The 25th International Aluminium Conference, organised and hosted by Metal Bulletin in Bahrain from 20 to 22 September 2010 ("MBI 2010"), has been identified by Dubai Aluminium Company Limited ("DUBAL") as a strong platform for promoting DX Technology — DUBAL's top-performing electrolytic aluminium reduction technology that has been developed entirely in-house. With this in mind, Ali H A M Al Zarouni (Vice President: Smelter Operations) will today deliver a presentation showcasing the proven performance attributes of DX Technology during a session entitled "Smelter costs – can industry become more efficient".
Al Zarouni's presentation, entitled "DX Reduction Cell Technology - Excellent operating efficiency and superior environmental performance", outlines the development of the technology as a solution to a growing need for lower energy consumption, reduced atmospheric emissions and improved productivity; and reveals the current operating statistics. The story dates back to the company's inception in 1979, from when DUBAL has been committed to continuous innovation in the aluminium smelting process so as to produce the world's best quality aluminium products, made-to-order and delivered direct to customers, while achieving maximum operating efficiencies. An ongoing quest to use in-house technology to achieve higher production volumes, improve current efficiencies and environmental benefits has resulted in a long history of successful technology development and industrial implementation.
The most recent advancement is DX Technology, where by the first generation DX Technology cells were commissioned in 2005 as prototypes in a five-cell pilot operation. The success of the pilot cells was such that a dedicated 40-cell potline was commissioned at DUBAL's Jebel Ali operations in early 2008 (with the second-generation cells operating at 340 kA); and the subsequent licensing of DX Technology to Emirates Aluminium Company Limited ("EMAL") — a green-field smelter development in Abu Dhabi where ramp-up of the 756-cell EMAL Phase I began in December 2009.
In less than two years, the operating amperage of the DX cells within the DUBAL smelter complex has increased by 35kA to 375kA at present. Operation at 370kA has been fully consolidated at 95.5 per cent current efficiency, with daily production yields of 2,873 kilograms of molten aluminium per cell at an average metal purity of 99.94 per cent and specific energy consumption of 13.04 kilowatt-hours per kilogram of aluminium produced. The reduced use of fossil fuel has obvious resource and environmental conservation benefits; while significantly fewer anode effects compared to lower amperage technologies also contribute to reduced emission of perfluorocarbons — a particularly harmful greenhouse gas.
The DX Technology cells commissioned to date at EMAL Phase I are also performing strongly and setting new benchmarks, having already exceeded projected performance ratings. Operating at approximately 350kA and a current efficiency of 95.7 per cent, the cells are achieving specific energy consumption of 13.08 kilowatt-hours per kilogram of aluminium produced and superior metal purity levels of 99.9 per cent.
Going forward, DUBAL — which ranks as one of the world's largest single-site producers of primary aluminium and the UAE's industrial flagship — is targeting further improvements to its proprietary DX Technology. Several enhancements are presently being tested in the DUBAL's DX Technology potline and the company's five-cell pilot line, with the view to raising amperage levels above 400kA — thereby increasing both energy efficiency and productivity even further.
