CellSchema Aluminum-Smelting

The CellSchema slideshow represents several cross sections of a conventional Hall-Heroult electrolysis cell for aluminum smelting. Such an electrolytic cell is operated at about 950 °C and contains carbon anodes, the molten cryolite electrolyte and the metal pad cathode. The slideshow demonstrates the essential components of such a cell: the thermal insulation of the pot shell, its carbon lining, the automatic feeding system for the alumina ore, the hooding system to collect the exhaust gases and the bus bar system for the electric current.
Using this Hall-Héroult process about 40 mio tonnes aluminum are smelted every year.