Development of energy-saving measures in aluminum production
Abstract
The aluminum industry is one of the main consumers of energy resources in Russia, spending for production ~ 4 million tons/year of metal and more than 60 billion kW∙h the electric power that to almost equally total annual development of Krasnoyarsk, Bratsk and Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station, or total power of the thermal power plants burning 24 million tons/year of coal. In general the world aluminum industry which is letting out about 40 million tons/year of metal spends about 3,5% of the energy resources made in the world. The predicted growth of production of aluminum by 2020 to 70 million tons in the year will lead to increase in consumption or, perhaps, to deficiency of energy resources therefore the policy of the leading countries of the world, including Russia, in the field of power - resource-saving is directed on development and deployment of power effective technologies.
The short analysis of the reasons of high electricity consumption by electrolyzers for receiving aluminum is presented in article. The technical solutions directed on increase of power production efficiency of aluminum, providing reduction of a specific expense of the electric power on 700 – 1200 kW·h/ 1 tonn Al.