Leak-free current collector assembly for metallurgical vessels and method of manufacture

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a collector assembly may include repeatedly solving a model on a computer. The model may utilize received inputs, including a variable number and arrangement of conductive elements, to determine a hypothetical heat distribution within the collector assembly as an output. The method may also include identifying the number and arrangement of conductive elements coupled to the collector as a solution to the model, the number and arrangement of conductive elements producing a contained heat distribution within the hypothetical collector assembly. The method may also include manufacturing the collector assembly, and the collector assembly may include a plurality of holes defined in a pattern within a refractory bottom of the collector assembly, the pattern being configured to receive the number and arrangement of conductive elements identified as a solution to the model.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of an invention patent application with an application date of August 14, 2017, an international application number of PCT / US2017 / 046695, a national application number of 201780049534.5, and an invention name of “Leak-free collector assembly and manufacturing method for metallurgical containers”. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to low-cost processing of molten materials. In particular, a metallurgical vessel having specially designed components to control the thermal, electrical and electrochemical environment at high temperatures is disclosed. Background Art

[0003] Various metallurgical vessels (e.g., arc furnaces where the product of interest is refined at temperature or furnaces designed to electrolytically form metals) require an electrical connection between the molten metal and an external power source. In many of these technologies, extremely high currents need to be delivered at high temperatures. The required currents can reach hundreds of thousands of amperes; in terms of current density, the range can be very large, spanning 0.1-50 amperes / cm 2 The current may be in the range of hundreds, thousands, or hundreds of thousands of amperes, so that the delivery of current through the container will produce Joule heating. In embodiments, the delivery current may typically be between about 1,000 amperes and about 5,000 amperes, or between about 5,000 amperes and about 10,000 amperes. The current may be any individual amount within these ranges, such as 4,000 amperes, or may be higher or lower than any of the stated numbers. The need to maintain reliable electrical connections at high temperatures while containing molten materials is a challenge. During operation, system disturbances are known to occur as a result of the start or development of a process. For example, the heat flow pattern generated within the system may be uneven or irregular; specific components may be eroded by these conditions beyond what is considered to be a balanced condition. Uneven heat transfer may damage the structure, thereby causing the container to fail. Conventional system designers have addressed these types of problems by 1) intentionally overdesigning the operating requirements of the system or 2) requiring suboptimal operating conditions that are not likely to produce acceptable material quality / purity. The ongoing problem with current designs is that an initially small leak will quickly grow and cause a major vessel rupture, resulting in lost production, downtime, expensive repairs, and the risk of injury or death.

[0004] refer to Figure 8: An initial charge of metallic material 30 is surrounded by the wall 20, outer wall sections 21, lid 23 and outer bottom 24 of the metallurgical vessel 100. The outer bottom 24 is shaped to support the refractory inner bottom 11 and is typically secured to a structural member (not shown) that supports the cell either from the floor or from some other support structure typically made of structural material. The inner wall sections 22 as well as the inner bottom 11 are made of high temperature refractory material, which by definition is difficult to melt, dissolve or deform at high temperatures. Therefore, the specific refractory arrangement of the inner wall sections 22 and the inner bottom 11 is selected according to what metal-bearing material is being processed and melted and according to how much overheating is believed to be required. The electrodes 130, 30 shown for the purpose of illustrating the cell circuit configuration are typically (and in all the above illustrations) paired so that the potential difference between them is established substantially from the top to the bottom of the vessel 100. A power source 180 (typically high current, low voltage) completes the circuit.

[0005] The term "current collector" is used herein to refer to a multi-component element 40, 125 that must be in direct communication with an electrode. In many applications of interest herein, the current collector is in electrical communication with the cathode. In molten oxide electrolysis, current is supplied to the anode ( Figure 8 130) and passes through a molten oxide electrolyte 50 toward a cathode 30 which also melts during operation and contains the desired metal product. Fig.9A The collector 12 consists of a block 40 electrically connected to a current source via a bus 170. A pin, rod or bar 125 of the material of the collector 12 is disposed within an opening / hole 126 in the bottom 11 of the metallurgical vessel 100 and is configured to have a hot rod end 35 disposed on the proximal side (serving as a cathode) 30 of the metallic material. The collectors currently used have two main causes of failure. The first cause of failure is primarily thermal design. Typically, copper pins, rods or bars 125 intentionally cooled by forced air or water are used. Since the temperature of the molten metallic metal (serving as a cathode) 30 near the collector bar 125 is much higher than the melting point of copper, if cooling becomes ineffective, rapid, catastrophic melting and / or corrosion of the pin 125 occurs. If cooling is not fully affected, the pin 125 will slowly corrode during the continuous operation of the vessel 100, thereby requiring reconstruction in a short period of time. The second type of failure is caused by cracking or corrosion of the refractory material of the inner bottom 11 between the pins 25. This allows liquid metal to enter the sealing area (essentially hole 126) between pin 125 and refractory bottom 11. This flow carries enough heat to melt and / or dissolve the pin. First liquid metal is discharged from the reactor, and then more liquid metal is discharged, which is hotter and can dissolve more of the remaining pin, thereby accelerating the leak to the point of complete rupture of vessel 100. There has long been a need to increase the operating time of such metallurgical vessels. Summary of the invention

[0006] In the first embodiment, a leak-free current collector assembly is provided. The assembly is integrally formed with a metallurgical container having an activation zone for processing and holding a material containing liquid metal, and the current collector assembly has a current collector having a plurality of conductive and thermally conductive elements. The element is electrically and thermally connected to the activation zone, and the element has a length, a width, and an aspect ratio. The current collector assembly has a block, wherein the block is electrically connected to a current source, and wherein the element is electrically and thermally connected to the block at a plurality of element positions, thereby establishing a fixed point for each element. The current collector assembly has an assembly portion of a refractory structure, which is disposed adjacent to the current collector. The assembly portion has a plurality of openings that can be adapted to the element position, and these openings can receive and surround the enclosed portion of the length of each element therein. The structure defines the boundary of the activation zone of the container. The metallurgical container can be used as an arc furnace for melting oxide electrolyzers, or as a Hall-Héroult battery in another embodiment.

