Authors:
D. Champagne, D. P. Ziegler, A. Felipe Schneider, D. Richard
The Materials, Minerals & Metals Society Annual Meeting, Light Metals Division (TMS2010), Seattle, USA, February 17, 2010
Abstract
This tight-schedule project was an important milestone in the announced modernization of the Baie-Comeau Smelter plant. In the spring of 2008, an integrated Alcoa-Hatch multidisciplinary team succeeded to install in record time a new booster rectifier circuit for testing prototype pots. A unique feature of this project is that the new circuit is boosting already boosted pots. To emulate the magnetic field that would affect the pots once the whole potline operates at the target amperage, the new circuit includes a split booster input circuit. Also, in order to accommodate changing conditions in the line and two boost rectifiers, a custom-designed variable electrical resistance was also installed to control the current split in the booster input branches. By using available equipment, a very tight timeline was achieved, and the new systems were put in place with the potline running and with no loss-time injury.
