The study of thermal-electrical coupling numerical simulation of aluminum electrolytic cell anode assembly and parameter optimization of steel claws

• A thermal-electric coupling model of the anode rigid claw was established. • Obtained the thermoelectric behavior rules of the anode rigid claw. • The anode pressure drop was effectively reduced by parameter optimization. To gain a deeper understanding of the thermoelectric behavior of anode working groups and explore effective approaches for energy conservation and consumption reduction, this study focuses on a 400 kA aluminum electrolysis cell anode working group as the research subject. A finite element method was employed to establish a thermal-electric field coupling model for a single anode working group. By analyzing the internal temperature variations, current flow, and voltage changes during different processes, the thermoelectric behavior of the anode working group during the electrolysis process was investigated. Furthermore, based on the established coupling simulation model, the Box-Behnken methodology was utilized to conduct orthogonal simulation experiments with anode steel claw parameters as experimental factors. The optimization aimed to reduce the voltage drop of the anode working group, and the optimal parameter combination was determined as follows: steel claw spacing of 294 mm, insertion depth of 150 mm, and steel claw length of 235 mm. This configuration resulted in a reduction of 50.6 mV compared to the initial parameter settings. Practical testing comparisons demonstrated a significant decrease in the anode voltage drop after optimization. This study provides valuable insights for exploring energy-saving optimization in aluminum electrolysis cells and related engineering practices.