Commissioning of Alusaf Hillside Smelter reduction pots

From 18 June 1995 to 21 June 1996, Alusaf Hillside Smelter started the 576 AP30 reduction pots of its two potlines. The promising results achieved by the first stabilized pots allowed the Process management team to finely tune the potlines around 310 kA and to achieve current efficiency in excess of 95.5% and energy consumption very close to 13000kWh/t during the first half of 1996. The results of these first months of operation of the first full potline are discussed in this paper. It includes data on the raw materials, the organization and the training programs of the Reduction Department which were all instrumental in engineering this success. The evolution of the Reduction Process parameters and results described in the paper will be updated for the final presentation with the available data of both potlines.