Effects of the Application of a Perforated Anode in an Aluminum Electrolysis Cell on the Gas–Liquid Two-Phase Flow and Bubble Distribution Characteristics

In contrast to the original form of the anode, the perforated anode is a new kind of anode that can significantly reduce the bubble thickness while maintaining a stable electrolysis process. The bubble movement was simulated within physical and mathematical models of the flow field in the anode–cathode distance (ACD) area, in which the electrolyte solidification zone in the anode perforations was treated creatively as a porous medium. The flow field distribution and the bubble layer thickness in the ACD area were simulated. The influence of the process parameters, such as the electrolyte temperature and ACD, on the flow field was analyzed. The results show that compared with the regular anode and slotted anode, the use of the perforated anode reduces the thickness of the bubble layer by approximately 1.63 and 1.06 mm, respectively. The velocity of the electrolyte is positively correlated with the electrolyte temperature, anode width, and bubble layer thickness. The immersion depth of the anode and the interanode gap have little effect on the bubble thickness and flow field.