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40 years ago W. Haupin stressed that anode overvoltages on the carbon materials have a scatter more than 300 mV under the same current density. This is a reason to attempt to find out the reason for greater differences because decreasing the overvoltage promises high energy saving. Experiments in lab.cells in galvanostatic conditions have been conducted to determine the overvoltages for the smelter anodes used in Sayanogorsk and Boguchany smelters (Russia) (more than 80 curves currents-overvoltages are received). Overvoltages are compared with other carbon block properties. Recommendations to use these values as a parameter of carbon block quality were made.

In 2016, five pilot cells were started up at UC RUSAL’s Sayanogorsk Aluminum Smelter. The pilot cells use a completely new busbar design with two-side current feeding, providing for efficient magnetic field compensation in metal and excellent MHD stability without using additional magnetic field compensation. The last seven months have proved the main calculated parameters of the design and the high level of the RA-550 operational parameters, such as current efficiency and power consumption. The pilot cells are meeting or even exceeding the industry’s benchmark environmental parameters. Today’s key performance indicators confirm that UC RUSAL has developed a competitive, highly-efficient ultra-high-amperage technology that can be used both for greenfield and brownfield projects. Plans are to continue testing the RA-550 technology, including amperage creeps (up to 600 kA) and optimizing energy efficiency over the next two years.