HALL- HEROULT

1 8 8 6 1 9 8 6 CENTENNIAL Hall-Hbroult Centennial

First Century of Aluminum Process Technology 1886 - 1986

The anniversary volume sponsored by the Light Metals Committee of The Metallurgical Society and presented at the 115th TMS Annual Meeting held in New Orleans, Louisiana, March 2-6, 1986.

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Edited by Warren S. Peterson, Consultant Metallurgical Chemical Processes 2113 East 37 Avenue Spokane, Washington 99203 and Ronald E. Miller Alcoa Technical Center Alcoa Center, Pennsylvania 15069 A Publication of TMS (The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society) 184 Thorn Hill Road Warrendale, Pennsylvania 15086-7528 (724) 776-9000

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Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Catalog Number 2002109113 ISBN Number 0-87339-540-9

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One hundred years ago, two young men, make selections. The Russians were invited, oceans apart, independently devised a new but, regrettably, did not respond. method of making aluminum. This Wherever possible, photographs were discovery in 1886 by Charles M. Hall in chosen which show people at work. This is the United States and Paul T. HCroult in fitting because this Centennial Edition is a gave the world the shiny light metal tribute, not only to Hall and HCroult, but at costs that made it competitive in the to all the men and women who have made market place. contributions to the Aluminum Industry. The Light Metals Committee of The In addition to material from industry, Metallurgical Society is proud to celebrate we have drawn heavily upon the literature the anniversary of this important event by for drawings and photographs to provide a publishing Volume I of Light Metals 1986 visual record of the changing nature and as a Centennial Edition. scale of the numerous processes involved in This special edition has two parts: a pic- making aluminum and aluminum process torial section and a series of invited papers. ingots. The objective is to highlight with pictures and text the important developments in the past one hundred years in the process Invited Papers metallurgy of aluminum. This includes the An important part of this Hall-HCroult electrolytic method of making aluminum, Centennial volume is a series of papers by emission and waste control measures in experts in their fields. A pair of human plant operations, manufacture of carbon interest reports tell us about the personal electrodes, methods of processing lives of Charles Hall and Paul HCroult and alumina, technology for melting and at the time of their discovery. These casting process ingots and processes for reports are followed by papers describing reclamation and recycling. developments in technology, equipment, and practice in the various areas of Pictorial Review aluminum process metallurgy during the This collection shows “how it was’ and past one hundred years. “how it is now”, during the years in which the infant aluminum industry grew into a Ronald E. Miller, giant. Many companies from all over the Chairman world opened their archives to provide a Light Metals Committee large collection of photos from which to iii Acknowledgements

