Current source connection of electrolytic cell electrodes: an improvement for electrowinning and electrorefinery

This paper presents a current source connection for electrolytic cells facilities, enlarging actual production boundaries. Specifically, the aim of production level increase, quality improvement and costs reduction in electrowinning and electrorefining plants have been limited by the current density (CD) dispersion. In fact, the cathodes of a plant designed to operate with a nominal 320 [A/m2] CD per cathode, usually presents current densities in a range between 220 and 420 [A/m2] (±31% variations). Industrial tests performed in a copper ER plant proved that the proposed connection halves dispersion. It has been estimated that a 15% earnings increase should be obtained with the increase of efficiency, quality and production.