A finite-volume shallow layer method for the MHD instabilities in an aluminium production cell

An electrolytic cell for Aluminium production contains molten metal and molten electrolyte, which are subject to high dc-currents and magnetic fields. Lorentz forces arising from the cross product of current and magnetic field may amplify natural gravity waves at the interface between the two fluids, leading to short circuits in extreme cases. The external magnetic field and current distribution in the production cell is computed through a detailed finite element analysis at Torino Polytechnic. The results are then used to compute the magnetohydrodynamic and thermal effects in the aluminium/electrolyte bath. Each cell has lateral dimensions of 6m x 2m, whilst the bath depth is only 30cm. the electrically resistive electrolyte path, which is critical in the operation of the cell, has layer depth of only a few centimetres below each carbon anode. Because the shallow dimensions of the liquid layer a finite-volume shallow-layer technique has been used at Greenwich to compute the resulting flow-field and interface perturbations. The information obtained from this method, i.e. depth averaged velocities and aluminium/electrolyte interface position is then embedded in the three-dimensional finite volume code PHYSICA and will be used to compute the heat transfer and phase change in the cell.

High electric current density-induced interfacial reactions in micro ball grid array (μBGA) solder joints

The effect of a high electric current density on the interfacial reactions of micro ball grid array solder joints was studied at room temperature and at 150 °C. Four types of phenomena were reported. Along with electromigration-induced interfacial intermetallic compound (IMC) formation, dissolution at the Cu under bump metallization (UBM)/bond pad was also noticed. With a detailed investigation, it was found that the narrow and thin metallization at the component side produced “Joule heating” due to its higher resistance, which in turn was responsible for the rapid dissolution of the Cu UBM/bond pad near to the Cu trace. During an “electromigration test” of a solder joint, the heat generation due to Joule heating and the heat dissipation from the package should be considered carefully. When the heat dissipation fails to compete with the Joule heating, the solder joint melts and molten solder accelerates the interfacial reactions in the solder joint. The presence of a liquid phase was demonstrated from microstructural evidence of solder joints after different current stressing (ranging from 0.3 to 2 A) as well as an in situ observation. Electromigration-induced liquid state diffusion of Cu was found to be responsible for the higher growth rate of the IMC on the anode side.

Study of the thermal stress in a Pb-free half-bump solder joint under current stressing

The thermal stress in a Sn3.5Ag1Cu half-bump solder joint under a 3.82×108 A/m2 current stressing was analyzed using a coupled-field simulation. Substantial thermal stress accumulated around the Al-to-solder interface, especially in the Ni+(Ni,Cu)3Sn4 layer, where a maximal stress of 138 MPa was identified. The stress gradient in the Ni layer was about 1.67×1013 Pa/m, resulting in a stress migration force of 1.82×10-16 N, which is comparable to the electromigration force, 2.82×10-16 N. Dissolution of the Ni+(Ni,Cu)3Sn4 layer, void formation with cracks at the anode side, and extrusions at the cathode side were observed

Shallow water model for aluminium electrolysis cells with variable top and bottom

The MHD wave instability in commercial cells for electrolytic aluminium production is often described using ‘shallow water’ models. The model [1] is extended for a variable height cathode bottom and anode top to account for realistic cell features. The variable depth of the two fluid layers affects the horizontal current density, the wave development and the stability threshold. Instructive examples for the 500 kA cell are presented.

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.