[0007] In another embodiment, a method for manufacturing a leak-free collector assembly is provided, the method having the following steps: solving a model on a computer using received inputs, including a variable number and arrangement of electrically and thermally conductive elements, to determine as output a heat distribution within a hypothetical collector assembly. The method has another step: identifying the number and arrangement of elements coupled to the collector as a solution to the model, the number and arrangement of the elements producing a heat distribution within the hypothetical collector assembly. The method also has the following steps: manufacturing the collector assembly. The collector assembly has a plurality of holes defined within an assembly portion of a refractory structure. The holes are arranged in a pattern configured to receive the number and arrangement of electrically conductive elements identified as a solution to the model.

[0008] In another embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon is provided. When executed by a processor, the instructions cause the processor to repeatedly solve the model using received inputs, including a variable number and arrangement of conductive elements, to determine the heat distribution within the assumed collector assembly as an output. The processor may also be caused to identify the number and arrangement of conductive elements coupled to the collector as a solution to the model, the number and arrangement of the conductive elements producing the contained heat distribution within the assumed collector assembly. The processor may also be caused to output a graphical depiction of isotherms at the melting point of a given metal-containing material in contact with the assumed collector assembly. In some embodiments, the processor may also be caused to output a pattern to a processing tool for manufacturing the collector assembly, wherein the pattern includes a plurality of holes defined in a refractory bottom of the collector assembly, the pattern of the plurality of holes being configured to receive the number and arrangement of conductive elements identified as the solution to the model. Repeatedly solving the model may include receiving an initial number and arrangement of conductive elements as at least one of a plurality of inputs. Repeatedly solving the model may include accessing a database of physical and electrical properties of a given metal-containing material and a collector assembly. Repeatedly solving the model may include defining constraints of the model. Repeatedly solving the model may include repeatedly calculating the thermal distribution within the current collector assembly while updating the number and arrangement of the conductive elements. Repeatedly solving the model may include repeatedly comparing the thermal distribution within the current collector assembly to the defined constraints of the model. Repeatedly solving the model may also include determining the number and arrangement of conductive elements that provide a contained temperature distribution within the current collector assembly that satisfies the defined constraints of the model.

[0009] In another embodiment, a leak-free current collector assembly is provided. The assembly is integrally formed with a metallurgical container having an activation zone for processing and maintaining a material containing liquid metal, and the current collector assembly has a current collector having a plurality of elongated elements. The element has a predetermined length, a predetermined width, and a predetermined total number of pluralities. The assembly has a block electrically connected to a current source. The block is electrically and thermally connected to the element. A plurality of elements are coupled to the block at a plurality of element positions, thereby establishing a fixed point for each element. The assembly also has an assembly portion of a refractory structure, which is disposed adjacent to the current collector. The assembly portion has a hole that can accommodate and surround the length of each element therein, and the structure defines the boundary of the activation zone of the container. The length, width, element position, quantity, size of the block, and the size of the assembly portion of the refractory structure disposed in the container are predetermined to ensure heat and fluid balance at the desired process temperature and the required current in the material containing liquid metal to prevent liquid leakage. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1A A cross-sectional view of an exemplary metallurgical vessel is shown.

[0011] Figure 1B A cross-sectional view of an exemplary metallurgical vessel under operating conditions is shown.

[0012] Figure 2 A partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary metallurgical vessel in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology is shown.

[0013] Figure 3 A perspective view of a current collector according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown.

[0014] Figure 4A An exemplary method of making a current collector assembly according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown.

[0015] Figure 4B An exemplary method of repeatedly solving a model according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown.

[0016] Figure 5A An exemplary heat distribution along a cross-section of a current collector assembly according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown.

[0017] Figure 5B An exemplary heat distribution along a cross-section of a current collector assembly according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown.

[0018] Figure 5C An exemplary heat distribution along a cross-section of a current collector assembly according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown.

[0019] Figure 6 A simplified computer system is shown that can be used to perform one or more operations discussed in embodiments of the present technology.

[0020] Fig. 7A A cross-sectional view of an exemplary metallurgical vessel is shown.

[0021] Figure 7B A partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary metallurgical vessel in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology is shown.

[0022] Figure 8 A cross-sectional view of an exemplary metallurgical vessel is shown.

[0023] Fig.9A A cross-sectional view of an exemplary metallurgical vessel is shown.

[0024] Fig. 9B A partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary metallurgical vessel in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] (i) Leak-free current collector assemblies for metallurgical vessels

[0026] In metallurgical processing, heat generated within the metallurgical vessel / vessel 100 is used to melt, homogenize, refine, and / or otherwise process various materials, including metals and metal-containing materials. The melting points of these materials may exceed 1,000°C; therefore, the vessel 100 and any associated components that come into contact with the molten materials will also be subject to these high temperatures. Locations where thermally conductive components are in physical contact or otherwise thermally joined inevitably result in structural weaknesses that may become sources of leaks during vessel operation. Leaks may also result from voids or defects that develop as a result of continuous use of the vessel 100 under high stress conditions over an extended period of time.

