The core of this patented technology lies in its unique insulation system design. The device consists of five main components: the cell body, support pillars, insulation modules, drive mechanism, and circulating water system. The insulation modules, as the key technological highlight, adopt a modular distributed design with multiple hollow elongated insulation panels arranged in parallel along the length of the cell body. This progressively layered structural design enables gradient heat absorption, greatly improving heat exchange efficiency.
In terms of specific implementation, the patent demonstrates multiple innovative details. Firstly, the hollow-designed insulation panels can accommodate circulating media (such as water or thermal oil), with serial connections within groups through primary connecting pipes and parallel connections between different insulation modules through secondary connecting pipes, ultimately forming a complete heat circulation loop with the water circulation system. Secondly, the distance between each insulation panel and the cell bottom is precisely calculated to create differentiated heat exchange spaces, with this non-equidistant layout adapting to the uneven temperature distribution at the cell bottom. More ingeniously, the spring connection design allows the insulation panels to self-adjust their positions, ensuring tight contact with the cell bottom while avoiding thermal stress issues that may arise from rigid connections.
The working principle of the device embodies the advanced concept of energy cascade utilization. High-temperature flue gas generated during electrolysis and heat dissipated from the cell body are first absorbed by the insulation panels closest to the cell bottom. As the distance increases, the remaining heat is progressively absorbed by lower-positioned insulation panels, forming a temperature gradient. When the circulating medium flows through insulation panels at different positions, it can recover heat in stages and across temperature ranges, preventing concentrated loss of high-temperature heat while ensuring effective collection of low-grade waste heat. The collected heat can be used to maintain the operating temperature of the electrolytic cell or delivered to other processes requiring thermal energy, achieving closed-loop energy utilization.
Compared with traditional insulation technologies, this patent offers three significant advantages: First, the heat recovery efficiency is markedly improved, with the multi-stage insulation panel design increasing waste heat recovery by over 30%; Second, temperature control becomes more precise, as differentiated insulation in different areas effectively solves problems of localized overheating or overcooling in electrolytic cells; Third, the system operates more stably, with the spring buffer design reducing damage to equipment from thermal expansion and contraction, thereby extending the service life of the device.
From the perspective of industry application prospects, this technology is particularly suitable for current energy conservation and emission reduction needs in the primary aluminum industry. Taking an electrolytic aluminum enterprise with an annual output of 300,000 tons as an example, adopting this insulation technology is expected to save about 12,000 tons of standard coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by over 30,000 tons annually, delivering considerable economic and environmental benefits. The circulating water system mentioned in the patent can also interface with existing thermal systems in plants to achieve cross-process energy utilization, which holds important demonstration significance for building a green aluminum industry chain.
The filing of this patent marks another important advancement in energy-saving technologies for China's primary aluminum industry. With the ongoing promotion of "dual carbon" goals, such innovative technologies will help the aluminum industry break through energy consumption bottlenecks and provide strong technical support for high-quality development in the sector. In the future, through further optimization of insulation materials and intelligent regulation of circulation systems, this technology is expected to find broader applications.
