4014bad4-7825-4a6a-b003-3c5090cb6092Electrolysis (Aluminum)primary productionconsumption mix, at plantMaterials productionMetals and semimetalsData was collected through the Aluminum Association and the International Aluminum Institute.264Includes both imported crude aluminium and domestic production. The imports of crude aluminum to North America account for 26% of the total consumption, with 74% domestic production.Molten aluminum is produced from alumina by the Hall-Heroult electrolytic process. This involves two steps: dissolving the alumina (Al2O3) produced in the preceding aluminum refining step in a molten cryolitic bath, and passing electric current through this solution, thereby decomposing the alumina into aluminum and oxygen. Aluminum is tapped out of the reduction cell (pot) at daily intervals and the oxygen bonds with the carbon to form carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.
Aluminum smelters typically use air pollution control systems to monitor and reduce emis-sions. The primary system is typically a scrubber. Some plants use dry scrubbers with alumina as the absorbent that is subsequently fed to the pots and allows for the recovery of scrubbed materials. Other plants use wet scrubbers, which re-circulate an alkaline solution to absorb emissions. Unlike dry scrubbers, wet scrubbers absorb carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide that are entrained in the waste water liquor.
This unit process begins with the processing of alumina and ends with the output of molten primary aluminum to be subsequently cast into primary ingot in the casting process. The operations associated with electrolysis include (AA, 1999; IAI, 2005):
# recovery, preparation, and handling of process materials,
# manufacture of major process equipment (e.g., cathode shells),
# process of control activities (metal, bath, heat),
# maintenance and repair of plant and equipment, and
# treatment of process air, liquids, and solids.Crude aluminium for refined aluminium production.Partly terminated systemAttributionalNoneAllocation - market valueAllocation - exergetic contentAllocation - massNoneAll data used in the calculation of the LCI results refer to net calorific value.None1% cut-off criteria applied for non-hazardous inputs & outputs except alloying elements which are not considered. - No cut-off criteria for hazardous products emissions (ex. PAH, PFC, BaP, etc.) - Infrastructure not included. All ancillary processes (electricity, caustic soda, etc.) included.
Cut-off rules for each unit process: Coverage of at least 95 % of mass and energy of the input and output flows, and 98 % of their environmental relevance (according to expert judgement).
For further details please see the document "GaBi Databases Modelling Principles"NoneFor details please see the document "GaBi Databases Modelling Principles"NoneFor details please see the document "GaBi Databases Modelling Principles"NoneLife Cycle Impact Assessment of aluminum Beverage CansLife Cycle Inventory Data Primary Aluminium, 200595.02006The data set represents a cradle to gate inventory. It can be used to characterise the supply chain situation of the respective commodity in a representative manner. Combination with individual unit processes using this commodity enables the generation of user-specific (product) LCAs.No statementthinkstepAAThis background LCI dataset can be used for any type of LCA studiesAAthinkstep2019-02-01T00:00:00.000ILCD format 1.1thinkstep2019-02-01T00:00:00.00000.00.001Data set finalised; entirely publishedAAtrueOtherGaBi (source code, database including extension modules and single data sets, documentation) remains property of thinkstep AG. thinkstep AG delivers GaBi licenses comprising data storage medium and manual as ordered by the customer. The license guarantees the right of use for one installation of GaBi. Further installations using the same license are not permitted. Additional licenses are only valid if the licensee holds at least one main license. Licenses are not transferable and must only be used within the licensee's organisation. Data sets may be copied for internal use. The number of copies is restricted to the number of licenses of the software system GaBi the licensee owns. The right of use is exclusively valid for the licensee. All rights reserved.Aluminium (liquid metal)Output1.01.00Mixed primary / secondaryUnknown derivationvaluable