[0027] Referring to Figures 1A and 1B, a cross-sectional view of a portion of an exemplary metallurgical vessel 100 designed for melting and processing is shown. (Note that when Figure 1A and Figure 1B and Figure 8 When compared, the outer wall 21, the lid 23 and the outer bottom 24 of the container 100 are only Figure 8 ) The heat required may be generated by electrical energy or other methods known in the art. Electrode 130 (possibly fixedly attached by cover 23) is included in Figure 1A and Figure 1B As evidence, electrical energy can be provided assuming that a current source (not shown) is coupled to electrode 130 and in electrical communication with the contents 140 and 150 of the container and ultimately with block 120 (which forms a return path for the current). The activation of the resulting electrolytic cell within container 100 is shown in FIG. Figure 1BIn the electrolysis of molten oxides, for example, the electrode 130 will be used as an anode, where oxygen or carbon monoxide bubbles 142 are generated nearby. The vessel 100 has a refractory structure comprising an inner refractory wall 110 and a refractory bottom 115. Suitable ranges of physical dimensions of the wall 110 and the bottom 115 are known in the art of furnace design. For example, the thickness tw of the wall 110 and the fb of the bottom 115 are typically determined by thermal and chemical requirements, manufacturing requirements, and reliability considerations; a typical range is a few centimeters to tens of centimeters. The refractory structure is typically made of various non-metallic high-temperature materials. The refractory structures 110, 115 are typically made of high melting point / high yield point metals or ceramics, including but not limited to carbonaceous materials, oxides, carbides and / or nitrides of silicon, calcium, magnesium, aluminum, zirconium, hafnium, tungsten and boron. Additional materials may be used that are capable of withstanding temperatures above 100°C, 500°C, 1000°C, and higher without causing harmful degradation or significant reaction to the materials contained in the vessel 100. As shown, in any number of designs, the vessel 100 may include an inlet 113 for introducing materials into the vessel 100, such as metal-containing materials, electrolyte materials, etc. for processing. The outlet 112 is configured so that when opened, it allows the refined or otherwise processed material to exit the vessel 100 and be collected. It is readily understood that the inlet and outlet (in no way limited to a single inlet or a single outlet) can be arranged in a variety of ways known to those skilled in the art; their design is not considered to be limited to the exemplary design shown. The contents of the container are typically composed of two or more layers. For example, in MOE, the upper layer 140 is the electrolyte, and the lower layer 150 is the metal product.

[0028] See also Figure 3 . The metallurgical vessel 100 also includes a current collector block 120, 320 electrically coupled to a current source via a bus 370. For some vessel applications, the current collector may receive an electrical current through the material in the vessel 100 and may provide electrons to the material in the vessel via a conductive element 125 of the current collector fixedly attached to the block 120, 320. A portion of the length l of the conductive element 125, 325 may be in direct contact with the material within the vessel 100 because the element 125 may extend into the vessel 100 where l is greater than th. In some vessel applications, the current collector may operate as an electrode; for example, in the case of an electric arc furnace, the current collector operates as a cathode as opposed to the anode 130. A battery then consists of the anode 130, the current collector / cathode 120 (320) plus 125, and the current flows through the material contained within and processed in the vessel 100.

[0029] The collector conductive element 125 extends its length l from its corresponding fixing point on the collector block 120 through a bottom hole 126 provided through the entire thickness tb of the refractory bottom 115. In general, see Fig.9APortions of the conductive element 125 may extend beyond the refractory bottom 115, such portions extending into the activation region 150 ( Figure 1B ), when the container 100 is in or is being operated, these portions are close to the expected processing temperature and are susceptible to melting.

[0030] Although (in Figure 1A , Figure 1B and Figure 2 ) accurately shows two conductive elements 125 for illustrative purposes, each conductive element within a matching bottom hole 126, but it should be understood that any number of conductive elements and variations in the possible spatial patterns of conductive elements 125 (and corresponding bottom holes 126) through intentional design and planning define the scope of the present invention as will be explained in detail below. Figure 3 , a pattern of 25 conductive elements in a spatial array similar to a square is shown. The refractory bottom 115 must include a plurality of holes 126 in the refractory bottom 115 that are arranged in a pattern similar to or possibly the same as the spatial array of conductive elements 125. Each conductive element will then be positioned in a corresponding hole of the refractory bottom 115 that is greater or less than tb in length.

[0031] An initial amount of processable material may be introduced into the vessel 100. The material may include ore, electrolyte, slag, coke or other refractory or furnace material. Figure 1BAs shown in , when electrolysis is in operation, the region 140 shown near the anode 130 contains electrolyte as part of the electrolytic cell produced, and the active zone 150 is the area where the material to be treated resides during operation. The processed metal-containing material (in MOE) can be removed via the refractory bottom 115 via the outlet 112. In the molten oxide electrolytic treatment, the electrode 130 is the anode; the current first enters the region 140 containing the molten electrolyte material through the anode, then enters the activation region 150 of the container 100, and then enters the collector block 120 through the conductive element 125. The current can be hundreds, thousands or hundreds of thousands of amperes, so Joule heating will be generated by transmitting through the container. In an embodiment, the delivery current can generally be between about 1,000 and about 5,000 amperes, or between about 5,000 and about 10,000 amperes. The current can be any individual amount within these ranges, such as, for example, 4,000 amperes, or can be higher or lower than any of the numbers. The heat generated is intended to generate a container temperature sufficient to melt the material in the container. For example, if a single or mixed metal oxide (MOE) is to be reduced to form a refined metal product, the oxygen ions will flow to the anode 130 and each ion will be oxidized, thereby releasing electrons to form oxygen, while the metal ions will flow to the current collector 120 and be reduced by combining the positively charged metal ions with the above electrons. The metal formed in the region 150 near the refractory bottom 115 is initially a molten negatively charged metal and will serve as the cathode of the MOE cell. This negatively charged molten metal can be refined by the process and extracted from the container through one or more ports 112. In MOE applications, the region 140 of the container contains molten electrolyte; in electric arc furnace (EAF) applications it may contain slag. Bubbles of oxygen 142 form and are released from the container. Alternatively, the anode 130 may be primarily carbon, in which case, ultimately, the evolved gas may be CO or CO2.

