SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REFINING ALUMINUM

Claims

1. An aluminum refining system comprising: a bath forming a chamber having an upper part and a lower part; wherein the lower part includes an anode region for collecting molten material and a cathode region for collecting molten material formed therein; an anode structure located in the upper part of the chamber, vertically exposed above the lower part; a cathode structure located in the upper part of the chamber vertically exposed above the cathode area for collecting the molten material; and a liquid electrolyte inside the chamber, communicating through a fluid medium with the anode structure and the cathode structure, wherein the liquid electrolyte has the density of the electrolyte; wherein the anode structure is configured to receive contaminated aluminum in a molten state, having a density of the contaminated aluminum greater than the density of the electrolyte, and wherein the anode structure forms an anode flow path along which contaminated aluminum in a molten state can flow from the upper portion into the anode region for collecting molten material, and, in addition, the cathode structure is designed with the possibility of capturing refined aluminum in a molten state, having a density of refined aluminum greater than the density of the electrolyte, from contaminated aluminum through a liquid electrolyte, and the cathode structure additionally forms a cathode flow path along which refined aluminum can flow from the upper part into the cathode region of collecting molten material.

2. The aluminum refining system of claim 1, wherein the anode structure includes a first part of the anode structure and a second part of the anode structure and an anode reservoir therebetween, and wherein the anode structure is configured to receive contaminated aluminum in the anode reservoir.

3. The aluminum refining system of claim 2, wherein the first side of the second part of the anode structure is in fluid communication with the contaminated aluminum, and the second side of the second part of the anode structure is in fluid communication with the liquid electrolyte.

4. The aluminum refining system according to paragraph 3, wherein the second part of the anode structure contains pores.

5. The aluminum refining system of claim 4, wherein the pores in the second part of the anode structure are of such a size as to prevent contaminated aluminum from flowing through the pores and to ensure the passage of aluminum ions through the pores.

6. The aluminum refining system of claim 1, wherein the anode structure is vertically positioned above the anode molten material collection area.

7. The aluminum refining system according to claim 1, wherein the cathode region for collecting molten material is separated from the anode region for collecting molten material by a partition located between them.

8. The aluminum refining system according to item 2, wherein the second part of the anode structure is designed with the possibility of being impregnated with contaminated aluminum.

9. The aluminum refining system of claim 2, wherein the anode flow path passes from the anode reservoir through the second part of the anode structure into the anode molten material collection area.

10. The aluminum refining system of claim 2, wherein the second part of the anode structure comprises a porous carbon material.

11. The aluminum refining system of claim 2, wherein the second portion of the anode structure comprises at least one of graphite, carbon fiber fabric, porous TiB2, felt, and foam.

12. The aluminum refining system of claim 1, wherein the anode structure comprises an aluminum-wettable material.

13. The aluminum refining system of claim 12, wherein the aluminum-wettable material comprises TiB2 at least on the surface of the anode.

14. The aluminum refining system of claim 13, wherein TiB2 is an electrodeposited layer on the surface of the anode structure.

15. The aluminum refining system according to claim 13, wherein the anode structure comprises graphite with a layer of TiB2 located thereon.

16. The aluminum refining system of claim 1, wherein the cathode structure comprises an aluminum-wettable material.

17. The aluminum refining system of claim 1, wherein the cathode structure comprises one or more grooves formed therein.

18. The aluminum refining system according to claim 1, wherein the liquid electrolyte contains LiF and AlF3.

19. The aluminum refining system according to claim 1, wherein the liquid electrolyte additionally contains NaF, KF and / or CaF2.

20. The aluminum refining system of claim 1, wherein the liquid electrolyte has a density of less than about 2.7 g / cm3. 3 .

21. The aluminum refining system of claim 1, wherein the cathode structure is configured to capture refined aluminum having a higher mass% Al than the contaminated aluminum introduced into the anode structure.

22. The aluminum refining system of claim 1, wherein the cathode structure is configured to capture refined aluminum with an energy consumption of from about 1.5 to 7 kWh / kg of refined aluminum captured on the cathode structure.

23. The aluminum refining system of claim 1, further comprising an outlet in fluid communication with the anode molten material collection region for removing contaminated molten aluminum therefrom.

24. The aluminum refining system of claim 1, further comprising an outlet in fluid communication with the cathode molten material collection region for removing refined aluminum therefrom.

25. The aluminum refining system of claim 1, wherein the distance between the anode structure and the cathode structure is from about 2 mm to about 5 cm.

26. The aluminum refining system of claim 1, wherein an interface is formed between the liquid electrolyte and the molten aluminum contained in each of the anode molten material collection region and the cathode molten material collection region, and wherein the partition extends within the chamber from the bottom of the bath to a height above the interface.

27. The aluminum refining system of claim 7, wherein the liquid electrolyte has an upper surface, and wherein the partition does not contact the upper surface of the liquid electrolyte.

28. The aluminum refining system of claim 1, wherein an interface is formed between the liquid electrolyte and the molten aluminum contained in the cathode molten material collection region, wherein the interface is below the cathode structure.

29. The aluminum refining system of claim 1, wherein the anode structure is configured to continuously receive contaminated aluminum in a molten state, and wherein the cathode structure is configured to continuously capture refined aluminum in a molten state.

30. The aluminum refining system of claim 1, wherein the liquid electrolyte flows freely between the anode structure and the cathode structure.

