Abstract: Provided is a heat storage device (10) of the present disclosure comprises a heat storage material (12) containing sodium acetate trihydrate; a first electrode having a surface which is in contact with the heat storage material and formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of silver, a silver alloy, and a silver compound; a second electrode in contact with the heat storage material; an inorganic porous material contained in the heat storage material; and a power supply (14) for applying a voltage to the first electrode and the second electrode. The inorganic porous material has an average pore diameter of not more than 50 nanometers. The present invention provides a heat storage device capable of releasing heat by releasing a supercooled state by voltage application. The heat storage device can be used repeatedly.

Abstract: A method for improving the insulating character/and or penetration resistance of a surface comprising lining a surface of a lime kiln, a cement kiln, a roasting kiln, a thermal oxidizer, or a fluidized bed reactor that is subject to wear by an alkali environment and/or an alkaline environment with a refractory composition comprising a refractory aggregate consisting essentially of a calcium hexa aluminate clinker having the formula CA6, wherein C is equal to calcium oxide, wherein A is equal to aluminum oxide, and wherein the hexa aluminate clinker has from zero to less than about fifty weight percent C12A7, and wherein greater than 98 weight percent of the calcium hexa aluminate clinker having a particle size ranging from ?20 microns to +3 millimeters, for forming a liner of the surface.

Abstract: Disclosed are processes and electrolytic cells that can be used to extract and thereby recover aluminum from aluminum-containing waste, including an aluminum dross that is suitable for disposal in a land-fill. The disclosed processes and cells use ionic liquids as an electrolyte.

Abstract: An aluminum production electrolytic cell (14) comprises a bath (20) with bath contents (18), at least one cathode electrode (22) in contact with said contents (18), at least one anode electrode (16) in contact with said contents (18), and a hood (36), defining interior area (36a), covering at least a portion of said bath (20). The electrolytic cell (14) is equipped for effluent gases to be drawn from said interior area (36a). The electrolytic cell (14) also comprises at least one heat exchanger (74) for cooling at least a portion of the gases drawn from interior area (36a), prior to circulation thereof to interior area (36a) through at least one distribution device (90).

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the continuous production of aluminum from alumina including a first step of converting alumina (Al2O3) into aluminum sulfide (Al2S3) and a second step of separation of aluminum from aluminum sulfide in a separating reactor. Wherein in the first step in a conversion reactor alumina is dissolved in a molten salt to form a melt and a sulfur containing gas is fed through the melt whereby the sulfur containing gas acts as a reagent to convert at least part of the alumina into aluminum sulfide and at least part of the melt is used in the second step. Further the invention relates to an apparatus for operating the method.

Abstract: Operations in an electrolytic cell for producing aluminum are controlled by sensing infrared radiation on an outer surface of a cell chamber to determine an actual temperature. When the actual temperature is greater than a target temperature, a crust hole is repaired or the actual rate of addition of aluminum fluoride to the cell is increased. When the actual temperature is less than a target temperature, the actual rate of addition of aluminum fluoride to the cell is reduced.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for reducing sulfur impurities in aluminum electrolytic production cells in order to significantly increase current efficiency of the cells. An impurity reduction zone may be created in the bath of an inert anode cell by submerging a purifying electrode in the bath. In another embodiment, an oxygen barrier tube may be disposed in a portion of the bath. In a further embodiment, reductants such as aluminum, CO and/or CO2 are added to the bath. In another embodiment, electrode current is interrupted or electrodes are removed from selected regions of the cell in order to allow gaseous impurities to escape from the bath. Sulfur impurity levels may also be reduced in inert anode cells by scrubbing bath emissions from the cell before they are reintroduced into the cell, and by controlling sulfur impurity contents of materials added to the cell.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for reducing sulfur impurities in aluminum electrolytic production cells in order to significantly increase current efficiency of the cells. An impurity reduction zone may be created in the bath of an inert anode cell by submerging a purifying electrode in the bath. In another embodiment, an oxygen barrier tube may be disposed in a portion of the bath. In a further embodiment, reductants such as aluminum, CO and/or CO2 are added to the bath. In another embodiment, electrode current is interrupted or electrodes are removed from selected regions of the cell in order to allow gaseous impurities to escape from the bath. Sulfur impurity levels may also be reduced in inert anode cells by scrubbing bath emissions from the cell before they are reintroduced into the cell, and by controlling sulfur impurity contents of materials added to the cell.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a method for continuously producing electrodeposited copper foil while thiourea-decomposed products remaining in copper electrolyte are removed through activated carbon treatment. Another object is to provide high-resistivity copper foil obtained through the method. The present invention further provides an electrodeposition apparatus including a path for circulating a copper sulfate solution, whereby in said path is provided a filtration means for removal of thiourea-decomposed products remaining in copper electrolyte.

Abstract: A process for continuous production of metal chlorides includes the steps of providing metallic ore, containing iron purities, and a carbon source; drying the metallic ore; drying the carbon source; mixing the dried metallic ore, the dried- carbon source, and a sulfur-containing compound; calcining the mixture in a first fluidized bed reactor in the presence of air; chlorinating the calcined product in a second fluidized bed reactor in the presence of additional carbon source and additional sulfur-containing compound to produce crude metal chlorides and waste gases; and reactively subliming and desubliming the crude metal chlorides, in the presence of additional iron, aluminum, cesium, copper, lead, lithium, magnesium, mercury, potassium, sodium, titanium, uranium, zinc or zirconium, to produce purified aluminum chloride.

Abstract: An electrolytic bath for use during the electrolytic reduction of alumina to aluminum. The bath comprises a molten electrolyte having the following ingredients: (a) AlF3 and at least one salt selected from the group consisting of NaF, KF, and LiF; and (b) about 0.004 wt. % to about 0.2 wt. %, based on total weight of the molten electrolyte, of at least one transition metal or at least one compound of the metal or both. The compound may be, for example, a fluoride, oxide, or carbonate. The metal can be nickel, iron, copper, cobalt, or molybdenum. The bath can be employed in a combination that includes a vessel for containing the bath and at least one non-consumable anode and at least one dimensionally stable cathode in the bath. Employing the bath of the present invention during electrolytic reduction of alumina to aluminum can improve the wetting of aluminum on a cathode by reducing or eliminating the formation of non-metallic deposits on the cathode.

Abstract: A method and a cleaning device for the mechanical cleaning of a powder, in particular of primary aluminum oxide, direct the powder against a surface in order to strip particulate impurities adhering to the surface of the powder. The aluminum oxide to be cleaned is introduced into a stripping device having a striking mechanism directing the powder with a speed of 20 to 30 m/s several tens of times per second for a time period of <1 to 10 seconds against impact blades rotating in a direction opposite to the striking mechanism The particles of the cleaned, powder-form aluminum oxide having a size of >10 .mu.m are separated from the cleaned, powder-form aluminum oxide having a size <10 .mu.m and the impurities by an air sifter and/or a cyclone and are fed for smelting electrolysis. The powder-form aluminum oxide having a size <10 .mu.m and the impurities are fed to a waste dump or are further processed as raw material.