[0032] Since molten metal can operate as a cathode in a MOE operation, the material used for the current collector conductive element 125 can be selected based on the conductive properties of the current collector conductive element 125 (see Fig.9A) material. For example, the conductive element 125 may include silver, copper, gold, aluminum, zinc, nickel, brass, bronze, iron, platinum, carbonaceous materials, lead, steel, refined metals, or alloys / mixtures thereof. For example, the conductive element 125 may contain copper, which has a melting point below 1,100°C. However, if the refined metal is iron, the liquid iron in region 150 may be at a temperature in excess of 1,500°C. In this example, the molten iron will melt the conductive element 125 to produce a molten mixture of the conductive element and the refined metal. Depending on the extent of melting of the conductive element, a leak may form at the interface between a portion of the current collector and a portion of the refractory wall 110. Depending on the severity of the leak, a catastrophic container failure may occur. However, the present technology can address this design problem as described below.

[0033] Figure 2 A partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary metallurgical vessel 100 is shown. Specifically, the partial view illustrates a portion of the vessel defined herein as a current collector assembly 160. The current collector assembly 160 includes a current collector block 120, a current collector conductive element 125, and a refractory bottom 115 that 1) is adjacent to the vessel active region 150 and adjacent to the current collector block 120, 2) has a refractory bottom thickness tb, and 3) has a bottom hole 126 that is positioned to accommodate a fixed position of the element 125 when the element 125 is coupled to the current collector block 120. The partial view shows the refractory bottom 115 within a portion of the refractory wall 110 and defining a boundary of the activated region 150. Although Figure 2 Two elements 125 and two bottom holes 126 are shown, but the actual number and position pattern of the elements 125 and bottom holes 126 is application dependent. The conductive elements 125 may extend through the bottom holes 126 into the activation region 150 of the container 100 (see Fig.9A ). The length 1 of the conductive element can be equal to, less than, and also greater than the thickness tb of the refractory bottom. As previously described, the conductive element may contain a metal or other conductive material having a melting point lower than the melting temperature of the material being refined within the activation region of the container. In this case, the portion of the conductive element 125 that contacts the material within the container may also melt. The extent to which this heat is transferred through the assembly can determine whether a leak may occur. For example, if the solidus isotherm of the composition instantaneously and locally present in the hole 126 extends approximately to a certain depth of the profile 135, some portions of the conductive element 125 will melt in region 127. The liquid material (which may include a mixture of similarly refined materials) may fill any interstitial space between the conductive element and the hole before re-solidifying within the hole 126. In operation, this can prevent molten material from flowing out through the hole to the collector block 120, thereby creating a sealed area (such as Fig. 9B129 in ). Although theoretically not required (as shown below), additional cooling can be provided to the conductive elements, such as by transferring heat via a fluid to air, water, or some other fluid.

[0034] The geometry of the holes 126 is such that at least a portion of each conductive element is in a solid state and the remainder of each conductive element is in a molten state. Fig.9A - In embodiments, the length of the conductive element may be maintained at a level equal to or less than the thickness of the refractory bottom 115. In this way, the material in the activated region 150 may be maintained in a substantially purer state and less likely to alloy with material from the conductive element when such material is removed or extracted.

[0035] Figure 3 A perspective view of an exemplary current collector 300 according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown. As shown, the current collector 300 may include a block 320, which may include one or more bus bars 330 to provide electrical communication with the block. The current collector 300 may also include a plurality of conductive elements 325 extending from the block 320. The conductive elements 325 may be arranged in a pattern as shown, but the number and pattern may be predetermined for a particular metallurgical vessel.

[0036] The number, position, and arrangement of the conductive elements 325 affect the thermal distribution throughout the container, and thus, by intentionally varying the number and position of the conductive elements, the system is adjustable to create stability or balance within the container. The pattern / array is determined or configured to provide thermal and / or fluid balance in the collector assembly 160 and its surroundings during operation. Thus, for exemplary collector assemblies and containers of the present technology, the conductive elements can be arranged on the collector block 320 according to a pattern configured to provide thermal and fluid balance throughout the collector assembly during operation.

[0037] An important factor in designing a leak-free collector assembly is to ensure that the mixing in the portion 127 containing the hole where the pin melts is controlled. The convection mixing within the pin carries a higher temperature liquid, and when the pin and the activation area have different compositions, the liquid-solid interface is dissolved into the pin. Then, the hotter fluid can melt more of the pin, moving the liquid-solid interface to a position where leakage is more likely to begin. Additional solutes usually lower the melting point of the material at this interface, moving the system further toward leakage. Therefore, the combination of heat and mass transferred by fluid flow is a key factor in the failure of the collector used today. Current industrial solutions use excessive cooling to keep the pin solidified to prevent these effects, which wastes energy and increases the unnecessary cost and complexity of metallurgical vessels. The leak-free collector assembly described herein utilizes the geometry of the holes in the refractory portion of the assembly to determine the fluid flow in the hole after the partial melting and / or dissolution of the pin. Restricting the fluid flow in the hole greatly reduces the convection mixing in the molten area, thereby allowing the position of the solid-liquid interface to be controlled by passive cooling. Moreover, this greatly reduces the energy loss of the container and greatly simplifies its support system while increasing the life of the collector assembly.

[0038] Two approaches are used to design the geometry of the pin and refractory section to control the fluid flow in the hole. In the first approach, numerical models are used to describe the fluid flow in the activation zone and the hole to determine the convective transfer of heat and mass, and the ultimate extent of the liquid region in the hole. In the second approach, an approximation is used to estimate the extent to which the fluid flow is significant, which allows the rest of the pin to be modeled without considering the fluid flow. It is well known that fluid flow over the top of a narrow channel (such as a hole) causes fluid flow in the channel and causes the fluid in the channel (hole) to mix with the fluid outside the channel (activation zone). The flow in the hole is slower at a location away from the activation zone and becomes negligible at a depth of about 3 diameters below the top of the hole. For non-circular holes, the effective diameter can be estimated as the diameter of a cylinder of equivalent cross-sectional area.

