The 48th International October Conference on Mining and Metallurgy

September 28 - October 01, 2016, Bor (Serbia)

www.ioc.tfbor.bg.ac.rs

ANALYSIS OF THERMAL LOSSES ON ELECTROLYTIC CELLS JOINTS

IN ELECTROLYTIC REFINERY

Vladan Miljkovi1, Marijana Pavlov-Kagadejev1, Aleksandar Radivojevi2, Via Tasi1,

Valentina Miljkovi2
1
Mining and Metallurgy Institute Bor, Zeleni bulevar 35, 19210 Bor, Serbia
2
RTB BOR - Copper Smelter and Refinery, ora Vajferta 20, 19210 Bor, Serbia

Abstract
In Electrolytic Refining Plant (part of RTB Bor - Copper Smelter and Refinery) connection between the
electrolytic baths is achieved by using the copper rails. The rails are intensely heated due to their
resistance and transition resistance at the Cu/Cu joints. This paper analyzes the energy losses that occur
at the joints. The analysis showed that the losses an the joints, in conditions of full utilization of
production capacities in the electrolysis, amounts 0.5 - 0.6% of the total electricity consumption. It is
estimated that is possible, by improving the preventive maintenance, to provide further reduction of the
losses down to 0.5% of the total electricity consumption of electrolytic refining.
Keywords: copper, electrolytic refining, thermal imaging, connections, resistance

1. INTRODUCTION
All bodies emit infrared radiation. Monitoring of such radiation found wide application in the
industry. Thermal cameras are capable of registering temperature differences and converted it
into clear thermal images. The first thermal camera has been developed in Sweden in 1958 by a
company today known as FLIR Systems [1]. First thermal imaging camera with an uncooled
detector (micro bolometer) was produced in 1997.

The electrolytic refining of copper requires significant amounts of electricity [2]. For this reason,
electrical and mechanical equipment is under the constant heavy load. The conductors are
heated, as well as the joints between them. The temperature increase at such joints can be easy
measured by thermal imaging camera. Two banks of electrolytic cell that forming a group is
connected by copper beam which lying on copper rails (see Figure 1) that carry end of anodes
and cathodes lined in electrolytic cells.

Figure 1 - Copper beam dimensions

Beam dimensions are 600x200x100 mm (see Figure 1). Beam is connected to the rails on each
end by two screw bolts. In this paper, we have analyzed the energy losses that occur at such
Cu/Cu joints with the aim to reduce them by improving the preventive maintenance.
 Figure 2 - Thermal and digital images of Cu/Cu joint (before and after tightening the bolts)

2. EXPERIMENTAL
The energy losses in the beam occured due to ohmic resistance of the beam itself and losses on
joints with rails on the both sides of the beam. The resistance of contacts on joints is obtained
from Ohm's Law by measuring the voltage drop on it, which is different for each contact. The
value of voltage drop ranged from 0.01 to 0.02 V DC, so that, mean value of 0.015V DC is
taken into account. The current through contact is about 13 kA DC, and resistance
U
R= =0.001154 103 is obtained. The temperature increase at joints was measured by
I
thermal imaging camera FLIR E40 [1]. The observed increase of temperature was in the range
from 10 to 20 0C as shown in Figure2. More specifically, the beam is at average temperature of
900C while the rails ends are at 70 0C. The room temperature in the vicinity of joints is in the
range from 25 to 500C. Now, we can calculate the thermal energy which is in a stationary state
released into the environment for one hour using the fallowing equation:

Q=m c T [ kW h ] Q=m c T [ kW h ] Q=m c T [ kW h ]

(1)

kcal
Where are: m mass of beam in kg, c thermal capacity of copper, which is 0.092 ,
kg
and T temperature difference between beams and environment in 0C. Beam mass is
calculated by multiplying the volume of the beam with a density of copper = 8.89 kg/dm3.
Based on beam dimensions, marked in Figure 1, Equation 1 can be displayed in the following
form:

3 kg Kcal
Q=L b h c T=12dm 8.89 0.092 50 490.728 Kcal (2)
dm 3
kg

Since 1 Kcal = 0.00116222 kWh, we obtained that Q=0.57 kW h .

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The total energy loss on beam is QU =Q R +2Q K where QR is energy loss due to resistance
of beam itself, and Qk is energy loss on the joint due to transition resistance. It should be
noted that we have two Cu/Cu joints on both sides of the beam. The resistance of the beam is
 l l
defined as: R= = , = 0 ( 1+ T 1 ) . At 90 0C is obtained that
S b h
R=0.7109 10 . Now, the losses due to resistance of the beam itself, Q R , can be
6

calculated as:

QR =R I 2 t=0.120141 kW h (3)

