Chemical Resistance
In electrolysis plants, material selection and high-current technology play a crucial role in energy efficiency and service life. A major bottleneck for electrical efficiency in raw material extraction and refining processes—such as zinc or copper electrolysis—is the contact resistance at the connection points, as well as the mechanical and chemical resistance of the components under corrosive conditions. Therefore, detailed technical planning regarding the design of modern aluminum cathodes, material composition, and copper-aluminum connections is essential.
Components for Corrosive Environments
Material designed for maximum conductivity and strength
Selecting the right alloy for the cathode plate is crucial for bending stiffness, corrosion resistance, and electrical conductivity during continuous operation.
Aluminum cathode plates are characterized by excellent electrical conductivity and high purity. The fine-grained structure of the weld metal is also optimized to increase tensile strength and yield strength. Independent corrosion tests show that high-purity aluminum with an optimized alloy composition exhibits significantly less pitting corrosion than standard aluminum sheets, thereby ensuring high corrosion resistance.
Contact as a Critical Factor
A critical aspect of conducting high currents in energy and raw materials processing is the connection between copper busbars and aluminum cathodes. Oxidation on aluminum surfaces creates insulating layers that drastically increase contact resistance and lead to hotspots and massive energy losses. Therefore, depending on the cathode design, two different processes are used at various points on the component: explosive cladding and friction welding.
Explosive cladding is a surface-based joining process. In this process, a copper plate is metallurgically bonded over a large area to an aluminum sheet via a controlled detonation. This technique is primarily used for large-area plate contacts and composite layers.
Friction welding is a mechanical press welding process. Through mutual rotation and pressure under frictional heat, solid rods, tubes, or compact contact pieces are butt-welded together. The process delivers specific strength values and low contact resistance at these joints.
System Solutions for Industries
Protective Measures in Demanding Environments
Special protective systems are used to maintain the mechanical and electrical properties over many years. An acid- and alkali-resistant coating is applied to the interface between the electrolyte and the atmosphere. This coating is applied electrostatically after sandblasting and then baked to create a strong atomic bond with Aluminum. High-strength, injection-molded edge strips protect the cathode edges from electrochemical deposits and mechanical damage during automatic stripping.
The connection between the support beams, hangers, and the cathode plate is made by welding robots under inert gas, to minimize deformation and ensure a pore-free weld.
Engineering of System Solutions
As a comprehensive partner for high-current technologies, we support you from the initial technical design through to the long-term maintenance of your systems.
Our clear goal is to minimize downtime, drastically reduce energy losses, and sustainably maximize the service life of your facilities.
That is why we engineer and manufacture system solutions and cathode plates for zinc, copper, and nickel refineries precisely according to your individual specifications and drawings.
Our Global Network
As part of the Pantheon Electric global platform network, we supply the power generation market segment with heavy-duty, custom-designed system solutions for demanding industrial environments.
Thanks to our partners International Wire, International Wire Europe, Special Corde, Hussey Copper, and our brands EMS Elektro Metall Spezialprodukte Polska, Vision®Electric, buzzbar®, and SPS Standard Produkte Schwanenmühle, we are taking our product portfolio to a new level.
Retrofit
Efficient and future-proof operations go far beyond simply delivering new equipment. With our after-sales services, we modernize your existing infrastructure in a sustainable way.
We retrofit existing systems and optimize their energy efficiency, which significantly reduces your operating costs and increases operational reliability.
Vision®Bar
In addition, we engineer modular systems such as Vision®Bar and IndustryBars for currents ranging from 1,200 to over 100,000 amperes.
These systems combine rigid and flexible components to achieve optimal performance. Their specialized design reliably prevents dangerous hot spots, minimizes contact resistance, and compensates for thermal expansion and vibrations during operation.
Design & Engineering
In the field of electrolysis, the combination of highly conductive alloys, minimized contact resistance, and chemical compatibility is crucial to the economic efficiency of the entire plant.
We provide customized system solutions for high-current applications in extreme industrial and operational environments.
Do you have questions about the design of cathode plates, busbars, or customized system solutions?
