EFFECT OF HEATING RATE DURING BAKING ON THE PROPERTIES OF CARBON ANODES USED IN ALUMINUM INDUSTRY

Carbon anodes are called the heart of aluminum electrolysis cells and contribute to about 15% of total production cost of aluminum. In case of poor quality, this contribution can reach 25%. The final quality of the carbon anodes and their behavior in the electrolysis cells depend on the conditions during the baking process. In any case, a low-quality green anode cannot be improved during baking. However, the quality of green anodes can deteriorate if the parameters of the baking process are not properly adjusted. The objective of this work is to study the effect of introducing a plateau during baking on the properties of carbon anodes. The samples were characterized before and after baking by measuring their density and electrical resistivity which are important in defining the final quality of the anode samples. The experimental data were also analysed using the artificial neural network model (ANN). The article will present the results of this study.