Anode/Cathode Plate
Anode Plate Production Flow Chart
Plate Production
The production of the fence-type anode plate begins with a specialized alloy formula containing calcium, strontium, tin, cerium, and aluminum, with lead and a proprietary alloy as the base, creating a high-strength plate suitable for copper electrowinning environments. The melting process is carefully controlled, with temperatures maintained between 580–600°C and enhanced by electromagnetic and mechanical stirring to ensure even distribution of alloy elements. Plates are cast in molds kept at 280–300°C, with oil cooling to produce smooth, defect-free alloy slabs of 200mm thickness.
Alloy Composition:
- Uses a multi-element lead-based alloy with Ca (0.06–0.08%), Sr (0.04–0.05%), Sn (1.2–1.3%), Ce (0.02–0.03%), Al (~0.02%), and the remainder as lead and a company-specific alloy.
- Designed for high strength, durability, and compatibility with copper electrowinning.
Alloy Melting Process:
- Melted alloy temperature maintained at 580–600°C with electromagnetic and mechanical stirring for even distribution of rare earth and alloy elements.
- Casting mold kept at 280–300°C, with oil cooling to produce smooth, even alloy plates of 200mm thickness.
To further improve the casting process, a 2-ton ladle is employed to keep the lead liquid temperature stable, increasing casting speed and preventing alloy element segregation. After casting, the slabs are rolled through a hot-and-cold rolling process: initially hot-rolled from 200mm to 45mm, aged for 48 hours, and then cold-rolled in multiple passes down to 8.5mm thickness. The final surface is embossed to achieve a smooth and uniform finish without defects.
Improved Casting Technique:
- A 2-ton ladle is used to maintain lead temperature, improving casting speed and preventing element segregation.
Advanced Rolling Process:
- Hot rolling: 200mm thick cast plates are hot-rolled to 45mm, aged for 48 hours, then cold-rolled repeatedly to a final thickness of 8.5mm.
- Final plates are embossed for surface treatment to ensure smoothness without defects like pores, bubbles, or cracks.
Lastly, a patented surface enhancement treatment is applied to double the anode’s effective surface area. This treatment lowers the anode’s current density under the same current strength, reducing corrosion and oxidation rates and thus extending the plate’s lifespan. This process is tailored to withstand frequent power outages, preventing lead contamination in cathode copper and improving the adhesion of cobalt oxide to the anode surface, which provides additional protection from corrosion.
Surface Treatment for Longevity:
- Special surface enhancement patented to double the surface area of the anode plate compared to traditional ones, reducing electrochemical corrosion and oxidation rates.
- Designed to withstand power outages, preventing lead contamination in cathode copper and improving cobalt oxide adhesion on the anode surface, which shields against corrosion and extends the plate’s lifespan.
Hanger Bar Production
The hanger bar consists of a conductive copper bar coated with lead. The adhesion between lead and copper primarily depends on controlled temperatures of the molten lead, tinning method for the copper, preheating of the copper bar, and the casting mold temperature. The copper used in the conductive bar is ASTM#B-187-92, UNS#C11000 (equivalent to China’s T2 grade), with electrical resistance below 1.7593×10⁻⁶ Ω at 20°C. Through years of collaboration with Chilean anode manufacturers, the company has developed an alloy formulation and plating method ensuring strong metallurgical bonding between lead and copper, preventing separation, bulging, and enhancing low transition resistance. The preparation steps involve removing grease and oxidation from the copper, then dipping the copper bar into an alloy bath heated to 230–260°C to coat it with an alloy layer. The copper bar is then preheated to 230°C, and hot lead is cast onto the heated copper bar, allowing for complete metallurgical bonding without softening the copper (temperature kept below 350°C) to preserve its strength and hardness.
Typically, combining the lead-alloy anode conductor beam with the plate surface involves a rapid high-temperature acetylene flame welding process, often done manually, which risks incomplete fusion and seam cracking over time. International methods often use mechanical high-temperature acetylene welding, but they also face incomplete fusion issues. To overcome this, Kunming Hengda Technology Co., Ltd. developed a seamless welding process with trapezoidal slots, achieving full metallurgical bonding in the weld seams. Using proprietary techniques, three trapezoidal slots (100×50×25mm) are created on the alloy plate surface, while matching trapezoidal connectors are added to the conductive transition plate. The plates are then automatically welded to improve load-bearing, connection, conductivity, and precise alignment of the anode plate and conductive beam, significantly enhancing the overall performance of the anode plate.
Anode Plate and Cathode Plate Series
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