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Sohar Aluminium, a joint venture between horizontal baking furnace comprising • Innovative headwall expansion joints.
Oman Oil (40%), Abu Dhabi Water and three fires equipped with an Innovatherm • A fluewall designed using proven
Electricity Authority (ADWEA) (40%) and firing system and operating at a 24 hour modeling techniques.
Rio Tinto Alcan (20%) operates a fire cycle at full capacity. • The ability to achieve required baking
greenfield aluminium smelter in the levels by the use of a 4th burner ramp
Sultanate of Oman. Furnace design characteristics on shorter cycles when necessary.
This smelter, started in 2008, operates The Sohar furnace stands out from other • The ability to operate at a fire cycle
360 reduction cells using AP 36 furnaces through a number of innovative range of 24 to 36 hours by the
technology and produces an Aluminium features that have led to excellent results. The application of a new process control
tonnage of 374kt/y at current operating Sohar furnace is characterised by the methodology that favours optimum
amperage of 370kA. following specific points, namely: combustion.
Over 200kt/y of carbon is needed to • A section design with 9 pits and 10 flue
supply the 360 reduction cells. The carbon walls per section. These design characteristics in turn
plant employs the latest AP technology • A efficient pit packing geometry to deliver a productivity level of 210kt baked
and includes a 52 section gas fired maximise the carbon amount in the pit. anode with three fires. They reduce the
Fig 1 Ratio anode weight/refractory and insulation weight Fig 2 Headwall expansion joint design concept
Fire direction
4.00e+00
3.75e+00
3.50e+00
3.25e+00
3.00e+00
2.75e+00
2.50e+00
2.25e+00
2.00e+00
1.75e+00
1.50e+00
1.25e+00
1.00e+00
7.50e+00
5.00e+00
2.50e+00
0.00e+00
*Sohar Aluminium, PO Box 80, Postal Code 327, Sohar Industrial Estate, Sohar, Sultanate of Oman
** Rio Tinto Alcan, LRF, BP 114, 73303 Saint Jean de Maurienne Cedex, France, *** Rio Tinto Alcan, Aluval, Centr’Alp, BP7, 38341 Voreppe, France
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Temperature (°C)
700 Gas temp
(°C) End of natural preheating
600 Ɂ Higher anode temperature difference
500 ɁEnergy gain
Fig11(right) Refractory
condition after 40 fire
cycles
ground surface area to approximately measure of the refractory impact on consumption in the furnace.
150m by 35m and minimise the capital energy consumption1. The 9-pit configuration also results in a
expenditure. Fig 1 presents the evolution of this ratio long headwall which increases the risk of
The 9-pit configuration and the from 1980 until today for open type AP distortion in the event of uncontrolled
optimized pit sizes lead to a high baking furnaces. Sohar has the highest expansion. An innovative headwall
anode/refractory ratio. This ratio is a ratio, which contributes to low energy expansion joint design2 (Fig 2), limits the
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elongation of the headwalls, while at the fuel is recovered regardless of the cycle (24 walls at temperatures >700°C in the
same time allowing for brick expansion. to 36h). preheat zones.
Moreover, these joints are designed to This methodology demonstrates
protect against the infiltration of packing significant advantages when compared to A comparison on the conventional
coke. The fluewall design was developed furnaces applying a conventional process. heating curves to the new methodology is
using a computational fluid dynamics These advantages are detailed as follows. shown in Fig 6.
model3 to ensure baking level The sustainable complete combustion of
homogeneity (Fig 3). Principle the volatile matter achieved by the new
In a conventional horizontal baking methodology (Fig 7), as opposed to a
Furnace Start-up furnace process, irrespective of the conventional methodology, results in the
Furnace drying commenced in the April technology used, part of the volatile following benefits:
2008 and was immediately followed by matter from the anodes and, in some • Improved furnace energy efficiency,
the start-up of the 1st production fire. The cases, injected fuel partially escapes with leading to a reduction in the fuel
drying fire was then converted into the the fumes. quantity needed to achieve the same
2nd production fire. Residue of the unburnt matter may then anode baking level.
The final fire was started in November be deposited on the collector walls, and • Improved environmental performance
2008 in accordance with line needs and at there is a loss of potential heating value by ensuring that volatile matter is
the end of 2008 all three fires were in requiring compensation by the amount of completely burnt inside the flue walls,
operation (Fig 4). injected fuel necessary to reach final thus reducing emissions limiting carry
An overall view of the furnace is shown anode temperatures and soaking times. over and condensation of volatile matter
in Fig 5. Optimum operation of the conventional in the collector duct work and fume
process depends on a sensitive balance of treatment centre.
Operational Overview the combustion of the volatile matter in
The Sohar Anode Baking Furnace is one of the preheat zone and the injected fuel in A complete inspection of the fume
the most efficient and environmentally the forced heating zone of the furnace treatment centre completed every 6
friendly furnaces in operation. Application The methodology applied to the Sohar months confirms this satisfactory control
of a new fire process control methodology furnace allows the control of both of the process. Minimal combustion
ensures quicker and more long-lasting combustion zones separately. This residues or soot has been detected since
achievement of performance levels, separation makes it possible to: the start up of the furnace. Fig 8 shows
superior to that of other furnaces with the • Ensure sufficient oxygen level for both the good opacity control measured at the
same characteristics. combustion zones at all times regardless exhaust ramp on one of Sohar fires.
The new methodology developed at of the duration of the firing cycle Fig 9 shows the condition of the
Sohar ensures a complete and effective • Ensure complete combustion of the collector duct leading to the fume
combustion of the volatile matter and volatile matter released by the anodes treatment centre after two years of
injected fuel. The entire energy potential from a temperature of >200°C by operation with no requirement to perform
generated by volatile matter and injected having the circulating gas in the flue regular cleaning.
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-1 DRf Lc
<2080
2080 – 2085
2085 – 2090
2090 – 2095
2095 – 2100
2100 – 2105
2105 – 2110
2110 – 2115
-2 2115 – 2120
Layer
2120 – 2125
> 2125