Abstract: A method for recovering aluminum metal from varied size clumps of salt cake. The salt cake clumps have varied concentrations of aluminum metal.

Abstract: A method of treating a gas containing liquid substance, including the steps of separating liquid substance from the gas, sending the gas from the separating step to a cooling step, then, in the cooling step, cooling the gas to a temperature below the onset of solidification in the liquid substance, wherein the improvement includes removing a remaining amount of liquid substance, which remains in the gas following the step of separating and which collects in the step of sending, before such remaining amount reaches the step of cooling and accumulates as solidified liquid in the cooling step, where it would contribute to a clogging of the cooling step.

Abstract: A method of preventing the conduction of electricity along a film of molten salt on a surface. An electrically insulating material which is not wet by the molten salt is interposed in the film. The material is in the form of a protrusion on the surface.

Abstract: A method for exhausting a substance through a port in a lid of a chamber, comprising conducting the substance through a tube within the port, which tube is more resistant to corrosion by the substance than is the port, and supporting the tube on a support means extending into the interior of the port, while cooling the support means to a temperature such that it too is more resistant to corrosion by the substance than is the port.A cell lid having a metallic port, metallic protrusion means extending into the port, cooling means for extracting heat from the protrusion means, and a carbon or ceramic tube supported on the protrusion means.

Abstract: A method is provided for the controlled cleaning of aluminum chloride contaminated filtering means used in a system for recovery of gaseous effluents formed in the production of aluminum from aluminum chloride. The method includes transferring filtering units from the system to a cleaning vessel, placing them inside the vessel and sealing the vessel from the environment. Water is flowed into the lower portions of the vessel to immerse the units to cause the aluminum chloride to react with the water, giving off gaseous and liquid products of reaction. Gaseous materials are exhausted from the upper portion of the vessel to a fugitive gas system and the liquid products are discharged from a separate exhaust means. Filtering materials are then stripped from the units to be disposed of without polluting the environment.An apparatus is also provided for carrying out the method of the present invention.

Abstract: Hot vapors of aluminum chloride and by-products produced in the chlorination of aluminous material to form aluminum chloride are cooled by contacting the vapors with solid aluminum chloride as the vapors exit from the reactor and before the vapors come in contact with filter materials. This cooling reduces the temperature of the vapors from an initial temperature of about 600.degree.-800.degree. C down to about 300.degree.-350.degree. C thereby preventing or inhibiting attack of the filter materials by the hot vapors.