Nonlinear MHD stability of aluminium reduction cells

An industrial electrolysis cell used to produce primary aluminium is sensitive to waves at the interface of liquid aluminium and electrolyte. The interface waves are similar to stratified sea layers [1], but the penetrating electric current and the associated magnetic field are intricately involved in the oscillation process, and the observed wave frequencies are shifted from the purely hydrodynamic ones [2]. The interface stability problem is of great practical importance because the electrolytic aluminium production is a major electrical energy consumer, and it is related to environmental pollution rate. The stability analysis was started in [3] and a short summary of the main developments is given in [2]. Important aspects of the multiple mode interaction have been introduced in [4], and a widely used linear friction law first applied in [5]. In [6] a systematic perturbation expansion is developed for the fluid dynamics and electric current problems permitting reduction of the three-dimensional problem to a two dimensional one. The procedure is more generally known as “shallow water approximation” which can be extended for the case of weakly non-linear and dispersive waves. The Boussinesq formulation permits to generalise the problem for non-unidirectionally propagating waves accounting for side walls and for a two fluid layer interface [1]. Attempts to extend the electrolytic cell wave modelling to the weakly nonlinear case have started in [7] where the basic equations are derived, including the nonlinearity and linear dispersion terms. An alternative approach for the nonlinear numerical simulation for an electrolysis cell wave evolution is attempted in [8 and references there], yet, omitting the dispersion terms and without a proper account for the dissipation, the model can predict unstable waves growth only. The present paper contains a generalisation of the previous non linear wave equations [7] by accounting for the turbulent horizontal circulation flows in the two fluid layers. The inclusion of the turbulence model is essential in order to explain the small amplitude self-sustained oscillations of the liquid metal surface observed in real cells, known as “MHD noise”. The fluid dynamic model is coupled to the extended electromagnetic simulation including not only the fluid layers, but the whole bus bar circuit and the ferromagnetic effects [9].

Review of the technology and reliability issues arising as optical interconnects migrate onto the circuit board

Light has the greatest information carrying potential of all the perceivable interconnect mediums; consequently, optical fiber interconnects rapidly replaced copper in telecommunications networks, providing bandwidth capacity far in excess of its predecessors. As a result the modern telecommunications infrastructure has evolved into a global mesh of optical networks with VCSEL’s (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers) dominating the short-link markets, predominately due to their low-cost. This cost benefit of VCSELs has allowed optical interconnects to again replace bandwidth limited copper as bottlenecks appear on VSR (Very Short Reach) interconnects between co-located equipment inside the CO (Central-Office). Spurred by the successful deployment in the VSR domain and in response to both intra-board backplane applications and inter-board requirements to extend the bandwidth between IC’s (Integrated Circuits), current research is migrating optical links toward board level USR (Ultra Short Reach) interconnects. Whilst reconfigurable Free Space Optical Interconnect (FSOI) are an option, they are complicated by precise line-of-sight alignment conditions hence benefits exist in developing guided wave technologies, which have been classified into three generations. First and second generation technologies are based upon optical fibers and are both capable of providing a suitable platform for intra-board applications. However, to allow component assembly, an integral requirement for inter-board applications, 3rd generation Opto-Electrical Circuit Boards (OECB’s) containing embedded waveguides are desirable. Currently, the greatest challenge preventing the deployment of OECB’s is achieving the out-of-plane coupling to SMT devices. With the most suitable low-cost platform being to integrate the optics into the OECB manufacturing process, several research avenues are being explored although none to date have demonstrated sufficient coupling performance. Once in place, the OECB assemblies will generate new reliability issues such as assembly configurations, manufacturing tolerances, and hermetic requirements that will also require development before total off-chip photonic interconnection can truly be achieved

Models for magnetohydrodynamics of aluminium electrolysis cells

The electric current and the associated magnetic field in aluminium electrolysis cells create effects limiting the cell productivity and possibly cause instabilities: surface waving, ‘anode effects’, erosion of pot lining, feed material sedimentation, etc. The instructive analysis is presented via a step by step inclusion of different physical coupling factors affecting the magnetic field, electric current, velocity and wave development in the electrolysis cells. The full time dependent model couples the nonlinear turbulent fluid dynamics and the extended electromagnetic field in the cell, and the whole bus bar circuit with the ferromagnetic effects. Animated examples for the high amperage cells are presented. The theory and numerical model of the electrolysis cell is extended to the cases of variable cell bottom of aluminium layer and the variable thickness of the electrolyte due to the anode non-uniform burn-out process and the presence of the anode channels. The problem of the channel importance is well known Moreau-Evans model) for the stationary interface and the velocity field, and was validated against measurements in commercial cells, particularly with the recently published ‘benchmark’ test for the MHD models of aluminium cells [1]. The presence of electrolyte channels requires also to reconsider the previous magnetohydrodynamic instability theories and the dynamic wave development models. The results indicate the importance of a ‘sloshing’ parametrically excited MHD wave development in the aluminium production cells.