant in Angul,
India. This machine is part of an on-
going development of the Brochot
anode slot cutting design, which seeks
to improve and adapt the design to the
varying criteria of individual smelter
sites. Brochot continues to invest in
the development of new and revised
designs for its slot cutting machine,
and future orders will incorporate a
number of improvements to cycle
timesandadaptationstoclientslotting
requirements
Advantages of slotted anodes
The use of slotted anodes is now well
established in aluminium smelter
pot lines. The slotting of anodes is
known to give improvements in pot
efficiency by reducing the formation
of bubble films (which create higher
electrical resistance), reducing anode
cracking and allowing use of increased
pot currents. The cost of aluminium
production is highly dependent on the
cost of energy used in the reduction
process and efficiency gains from
slotted anodes have a direct cost
benefit.
Studies have shown that a large part
of the gases (mostly carbon dioxide
and carbon monoxide) generated by
the reduction process are formed on
the underside of the anode block and
Brochot anode slot cutting machine during workshop testing
the build-up of a layer of gas increases
the cell resistance. The distance
needed by a gas bubble to escape
from the underside of the anode is a
determiningfactorinthedevelopment
of the layer thickness and basically,
the shorter the escape distance the
lower the resistance created by the
gas layer will be. As anode sizes grow,
the problem of the gas layer increases.
The introduction of slots into the anode
therefore simulates, for as long as
the slot exists, the effect of using a
smaller anode by providing an escape
path for the gas bubbles formed on
the underside of the anode.
Slot configurations
Anode slotting arrangements have
existed in two configurations –
lengthwise slots and transverse
slots. These slots can be formed in
two ways – by moulding during the
formation of green anodes or
by machining the slots in baked
anodes. It is accepted that the
longitudinalslotconfigurationdelivers
the greatest benefit and the Brochot
slot cutting machine produces slots
in this direction.
The use of moulded slots has a
number of disadvantages compared
to machined slots. Slot forming plates
introduced in green anode moulds
can affect the paste distribution and
compaction around the slots. The
slots are wider than machined slots
and they can become clogged with
packing coke at the anode baking
stage. The wider slots also reduce the
overall mass of carbon consequently
reducing the life of an anode. Such
slots create more fragile green anodes
and increase rejection rates during
the green anode forming, cooling and
transportation stage. These problems
are exacerbated with increases in the
slot depth which would be potentially
useful in maintaining the slot through
a greater part of the anode life.

Brochot slot cutting unit
44
Machine installation and
construction
The Brochot slot cutting machine is
intended to be used as an integrated
part in the anode handling system.
The machine is integrated into the
anode conveying lines, receiving
anodes from the baked anode storage
areas and cutting the slots before
transfer to the anode rodding shop.
At NALCO the Brochot machine was
integrated as a retrofit into the existing
conveyor line just before feeding the
anode rodding station. The machine
installationwasadaptedtotheexisting
slope of the conveyor and the machine
integrates the possibility of changing
its configuration to allow a ‘pass
through’ condition. Space restrictions
in this plant do not allow the use of a
by-pass conveyor.
The basic elements of the machine
are a strong, rigid frame which
supports an anode transport carriage
and anode lifts, a powerful gearmotor
whichdirectlydrivestheshaftmounted
cutting tool discs, entry and exit roller
conveyors, and a fully enveloping
enclosure to retain carbon dust within
the machine, whilst assuring operator
safety.
Slot parameters
The machine delivered to Nalco can
cut a variety of slot configurations,
including horizontal slots and sloped
slots up to 450mm deep. In this
machine the slot cutting unit is in a
fixed mounting configuration. Brochot,
as mentioned below, can deliver other
slot dimensions as well. This simple
and robust solution. is well adapted
to the clients needs. Brochot can also
offer machine configurations with
mobile slot cutting unit mountings,
where the position of the cutting
discs can be raised or lowered. The
position of the slots in the anode is
normally predefined by the client, but
nevertheless, the distance between
the slots may be modified by changing
the disc mounting spacers. To aid the
exit of gas bubbles from the slots, the
top of the slot is often inclined. This
parameter can be quickly and easily
changed in the Brochot machine by
the addition or removal of spacers
on the anode support pads of the
transport carriage. This operation
inclines the anode, relative to the
machine chassis, so that the depth of
cut is greater at one end of the anode
than at the other.
We emphasize that Brochot is
manufacturing its own in-house blade,
which is designed for the specific
application of each customer.
The stability of the slot cutting discs is
very important for reliable operation
of the slot cutting machine. Disc
diameters for deep slots become very
large compared to the disc section.
One of the objectives of slot cutting
is to create a significantly smaller slot
than in a moulded anode. The disc
stability is related to its thickness,
materials, detail design and fixing
arrangements.
Any run-out in the cutting discs will
cause premature wear to cutting tools,
createslocalisedtoolheatingandslots
thatarewiderthandesired.Thedesign
of the Brochot disc ensures excellent
stability of the disc with respect to the
mechanical loads and the thermal
variations caused by cutting anodes
which are still at a high temperature,
particularly in the core of the anode.
For NALCO, Brochot has produced
tooling which produces an 11.5mm
inclined slot with two slots per anode.
Brochot can also offer machines with
slot capacity up to 450mm with small
slot widths.
The machine offered by Brochot is
a fully automated process machine
wherethetypeofproducttobetreated
is defined by the requirement of a
particularsmelteroranodeproduction
unit. Within the limitations of the
machine sizing determined at the
outset, the machine can be adapted
to accommodate changes in slot
dimensions (depth, length, slope,
fully traversing or partially traversing
slots, distance between slots) when
production parameters change.
Anode slot cutting in progress
ANODE PLANT TECHNOLOGY

Aluminium World Journal 2013

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Aluminium World Journal 2013