Evaluation of thermophysical properties of silicon carbide, graphitic and graphitized carbon sidewall lining materials used in aluminium reduction cell in function of temperature

The thermal properties of the sidewall lining materials are required to ensure good predictions of the dynamic thermal behavior of Hall-Heroult cells. A precise estimation of energy losses and location of the side freeze are made possible when these materials are well characterized as a function of temperature. The present work uses transient characterization techniques to measure the thermal diffusivity, heat capacity and thermal conductivity of silicon carbide, graphitic and graphitized carbon materials. The thermal diffusivity and the heat capacity are measured using a state-of-the-art transient laser flash analyzer and a differential scanning calorimeter respectively. The thermal conductivity is calculated by assuming a constant density. Finally, based on the calculations conducted with a 2-D numerical model, the effect of the temperature varying thermal properties of the sidewall materials on the dynamic behavior of a laboratory scale phase change reactor is presented.