[0039] (ii) Application of the current collector assembly in the Hall-Héroult battery.

[0040] The Hall-Héroult process is still the manufacturing process for smelting aluminum. It involves dissolving aluminum oxide in molten fluoride and electrolyzing a molten salt bath. See Fig. 7A (Prior Art) and Figure 7B. In this application, the Hall-Héroult electrolyte 1040 is a mixture of fluorides that will wet the sides 1010, and initially the bottom 1015 of the cell 1000, in the absence of sufficient opposing forces. The cell bottom 1015 is composed of carbon and carbonaceous materials that provide an electrical connection between the current collector block 1020 and a liquid metal (aluminum) pad 1050 residing in the activation region of the container 1000. If the electrolyte 1040 penetrates the interface between the current collector block 1020 and the aluminum pad 1050, the electrolyte will freeze and form an insulating layer, thereby breaking the electrical connection between the block 1020 and the pad 1050. Breaking this electrical contact will at least result in the cessation of aluminum production and may result in catastrophic failure of the cell. Therefore, a very thick metal pad 1050 (such as Fig. 7A 1040 to break the electrical contact between the cell bottom 1015 and the metal pad 1050.

[0041] Figure 7B The use of metallic conductive elements 1025 (two are shown) in the current collector assembly is shown to ensure that electrical communication between the liquid metal pads 1050 and the block 1020 is maintained. The elements 1025 can be composed of molten aluminum to limit the introduction of unwanted impurities into the pads 1050. If the elements 1025 are metal (ideally of the same composition as the pads 1050), surface tension acts to maintain continuity and electrical conduction across the interface between the metal pads 1050 and the current collector 1020, regardless of any electrolyte that enters between the cell bottom 1015 and the metal pads 1050. Since the elements 1025 are conductive, the cell bottom 1015 can be made of carbon, or composed of another material, even an electrical insulator. Element 1025 has the following effects / characteristics: 1) maintains electrical connectivity with metal pad 1050 regardless of whether electrolyte enters between 1020 and 1050; 2) can be arranged to provide a continuous metal barrier around pad 1050 to completely prevent electrolyte entry; and 3) fixes liquid metal pad 1050 to maintain an acceptable shape even if the liquid metal pad becomes much thinner.

[0042] (iii) Model for manufacturing leak-free current collector assembly

[0043] Because the number and arrangement of conductive elements can create or enhance the impact on the performance and stability of the collector assembly, different assemblies can be developed for different applications with different collector designs. The positions of multiple conductive elements can be determined by a finite element analysis model that is configured to determine the number and position of conductive elements to provide thermal and fluid balance within the container. Such a model will be described below with reference to FIG. 4.

[0044] The systems and devices described above can be developed or manufactured according to various methods. The method can also be represented by a program stored in the memory of a computing device. Figure 4A An embodiment of a method 400 for making a current collector assembly according to the present technology is shown. The method 400 can be performed to produce any current collector or assembly previously described. Each operation of the method 400 can be performed at or by a single electronic device (such as by a computer), or by multiple devices that communicate with each other. The apparatus for performing each step of the method 400 may include a computer or electronic device. The method 400 may be performed using a computerized device, such as a computer comprising Figure 6 A device that may include some or all of the components of computer system 600.

[0045] Method 400 may include solving a model on a computer at operation 410 to determine the number and position of conductive elements for a current collector as previously described. The model may utilize received inputs, including a variable number and arrangement of conductive elements. In an embodiment, the model may determine and output a heat distribution within a hypothetical current collector assembly. The method may also identify a solution to the model at operation 420. The solution may identify the number and arrangement of conductive elements coupled to the current collector, which produce a contained heat distribution within the hypothetical current collector assembly. Once a solution to the model has been identified, the method may include manufacturing the current collector at operation 430. The manufactured current collector assembly may include a plurality of holes defined within the refractory bottom of the current collector assembly. A plurality of holes may be arranged in a pattern configured to receive the number and arrangement of conductive elements identified as a solution to the model.

[0046] In an embodiment, the output of the model may include the temperature distribution within the refractory material, as well as the heat flux and heating power in the system. The input may be one or more of a plurality of items related to the process being performed. For example, the input may include the physical, chemical and electrical properties of the metal to be refined or processed in the metallurgical container. For example, the melting temperature of such a material may directly affect the extent to which the conductive element may melt. The input may include multiple aspects of the electrical system, including the current or power delivered through the container, such as the current intensity or terminal voltage provided to the electrode. The input may also include the characteristics of the refractory material or container. The overall size of the refractory material may be used, as well as the size of the collector block, and the fixed parameters of the conductive element, which may include the length and diameter of the conductive element. In other embodiments, these numbers may also be adjusted to further affect the system. The model may also utilize adjustable inputs, which may include any previously identified parameters, as well as the initial number and arrangement of the conductive elements. In some embodiments, the initial arrangement may not be used in the model, but in some embodiments, at least one of the inputs received into the model may include the initial number and arrangement of the conductive elements.

[0047] Many of these parameters may be included in a database accessible to the computer running the model. The computer may also be configured to update the database with the adjusted parameters, such as the number and arrangement of the conductive elements. The model may then determine one or more solutions involving the number and arrangement of the conductive elements, including, for example, Figure 4B The operations are described in further detail in .

[0048] Figure 4B Embodiments according to the present technology may include additional operations for solving the model. The method may include receiving one or more previously identified inputs at operation 408. In some embodiments, receiving the input may also include accessing a database of physical and electrical properties of a given metal-containing material and / or collector assembly. The input may also include receiving or defining constraints for the model, which may simplify the model or enable the development of an appropriate design. Once the input is received, the model may form or calculate a thermal distribution for the received parameters at operation 412. The model may repeatedly calculate the thermal distribution within the collector assembly while updating the number and arrangement of conductive elements.