Pictorial Review This Pictorial Review is the result of efforts Foster, R. Zabreznik (KACC); F.R. of many individuals and companies. Mollard (KBI); A. Nussbaum (Loma Without their willingness to open their files Machine); N. Bjune (Mosal); E. Keul and send photos, this Review could not (Norsk Viftefabrikk); Prof. N. Craig have been assembled. (Oberlin College); Christian Bickert We are indebted to the following com- (); A. Roy (Pyrotek); C.M. panies: Air Industrie, , Alcoa, Almeq, McMinn, S. Levy, J. Creel (Reynolds Alusuisse, Aluminum Association, Arc0 Metals); T. Matshushima (Showa); K. Metals, ASV, British Alcan, Consolidated Yamada (Sumitomo); G. Winkhaus (VAW); Aluminum Company (Conalco), Com- W. Wagstaff (Wagstaff Engineering). monwealth Aluminum Company (Comalco), Also, special appreciation and thanks to Elkem, Granges Aluminum, Hazelett, Elizabeth Luzar, Gayle Geddes and the Hunter Engineering, Intalco, Japan TMS staff, and particularly to my wife. Aluminum Federation, Kaiser Aluminum Thanks to Interscience Publishers (Divi- and Chemical Corporation (KACC), KBI sion of John Wiley & Sons), (Cabot Corporation), Loma Machine, Verlag, Journal of Chemical and Mitsui Aluminum, National Southwire Metallurgical Engineering, and The Aluminum, Norsk Viftefabrikk (Flakt), Metallurgical Society for permission to use Pechiney, Properzi International, Pyrotek, materials from their publications. Reynolds Metals Company, Showa Aluminum K.K., Sumitomo Aluminum, Invited Papers Union Carbide (Linde Division), VAW, A special thanks is extended to Dr. Wagstaff Engineering. Subodh K. Das of Arc0 Metals for solicit- I will not list, but hereby, thank all con- ing the invited papers, and to each invited tributors. A special acknowledgement is due author who contributed to this volume: to: Kjell Nielson (consultant); W.O. Stauf- P. Atkins, D. Belitskus, C. Bickert, N. Craig, fer (consultant); J. Peter McGeer, R. Friederich, W. Haupin, J. P. McGeer, G.G.Robertson (Alcan); Vergi Sapp, Ronald N. Oberg, W. Peterson, N. Richards, E. Miller, Gordon Bell (Alcoa); Ulrich B. Welch. Mannweiler (Alusuisse); Andreas Anderson (ASV); David Williams, H. McDonald W.S. Peterson (Conalco); Gunnar Sem (Elkem); T. Prit- R.E. Miller iv chard, H.E. Miller, W. Kramer, B.J. Table of Contents

Page Abbreviations Preface ...... iii Abbreviations used in the captions to the Acknow ...... iv photos and figures include: Abbreviations ...... V Pictorial Review CWPB center work prebake pot Reduction Technology ...... Carbon Technology ...... 32 DC direct chill Alumina Bauxite ...... electromagnetic EM Cast Shop Technology ...... HDC horizontal direct chill Environmental Control ...... 86 HSS horizontal stud Soderberg Invited Papers kA kilo amperes Charles Martin Hall - The Young Man, His Mentor and His Metal, MW mega watts N. C. Craig, Oberlin College...... PBA prebake anode Paul Hkroult - The Man Behind the Invention, SWPB side work prebake pot C. Bickert, Pechiney ...... vss vertical stud Soderberg History of Electrochemical Energy Consumption by Hall-HC W. Haupin, retired from Alcoa ...... Evolution of Electrolytes for Hall-Htroult Cells, N. E. Richards, Reynolds Metals ...... Gaining That Extra 2 Percent Current Efficiency, B. J. Welch, University of Auckland ...... 120 Carbon Electrodes in the Hall-HCroult Cell: A centu D. Belitskus, Alcoa...... 130 Outlook of the Bayer Process, N. Oeberg, R. Friederich, Swiss Aluminium Limited Cast Shop Technology and Reclamation: 100 Years of Progress, W. S. Peterson, consultant...... 154 Fluoride Control in the Aluminu echnology, P. R. Atkins, Alcoa...... 162 Environmental Control in Our Industry - An Historical Overview, J. P. McGeer, Alcan International Limited...... 168

V 1. Charles Martin Hall. Born December 6, 1863 in Thompson, Ohio and later moved with his family to Oberlin, Ohio. Graduated from Oberlin in 1885. Worked in family woodshed on aluminum experiment. Died December 27, 1914 at the age of 51.

2. Original Hall patent. Alcoa.

3. Hall's home in Oberlin, Ohio with wood shed in rear - 1886. Alcoa.

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1 4. Paul Louis Toussaint Hiroult. Born April 10, 1863 in Saint Benin, Nor- mandy. Worked in family tannery on aluminum experi- ment. Died May 9, 1914 at the age of 51.

5. Hkroult cell for pure aluminum circa 1892 Alcoa.

6. The Hkroult Tannery, Geulette, France, where Paul Hkroult discovered the elec- trolytic process for produc- ing aluminum. Alcoa.

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