Referring to the literature [3-6], power loss on the contact of two plates (where b is plate
width and h plate thickness) with overlapping length l can be obtained as
2 2 l
P p I Rk + I , and when the plates are not with the same thickness h , but h1
2 b h
2 2 l
and h2 , as P p I Rk + I ; where = 0 (1+ T 1 ) . The thicknesses of the
b (h1 +h 2)
beam and rails are about the same as shown in Figure 1. The thickness of the beam is 100 mm,
and width is 80 mm. Also, size of overlap l=90 mm while b=200 mm , and T 1 =90 .
So that, Qk can be calculated as:

2 2
0 (1+ T )
Q k =R k I t + I 1
t 0.205 kW h (4)
b (h1+ h2)

Further, energy loss due to heating of one beam is:

QU =0.120141 kWh+ 2 0.205 kWh=0.530 kW h (5)

This is almost the same value as it is obtained by using the Equation 1 (Q=0.57 kWh), counting a
heat flux based on the temperature increase of the beam. This is because we use the approximate
formula of dissipation on the overlapped contact. Contact resistance is the sum of the
constriction resistance and oxide layer resistance:

R K =R P + RS (6)

Constriction resistance is caused by uneven abutment of micro roughness on the surface of

metals, and in these small areas, we dont have the same current density. Increasing of pressure
leads to better abutment on this unevenness, reducing the resistance.

2
H 0 (1+ T ) H
RP =
F
=
2

F (7)

Where: - specific resistance, H hardness of metal, F forces on contact.

Oxide layer resistance is the same for all metals. It occurs due to the existence of a thin layer of
metal oxide and metal vapors on the metal surface. This layer can be removed only by annealing
in vacuum. Electrons pass this layer by the quantum tunnel effect. Under the pressure, this layer
becomes thinner but cannot be avoided. Silver has the thinnest layer, and by the influence of the
junction temperature, silver oxide goes into metal and vice versa and establishes the balance at a
specific temperature.
 H
RS = (8)
F

Where =1012 m 2 . The resistance of contacts, R K , can be calculated as follows:

R K =R P + RS =
2
0 (1+ T ) H H

F
+
F
(9)

Equation 9 shows that contact resistance increases with temperature, and decreases with
increasing of contact pressure. It is interesting that the surface area does not affect the size of
contact resistance, at least not directly. It affects indirectly by cooling the contact, and therefore
decreases resistance. As a measure of the energy losses reduction, a preventive periodic
tightening of joints can be considered. It comes from Equation 7 because a higher force on the
contact reduces constriction resistance RP , by increasing the conductivity of joints.
In Electrolytic Refining Plant number of electrolytic cells groups in operation depends on
production plans. In this analysis we assumed the average number of joints of 30. Process of
electrolytic refining is continuous, so that, we further assumed that 30 electrolytic groups are in
operation continuously during one year period. The total monthly loss of electrical energy due to
warming of joints (calculation is made for QU =0.530 kW h ) is 11448 kWh, while on annual
level this value is 137376 kWh. If Electrolytic Refining Plant monthly consumes 2-2.5 MWh, the
loss of electrical energy on joints is about 0.5-0.6% of the total electrical energy consumption.
With an average price of 6.1 /100 kWh, these losses, expressed in money, amounts about 8000-
9000 a year.
The maximum permitted temperature at the Cu/Cu joint in the air is 90 0C. Reduction the
temperature on joints below 900C (just 50C below) keeps the amount of losses below 0.5% of the
total cost of energy per month. It can be achieved in practice. Moreover, it is possible to obtain
greater reduction in temperature on the joints and therefore gained greater savings.

4. CONCLUSION
To reduce energy losses due to heating of joints between beams and rails, it is necessary to
provide more frequent preventive maintenance. Thermal imaging is proven to be the fast and
accurate method for checking the temperature of joints. By using the thermal imaging camera,
joints with the temperature above the maximum permitted can be easily and accurately identify,
and joint bolts tightened. After tightening the bolts, thermal imaging camera has to be used again
to confirm the effects of maintenance. The increase in the frequency of such preventive
maintenance leads to the reduction of losses at the joints and thereby increases the efficiency of
electricity use in the process of electrolysis.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work was funded by the Grant of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological
Development of the Republic of Serbia, as a part of Project No. TR33037: Development and
Application of Distributed System for Monitoring and Control of Electrical Energy Consumption
for Large Consumers."

REFERENCES
[1] http://www.flir.com/home/(Accessed July 1, 2016)
[2] http://rtb.rs/en/rtb-bor-doo/topionica-i-rafinacija/elektroliza/ (Accessed July 1, 2016)
[2] R. Markovi, Poznavanje elektrotehnikog materijala, Nauna knjiga, Beograd, 1985
[3] B. Belin, Uvod u teoriju elektrinih sklopnih aparata, kolska knjiga, Zagreb, 1978
[4] V. Jurjevi, Tehnika enciklopedija (Elektrini sklopni aparati), Jugoslavenski
leksikografski zavod, Zagreb, 1973
[5] R K.Metrovi, Sklopni aparati srednjeg i visokog napona, Graphis, Zagreb, 2007