[0049] For each iteration of the model, the model may repeatedly compare the heat distribution of each output within the assumed collector assembly to the defined constraints of the model at operation 414. If the constraints are not satisfied for the proposed arrangement, the number and / or arrangement of the conductive elements and any other adjustable parameters of the system may be updated at operation 416. The iterative process may continue until operation 418 when a proposed number and arrangement of conductive elements has been determined that provides a heat distribution contained within the collector assembly and satisfies the defined constraints of the model.

[0050] The model can repeatedly calculate the heat distribution by solving one or more equations to determine the heat distribution and flow. The equations may include the following example equations:

[0051]

[0052]

[0053]

[0054]

[0055]

[0056]

[0057] where ρC p is the density multiplied by the specific heat, T is the temperature, t is the time, k is the thermal conductivity, is the volumetric heat generation rate, is the electric field, is the current density, σ is the conductivity, is the velocity vector, P is the pressure, μ is the viscosity, F v is the sum of volume forces including gravity.

[0058] The model may employ finite element analysis to solve for temperature distribution, heat flux, and Joule heating within the assembly. The design of the model may also be limited to conditions where fluid flow is not significant, for example, alleviating the need to solve certain equations. Additionally, in certain embodiments, the model may utilize a collection of variables associated with specific product or process parameters to simplify the equations to provide a range of acceptable arrangements rather than a single design, while still providing thermal and electrical balance within the boundaries where the material being processed contacts the conductive element.

[0059] The constraints applied to the system may include boundary conditions or other parameters to control the possibility of leakage or failure. Constraints may include the limit of the temperature allowed at the interface of the collector assembly and the material being processed, which may also be the surface of the refractory bottom opposite to the surface in contact with the collector. Constraints may also include the limit of the total heat flow from the collector assembly into the material being processed or into other places, and the limit of the maximum temperature at any position in the collector assembly. Additional constraints may include the position of the melting temperature of the material used in the metallurgical container, which is characterized by the lowest melting temperature of all materials used in the metallurgical container. For example, this temperature may be limited to a certain distance from all surfaces to reduce or limit the possibility of leakage. Such distances may be measured in inches, for example, several inches from any joint or edge surface of the collector assembly.

[0060] In an embodiment, the output from the model may include a graphical depiction of isotherms at the melting point of a given metal-containing material in contact with a hypothetical collector assembly. The model may also output a pattern for manufacturing, which is delivered to one or more processing tools. For example, the pattern may be output to a tool for manufacturing the collector assembly. The pattern may include a plurality of holes defined in a pattern within the refractory bottom of the collector assembly, the pattern being configured to receive the number and arrangement of conductive elements identified as a solution to the model.

[0061] The model can also be used in modified calculations by which input and output parameters are exchanged to solve related problems. For example, the model can determine the desired properties of components of a system based on preselected arrangements of other materials including conductive elements. As a non-limiting example, the model can repeatedly evaluate temperature distributions and heat fluxes while varying the thermal conductivity of specific components to determine the outer boundaries of such parameters while still maintaining target temperatures and heat fluxes at different locations within the component. As will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, the present technology equally encompasses many other examples.

[0062] Figure 5A An exemplary heat distribution along a cross section of a collector assembly according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown. The figure includes exemplary output from the model. As shown, the figure includes a refractory bottom 515, a collector block 520, and a conductive element 525, which have a specific arrangement and quantity determined by the model. The figure also shows a calculated isotherm 501 at the melting point of a predefined product in an exemplary design scheme. As shown by the isotherm 501, the liquid metal is confined within the pores of the refractory bottom 515, and leakage or equipment failure is unlikely to occur.

[0063] Figure 5B An exemplary heat distribution along a cross section of a current collector assembly according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown. The figure includes exemplary output from the model. As shown, the figure includes a refractory bottom 515, a current collector block 520, and conductive elements 525, which have a specific arrangement and number determined by the model. The figure also shows calculated isotherms 502 at the melting point of a predefined product in an exemplary design. As shown by isotherms 502, liquid metal may extend into the current collector block 520, but is likely to be contained by the block and refractory material. Although this situation may be Figure 5A The situation shown in poses a risk, but it can be determined that the design has sufficient integrity to be manufactured or operated.

[0064] like Figure 5A and Figure 5B Such exemplary isotherms, as shown in , can be formed at least in part by the number and arrangement of the plurality of conductive elements in the assembly. The conductive elements can be configured to at least partially form a temperature profile within the collector assembly that maintains a boundary of the melting point temperature of the material processed in the container. In certain embodiments, the boundary can be maintained within the refractory bottom, or can extend within the collector block, but can be maintained within an interior portion of the collector block.

[0065] Figure 5CAn exemplary heat distribution along a cross section of a collector assembly according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown. The figure includes exemplary output from the model. As shown, the figure includes a refractory bottom 515, a collector block 520, and a conductive element 525, which have a specific arrangement and quantity determined by the model. The figure also shows a calculated isotherm 503 at the melting point of a predefined product in an exemplary design. As shown in the isotherm 503, the liquid metal may extend into the block and may be only limitedly contained by the refractory material 515. Although this scenario illustrates a stable state under system perturbations (which may be common in actual operations), leaks and catastrophic failures may occur.

[0066] The present technique allows modeling of metallurgical vessels to process various metals, alloys and other products. By utilizing a repetitive process as described above and generating a thermal profile, the vessels developed by the method are less prone to leaks and failures than conventional designs. Additionally, personalized vessels can be developed for specific processing operations rather than attempting to reuse existing vessels for processes for which they may not be suitable. The present model can determine whether such a vessel can be used for an alternative purpose or whether the vessel is more likely to fail.

