Primary aluminium production process consists of three stages.First is
mining of bauxite, followed by refining of bauxite to alumina and finally smelting of alumina to aluminium.The aluminium production process can be categorized into upstream and downstream activities. The upstream process involves mining and refining while the downstream process involves smelting and casting & fabricating.
In Aluminium refining process, Alumina is produced from Bauxite. Bayer process is used for producing Alumina from Bauxite. From Alumina, Aluminium is manufactured using Hall Heroult smelting process.
To produce one tonne of primary aluminium, about two tonnes of alumina is required, which in turn requires about four tonnes of bauxite. Power is the largest cost component in the manufacturing of aluminium, as the production involves electrolysis. In an Aluminium refinery coal, fuel oil and electricity are the major energy types of energy consumed
Process Flow Diagram
Energy Efficiency Improvement:
Activity
Name
Existing Technology replaced
Efficient Process
/Technology penetrated
Energy Savings (ES) GJ/yr
Monetory Equivalent of ES (Million INR)
Investment Cost (Million INR)
Simple Payback (Months)
GHG Emissions reduced (tCO2e/yr)
Evaporation
Evaporator
VFD for Spent Liquor Pump
185
0.18
0.45
31
44
Electrolysis
'Horizontal Stud Sodeberg
Optimization of DC power for electrolysis process in pot room.
Primary aluminium production process consists of three stages.First is
mining of bauxite, followed by refining of bauxite to alumina and finally smelting of alumina to aluminium.The aluminium production process can be categorized into upstream and downstream activities. The upstream process involves mining and refining while the downstream process involves smelting and casting & fabricating.
In Aluminium refining process, Alumina is produced from Bauxite. Bayer process is used for producing Alumina from Bauxite. From Alumina, Aluminium is manufactured using Hall Heroult smelting process.
To produce one tonne of primary aluminium, about two tonnes of alumina is required, which in turn requires about four tonnes of bauxite. Power is the largest cost component in the manufacturing of aluminium, as the production involves electrolysis. In an Aluminium refinery coal, fuel oil and electricity are the major energy types of energy consumed 
