Numerical analysis of the preheating of the aluminium electrolyzer
by
Boris M. Bagaev
Siberian Aerospace Academy, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Coauthors: Anna P. Bagaeva (Siberian Aerospace Academy, Krasnoyarsk, Russia)

At the preheating of heating aluminium electrolyzer by an exterior heat source, in particular, heating by gases, one of the serious requirements are the overfall of temperatures along the height of the carbongraphite block and the highest gradient. The parameters of heat electrolyzer depend both on exterior conditions, such as the temperature of heating of gases, heat transfer coefficient, and on thermophysical characteristics of stuffing materials. Under assumptions that the temperature field should be whenever possibly more uniform, and the time of heating is limited, it is necessary to define the range of values for heat transfer coefficients and thermophysical properties of stuffing materials.

The given model is described by a system of parabolic equations with small parameters multiplying the highest derivatives. Another peculiarity is the complex geometry of the domain with the blocks of different scales. Between these blocks there exists the nonideal contact which is modelled by the condition of jump or concentrated forces.

When modeling numerically this process, we use adaptive Shishkin meshes and construct the criterion to minimize the convex functional. This criterion guarantees, under appropriate boundary conditions, the uniform distribution of the given temperature field with the minimal material expenditures.

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Date received: February 28, 2000