[0067] Figure 6 An embodiment of a computer system 600 is shown. Figure 6 The computer system 600 shown may be incorporated into a device such as a personal computer, a manufacturing computer system, a specific tool or processing equipment, etc. In addition, some or all components of the computer system 600 may also be incorporated into a portable electronic device or other device as described herein. Figure 6 A schematic diagram of one embodiment of a computer system 600 is provided, which can perform some or all steps of the methods provided by various embodiments. It should be noted that Figure 6 It is intended only to provide a general description of the various components, any or all of which may be used as appropriate. Figure 6 It is broadly described how various system elements may be implemented in a relatively discrete or relatively more centralized manner.

[0068] The computer system 600 is shown to include hardware elements that may be electrically coupled via a bus 605 or may communicate in other appropriate ways. The hardware elements may include one or more processors 610, including but not limited to one or more general-purpose processors and / or one or more special-purpose processors, such as digital signal processing chips, graphics acceleration processors, and / or the like; one or more input devices 615, which may include but are not limited to a mouse, a keyboard, a camera, etc.; and one or more output devices 620, which may include but are not limited to a display device, a printer, and / or the like.

[0069] The computer system 600 may also include and / or communicate with one or more non-transitory storage devices 625, which may include, but are not limited to, local and / or network accessible storage, and / or may include, but are not limited to, disk drives, drive arrays, optical storage devices, solid-state storage devices such as random access memory ("RAM") and / or programmable read-only memory ("ROM"), updateable flash memory, and / or the like. Such storage devices may be configured to implement any suitable data storage, including, but not limited to, various file systems, database structures, and / or the like.

[0070] The computer system 600 may also include a communication subsystem 630, which may include but is not limited to a modem, a network card (wireless or wired), an infrared communication device, a wireless communication device, and / or a Bluetooth TM Devices, 802.11 devices, WiFi devices, WiMax devices, cellular communication facilities, and / or chipsets for the like. The communication subsystem 630 may include one or more input and / or output communication interfaces to allow data to be exchanged with networks such as those described below (given as just one example), other computer systems, televisions, and / or other devices described herein. Depending on the desired functionality and / or other implementation issues, portable electronic devices or similar devices may transmit images and / or other information via the communication subsystem 630. In other embodiments, the portable electronic device may be incorporated into the computer system 600, for example, to manufacture the computer system, as an input device 615. In many embodiments, the computer system 600 will also include a working memory 635, which may include a RAM or ROM device, as described above.

[0071] The computer system 600 may also include software elements, shown as currently located within the working memory 635, including an operating system 640, device drivers, executable libraries, and / or other code, such as one or more application programs 645, which may include computer programs provided by various embodiments, and / or may be designed to implement the methods provided by other embodiments described herein and / or configure such a system. By way of example only, one or more processes described with respect to the above methods, such as those described with respect to FIG. 4, may be implemented as code and / or instructions executable by a computer and / or a processor within a computer; then, in one aspect, such code and / or instructions may be used to configure and / or adjust a general purpose computer or other device to perform one or more operations according to the described methods.

[0072] A set of these instructions and / or codes may be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, such as the storage device 625 described above. In some cases, the storage medium may be incorporated into a computer system, such as the computer system 600. In other embodiments, the storage medium may be separate from the computer system, for example, a removable medium, such as an optical disk, and / or provided in an installation package, so that the storage medium may program, configure, and / or adjust a general-purpose computer using the instructions / code stored thereon. These instructions may be in the form of executable code that may be executed by the computer system 600 and / or may be in the form of source code and / or installable code that, after being compiled and / or installed on the computer system 600 using, for example, any commonly available compiler, installer, compression / decompression utility, etc., is in the form of executable code.

[0073] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that substantial variations may be made depending on specific requirements. For example, custom hardware may also be used, and / or specific elements may be implemented in hardware, software including portable software (such as applets), or both. In addition, connections to other computing devices such as network input / output devices may be employed.

[0074] As described above, in one aspect, some embodiments may employ a computer system such as computer system 600 to perform methods according to various embodiments of the present technology. According to one set of embodiments, some or all of the processes of these methods are performed by computer system 600 in response to processor 610 executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions, which may be incorporated into operating system 640 and / or other code (such as application 645) contained in working memory 635. These instructions may be read into working memory 635 from another computer-readable medium (such as one or more storage devices 625). As an example, executing the sequence of instructions contained in working memory 635 may cause processor 610 to perform one or more processes of the methods described herein. Additionally or alternatively, some portions of the methods described herein may be performed by dedicated hardware.

[0075] As used herein, the terms "machine-readable medium" and "computer-readable medium" refer to any medium that participates in providing data that causes a machine to operate in a specific manner. In an embodiment implemented using computer system 600, various computer-readable media may be involved in providing instructions / code to processor 610 for execution and / or may be used to store and / or carry such instructions / code. In many implementations, computer-readable media are physical and / or tangible storage media. Such media may take the form of non-volatile media or volatile media. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical and / or magnetic disks, such as storage device 625. Volatile media include, but are not limited to, dynamic memory, such as working memory 635.

[0076] Common forms of physical and / or tangible computer readable media include, for example, floppy disks, flexible disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes or any other magnetic media, CD-ROMs, any other optical media, punch cards, paper tapes, any other physical media with patterns of holes, RAM, PROMs, EPROMs, FLASH-EPROMs, any other memory chips or cassettes, or any other medium from which a computer can read instructions and / or code.

[0077] Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in transmitting one or more sequences of one or more instructions to processor 610 for execution. By way of example only, the instructions may initially be carried on a magnetic disk and / or optical disk of a remote computer. The remote computer may load the instructions into its dynamic memory and send the instructions as signals over a transmission medium to be received and / or executed by computer system 600.

[0078] The communication subsystem 630 and / or its components will typically receive the signal, and the bus 605 may then carry the signal and / or the data, instructions, etc. carried by the signal to the working memory 635, from which the processor 610 retrieves and executes the instructions. The instructions received by the working memory 635 may optionally be stored on the non-transitory storage device 625 before or after execution by the processor 610.

