Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Stable pot room operation and energy reduction are important issues for the aluminum industry and have a direct impact on aluminum production cost and environment. The quality of carbon anodes plays a major role in the stability of cell operation and energy consumption. The overall objective of the research program is to determine the appropriate conditions and the necessary modifications to the existing technology to produce high density, low CO2 and air reactivity, low electrical resistance, and crack-free carbon anodes. This will lead to improved cell performance, more stable pot room operation, and reduced rejection of carbon products. This will result in a decrease in cost and energy consumption as well as substantial reductions in environmental emissions. The projects are grouped in four categories. The first part contains studies on the determination of raw material properties and as well as anode preparation and baking conditions for the production of high-density, low resistivity/reactivity anodes. The second part is an experimental study of anode cracking. The third part focuses on the development of tools to determine the changes in the design and operation of the baking furnace for high-density anode production. The fourth part will concentrate on the production of low-emission and anode-quality petroleum coke from high sulfur containing sources. The project will contribute to the formation of highly trained personnel. A number of post-doctoral fellows, ten graduate (4 M.Sc. and 6 Ph.D.) and six undergraduate students will be trained. Also, a number of research professionals and technicians will be implicated. This project will create a dynamic partnership between the two regions of Quebec, Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean and North Shore, which are the major players in aluminum production in Canada. It will help the industry implement innovative measures in order to increase the production, reduce the cost, and decrease the energy consumption. It will also play a major role in the development of aluminum research in the North Shore.