Metallurgical electrode seal may include a body defining a generally circular open interior, the body defining a gas injection port through a thickness of the body. The seals may include an upper sealing element disposed on an inner surface of the body. The seals may include a lower sealing element disposed on the inner surface of the body. The gas injection port may be positioned between the upper sealing element and the lower sealing element.
Metallurgical assemblies may include a metallurgical vessel. The assemblies may include an anode stack positioned within the metallurgical vessel. The assemblies may include a structure positioned outward from a peripheral surface of the anode stack. The assemblies may include a clamp seated atop the structure. The clamp may be engageable with the anode stack. The clamp may include a body having an inner surface defining an open interior. The anode stack may be within the open interior. The clamp may include a clamping surface coupled with the body that is moveable relative to the inner surface to selectively engage the anode stack. The clamp may include a tightening mechanism that is operably coupled to the clamping surface and that adjusts a position of the clamping surface. The clamp may include an electrically insulating member between the body and the support structure to electrically isolate the clamp from the structure.
Metallurgical electrode stem assemblies may include a stem having a first connector at a first end of the stem and a second connector at a second end of the stem. The stem may have a conductivity of at least 5.9 x 106 siemens/m. The assemblies may include an anode coupling having a third connector at a first end of the anode coupling and a fourth connector at a second end of the anode coupling. The third connector may be reversibly coupled to the second connector. A coefficient of thermal expansion of the anode coupling may be less than or equal to a coefficient of thermal expansion of the stem.
Metallurgical electrode clamps may include a fixed body. The fixed body may include an arcuate saddle. The fixed body may include a first arm extending from a first side of the arcuate saddle. The first arm may include a first support arm hook. The fixed body may include a second arm extending from a second side of the arcuate saddle, laterally spaced apart from the first arm. The second arm may include a second support arm hook. The clamps may include a clamp body. The clamp body may include an axle that is insertable within the first and second support arm hooks. The clamp body may include a clamping surface that is positioned opposite the arcuate saddle when the axle is inserted within the first and second support arm hooks. The clamp body may include a tightening mechanism that adjusts a distance between the clamping surface and the arcuate saddle.
Methods of coupling anode segments of a metallurgical system may include engaging a clamp with a first anode segment of a first anode stack. The clamp may inhibit the first anode segment from moving in a longitudinal direction. The methods may include disengaging a first stem from a support structure positioned above a metallurgical vessel. The methods may include disengaging the first stem from a top end of the first anode segment. The methods may include coupling a second anode segment to the first anode segment. The methods may include coupling a second stem to a top end of the second anode segment. The methods may include engaging the second stem with the support structure. The methods may include disengaging the clamp from the first anode segment.
Molten oxide electrolysis may be used for extracting one or more metals from a mixture of metal oxides. The mixture of metal oxides may be complex and include at least three metal oxides, each present at 0.5 wt% or greater based on a total weight of the metal oxide electrolyte precursor, to produce a metal oxide electrolyte. In some instances, two or more metals may be extracted in a series of molten oxide electrolysis process where metal oxides having higher Gibbs free energy of formation at 1500°C are preferentially reduced in each respective molten oxide electrolysis unit before metal oxides having lower Gibbs free energy of formation at 1500°C.
Metallurgical assemblies and systems according to the present technology may include a refractory vessel including sides and a base. The base may define a plurality of apertures centrally located within the base. The sides and the base may at least partially define an interior volume of the refractory vessel. The assemblies may include a lid removably coupled with the refractory vessel and configured to form a seal with the refractory vessel. The lid may define a plurality of apertures through the lid. The assemblies may also include a current collector proximate the base of the refractory vessel. The current collector may include conductive extensions positioned within the plurality of apertures centrally located within the base.
A method of and system for electrolytic production of reactive metals is presented. The method includes providing a molten oxide electrolytic cell including a container, an anode, and a current collector and disposing a molten oxide electrolyte within the container and in ion conducting contact with the anode and the current collector. The electrolyte includes a mixture of at least one alkaline earth oxide and at least one rare earth oxide. The method also includes providing a metal oxide feedstock including at least one target metal species into the molten oxide electrolyte and applying a current between the anode and the current collector, thereby reducing the target metal species to form at least one molten target metal in the container.
Methods of manufacturing a current collector assembly may include iteratively solving a model on a computer. The model may utilize received inputs including a variable number and arrangement of conductive elements to determine as an output a heat distribution within a hypothetical current collector assembly. The methods may also include identifying as a solution to the model a number and arrangement of conductive elements coupled with a current collector that produces a contained heat distribution within the hypothetical current collector assembly. The methods may also include manufacturing the current collector assembly, and the current collector assembly may include a defined plurality of apertures within a refractory base of the current collector assembly in a pattern configured to receive the number and arrangement of conductive elements identified as the solution to the model.
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