[0079] The methods, systems, and devices discussed above are examples. Various configurations may omit, replace, or add various processes or components as appropriate. For example, in alternative configurations, the methods may be performed in an order different from that described, and / or various stages may be added, omitted, and / or combined. Moreover, features described for certain configurations may be combined in various other configurations. Different aspects and elements of the configurations may be combined in a similar manner. Furthermore, technology may develop, and therefore, many of the elements are examples and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure or the claims.

[0080] Specific details are given in the specification to provide a thorough understanding of exemplary configurations including implementations. However, the configuration can be practiced without these specific details. For example, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques have been shown without unnecessary details to avoid obscuring the configuration. This description only provides example configurations and does not limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the claims. On the contrary, the foregoing description of the configuration will provide a feasibility description for implementing the described technology to those skilled in the art. Various changes may be made to the functions and arrangements of the elements without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

[0081] In addition, the configuration can be described as a process, which is depicted as a flow chart or a block diagram. Although each figure may describe the operation as a sequential process, many of these operations can be performed in parallel or simultaneously. In addition, the order of the operations can be rearranged. The process may have other steps not included in the figure. In addition, the example of the method can be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, firmware, middleware or microcode, the program code or code segment for performing the necessary tasks can be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as a storage medium. The processor can perform the described tasks.

[0082] Illustrative examples of the utility of the foregoing model are described in more detail. 1) For an MOE application, changes in refractory composition / properties and thermal operating conditions of the vessel are proposed; 2) The model is now used to evaluate whether changes in the design, number and / or patterned arrangement of the conductive elements (and associated holes in the refractory bottom) are necessary to help ensure a leak-free collector assembly. The first step is to take input 408, which includes the model, the new operating conditions, the properties of the new refractory material, and the test number and arrangement of the conductive elements (the test number, etc. are typically associated with a previously successful leak-free assembly) and calculate 412 a first thermal profile. Illustrative examples of operating conditions, properties, etc. are typically, but by no means limited to: the element is mild steel with a half-inch cross-section and a length of 7 inches, the refractory bottom has a thermal conductivity of 1 W / mK and a tb of 7 inches, the operating current is 4600 amps, and the metal is refined to maintain a temperature of 1650°C. In this example, the next step is to compare this first calculated thermal profile to given process constraints 414 (e.g., maximum temperature anywhere in the assembly, isothermal location of a particular temperature relative to the boundary between the activation zone and a predetermined "depth" (a fraction of tb) in the bottom of the refractory, safety factor, etc.), and determine that the resulting temperature is too high. Next, the number and pattern of elements are updated 416, input to the model and the thermal profile is recalculated 412. If necessary, further iterations 410 are performed, resulting in results 420 regarding the "correct" number and arrangement of elements, etc., where the arrangement 418 satisfies the constraints. In this particular example, the arrangement is Figure 3 The arrangement shown in .

[0083] Although several example configurations have been described, various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the above elements may be components of a larger system, where other rules may take precedence over or otherwise modify the application of the technology. Moreover, it is contemplated that many steps may be performed before, during, or after the above elements. Therefore, the above description does not limit the scope of the claims.

[0084] As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a material" includes a plurality of such materials and reference to "a processor" includes reference to one or more processors and equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art, and so forth.

[0085] Furthermore, when used in this specification and the appended claims, the words "comprises", "comprising", "containing", and "including" are intended to specify the presence of stated features, integers, components or steps, but they do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, components, steps, actions or groups.

[0086] While the invention has been described with reference to several embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made and expanded application to other types of metallurgical vessels may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a current collector assembly, the method comprising: receiving as input to the model an initial number and arrangement of conductive elements; repeatedly solving the model on a computer to determine as an output a hypothetical heat distribution within the current collector assembly; identifying a number and arrangement of conductive elements for the current collector as a solution to the model; as well as The current collector assembly is manufactured, wherein the current collector assembly includes a plurality of holes defined in a pattern within a refractory bottom portion of the current collector assembly, the pattern being configured to receive the number and arrangement of conductive elements identified as a solution to the model.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein repeatedly solving the model comprises: accessing a database of physical and electrical properties of a given metal-containing material and said current collector assembly; defining constraints of the model; as well as The heat distribution within the hypothetical current collector assembly is repeatedly calculated while updating the number and arrangement of the conductive elements.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: repeatedly comparing the heat distribution within the hypothetical current collector assembly to the defined constraints of the model; as well as A number and arrangement of electrically conductive elements that satisfy the defined constraints of the model are determined, the number and arrangement of electrically conductive elements providing a contained heat distribution within the hypothetical current collector assembly.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein repeatedly calculating the heat distribution comprises determining the heat distribution within the hypothetical current collector assembly based on a solution of at least the following equation: where ρC p is the density times the specific heat, T is the temperature, t is the time, k is the thermal conductivity, is the volumetric heat generation rate.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein defining the constraints of the model includes defining at least one of: the temperature of the component at a surface of the component opposite to the surface in contact with the collector, the total heat flow from the hypothetical collector component, the maximum temperature of the materials within the metallurgical vessel including the hypothetical collector component, or the location of the melting temperature of the materials used in the metallurgical vessel, which is characterized by the lowest melting temperature of all materials used in the metallurgical vessel.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving an input of an electric current provided through the conductive element.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein repeatedly solving the model comprises outputting a graphical depiction of isotherms at a melting point of the given metal-containing material in contact with the hypothetical current collector assembly.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the conductive element comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: silver, copper, gold, aluminum, zinc, nickel, brass, bronze, iron, platinum, carbonaceous materials, lead, and steel.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the heat profile within the hypothetical current collector assembly produces isotherms to ensure that a portion of the conductive element is solid within the aperture within the refractory bottom of the current collector assembly.

Images