31. A method for refining aluminum, comprising: operation of a refining system containing: a bath forming a chamber having an upper part and a lower part; wherein the lower part includes an anode region for collecting molten material and a cathode region for collecting molten material formed therein; an anode structure located in the upper part of the chamber, vertically exposed above the lower part; a cathode structure located in the upper part of the chamber vertically exposed above the collection area of the molten material; and a liquid electrolyte inside the chamber, communicating through a fluid medium with the anode structure and the cathode structure, wherein the liquid electrolyte has the density of the electrolyte; introducing contaminated aluminum in a molten state, having a density of contaminated aluminum greater than the density of the electrolyte, into a receiving chamber of an anode structure, wherein the anode structure forms an anode flow path along which contaminated aluminum in a molten state can flow from an upper portion into an anode molten material collection region; capturing refined aluminum in a molten state, having a density of refined aluminum greater than the density of the electrolyte, on a cathode structure made of contaminated aluminum through a liquid electrolyte, wherein the cathode structure forms a cathode flow path along which refined aluminum can flow from an upper portion into a cathode collection region of molten material; collecting in the cathode collection area the molten material of refined aluminum released from the cathode structure.

32. The method for refining aluminum according to claim 31, wherein the anode structure includes a first part of the anode structure, a second part of the anode structure and an anode reservoir between them, and wherein the anode structure is configured to receive contaminated aluminum in the anode reservoir.

33. The method for refining aluminum according to claim 32, wherein the first side of the second part of the anode structure is in fluid communication with contaminated aluminum, and the second side of the second part of the anode structure is in fluid communication with a liquid electrolyte.

34. The method for refining aluminum according to claim 32, wherein the second part of the anode structure contains pores.

35. The method for refining aluminum according to claim 34, wherein the pores in the second part of the anode structure are made of such a size as to prevent contaminated aluminum from flowing through the pores and to ensure the passage of aluminum ions through the pores.

36. The method for refining aluminum according to claim 31, wherein the anode structure is vertically positioned above the anode collection area of the molten material.

37. The method for refining aluminum according to claim 31, wherein the cathode region for collecting molten material is separated from the anode region for collecting molten material by a partition located between them.

38. The method for refining aluminum according to paragraph 32, wherein the second part of the anode structure is designed with the possibility of being impregnated with contaminated aluminum.

39. The method for refining aluminum according to claim 32, wherein the second part of the anode structure contains a porous carbon material.

40. The method of refining aluminum according to claim 32, wherein the second part of the anode structure comprises at least one of graphite, carbon fiber fabric, porous TiB2, felt, and foam.

41. The method for refining aluminum according to claim 31, wherein the anode structure contains an aluminum-wettable material.

42. The method for refining aluminum according to claim 41, wherein the aluminum-wettable material contains TiB2 at least on the surface of the anode structure.

43. The method for refining aluminum according to claim 42, wherein TiB2 is an electrodeposited layer on the surface of the anode structure.

44. A method for refining aluminum according to claim 43, wherein the anode structure contains graphite with a layer of TiB2 located on it.

45. The method for refining aluminum according to claim 31, wherein the liquid electrolyte contains LiF and AlF3.

46. The method for refining aluminum according to claim 45, wherein the liquid electrolyte additionally contains NaF, KF and / or CaF2.

47. The method of refining aluminum according to claim 31, wherein the liquid electrolyte has a density of less than about 2.7 g / cm3. 3 .

48. The method for refining aluminum according to claim 31, further comprising capturing on the cathode structure refined aluminum having a higher mass % Al than the contaminated aluminum introduced into the anode structure.

49. The method of refining aluminum according to claim 31, further comprising capturing refined aluminum on the cathode structure with energy consumption from about 1.5 to 7 kWh / kg of refined aluminum captured on the cathode structure.

50. The method of refining aluminum according to claim 31, wherein the distance between the anode structure and the cathode structure is from about 2 mm to about 5 cm.

51. The method of refining aluminum according to claim 31, wherein the contaminated aluminum is not alloyed with copper before the contaminated aluminum is introduced into the chamber.

52. The method of refining aluminum according to claim 31, wherein the introduction of contaminated aluminum comprises continuously introducing contaminated aluminum received by the anode structure.

53. The method of refining aluminum according to claim 31, further comprising transferring contaminated aluminum from the anode structure to a second bath, wherein the transferred contaminated aluminum is received by the second anode structure.

54. The method of refining aluminum according to claim 31, further comprising transferring contaminated aluminum from the anode molten material collection area to a second bath, wherein the transferred contaminated aluminum is received by the second anode structure.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the first bath has a first bath temperature and the second bath has a second bath temperature, wherein the second bath temperature is higher than the first bath temperature.

56. An aluminum refining system comprising: a bath forming a chamber having an upper part and a lower part; wherein the lower part includes a cathode region formed therein for collecting molten material; an anode structure located in the upper part of the chamber, vertically exposed above the lower part; a cathode structure located in the upper part of the chamber vertically exposed above the cathode area for collecting the molten material; and a liquid electrolyte inside the chamber, communicating through a fluid medium with the anode structure and the cathode structure, wherein the liquid electrolyte contains LiF and AlF3 and has an electrolyte density; wherein the anode structure is designed with the possibility of receiving contaminated aluminum in a molten state, having a density of contaminated aluminum greater than the density of the electrolyte, and, in addition, the cathode structure is designed with the possibility of capturing refined aluminum in a molten state, having a density of refined aluminum greater than the density of the electrolyte, from contaminated aluminum through a liquid electrolyte, and the cathode structure additionally forms a cathode flow path along which refined aluminum can flow from the upper part into the cathode region of collecting molten material.

57. The aluminum refining system of claim 56, wherein the liquid electrolyte additionally contains NaF, KF and / or CaF2.

58. The aluminum refining system of claim 56, wherein the liquid electrolyte has a density of less than about 2.7 g / cm3. 3 .