Compact service module and use thereof in a plant for producing aluminum by electrolysis

Abstract

A pot tending module for an aluminum production plant comprising a frame and a rotary part including a hopper mounted on said frame so as to pivot about a substantially vertical axis, said rotary part being equipped with at least one tool mounted on a telescopic arm, said pot tending module comprising a first bearing structure to carry all of said rotary part mounted on said frame so as to be pivotable about a substantially vertical axis, a fixed member of said telescopic arm being mounted on a second bearing structure of said rotary art through attachment means fixed to an attachment part of said fixed member placed between the ends of said fixed member. A pot tending machine, a port tending assembly comprising the pot tending module described above, and use of said pot tending assembly.

1 . Pot tending module for use in a plant for producing aluminum by igneous electrolysis, said module comprising a frame able to be secured to a carriage and a rotary part mounted on said frame so as to pivot about a substantially vertical axis, said rotary part being equipped with at least one tool mounted on a telescopic arm of said rotary part, said pot tending module further comprising a first bearing structure mounted on said frame and designed to bear a hopper, said pot tending module being characterized in that said first bearing structure and said hopper are included in said rotary part, said first bearing structure being designed to bear all of said rotary part and being mounted on said frame so as to pivot about said substantially vertical axis, and in that said rotary part comprises a second bearing structure, a fixed member of said telescopic arm being mounted on said second bearing structure interdependent with said rotary part through attachment means allowing pendular movements of said telescopic arm, said attachment means being fixed to an attachment part of said fixed member placed at a distance from the ends of said fixed member. 
     
     
         2 . Pot tending module according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the fixed member of the telescopic arm is connected to the first bearing structure by a mechanical connecting device that limits an amplitude of the pendular movements of said telescopic arm. 
     
     
         3 . Pot tending module according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the attachment part of the fixed member of the telescopic arm is at a distance from an upper end of said fixed member, the distance being greater than one tenth of the length of said fixed member. 
     
     
         4 . Pot tending module according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the mechanical connecting device is mounted to connect an upper end of the fixed member to the first bearing structure. 
     
     
         5 . Pot tending module according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the mechanical connecting device comprises at least one damping system to limit the amplitude of the pendular movements of the telescopic arm in a horizontal direction. 
     
     
         6 . Pot tending module according to  claim 5 , characterized in that the mechanical connecting device has two damping systems to limit the amplitude of the pendular movements of the telescopic arm in two substantially perpendicular horizontal directions. 
     
     
         7 . Pot tending module according to  claim 1 , characterized in that an upper end of the fixed member of the telescopic arm has an elevation just below that of the frame. 
     
     
         8 . Pot tending module according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a part of the member fixed between an upper end of the fixed member and the attachment part extends through an opening in the first bearing structure. 
     
     
         9 . Pot tending module according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the attachment means are designed to prevent rotational movements of the telescopic arm about a longitudinal axis of said telescopic arm. 
     
     
         10 . Pot tending module according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the rotary part is equipped with a determined set of tools, each tool of said determined set being mounted on a telescopic arm attached to the second bearing structure. 
     
     
         11 . Pot tending module according to  claim 10 , characterized in that the determined set of tools comprises at least one tool selected from a crust shovel, an anode handling clamp and a crust breaker. 
     
     
         12 . Pot tending module according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the attachment means of the telescopic arm on the second bearing structure comprise first fastening means interdependent with said second bearing structure bearing on an upper face of said second bearing structure. 
     
     
         13 . Pot tending module according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the first fastening means of the attachment means of the telescopic arm on the second bearing structure comprises an intermediate support designed to be fixed interdependently to the second bearing structure, said attachment means comprising at least one bearing part interdependent with said telescopic arm bearing on said intermediate support and allowing pendular movements of said telescopic arm. 
     
     
         14 . Pot tending module according to  claim 13 , characterized in that at least one bearing part comprises a fuse element designed to break when the amplitude of the pendular movements of the telescopic arm is outside a predetermined range of tolerance. 
     
     
         15 . Pot tending module according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the attachment means of the telescopic arm onto the second bearing structure includes second fastening means interdependent with the attachment part of the fixed member of said telescopic arm, said second fastening means comprising two uprights oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the telescopic arm. 
     
     
         16 . Pot tending module according to  claim 14 , characterized in that the attachment means of the telescopic arm onto the second bearing structure includes second fastening means interdependent with the attachment part of the fixed member of said telescopic arm, said second fastening means comprising two uprights oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the telescopic arm, and further characterized in that the attachment means comprises two bearing parts interdependent with the telescopic arm bearing on the intermediate support and allowing pendular movements of said telescopic arm, and in that the fuse element of each bearing part is attached interdependently onto each upright respectively of the second fastening means. 
     
     
         17 . Pot tending machine for use in a plant for producing aluminum by igneous electrolysis comprising a carriage and a pot tending module comprising a frame able to be secured to the carriage and a rotary part mounted on said frame so as to pivot about a substantially vertical axis, said rotary part being equipped with at least one tool mounted on a telescopic arm of said rotary part, said pot tending module further comprising a first bearing structure mounted on said frame and designed to bear a hopper, said pot tending machine being characterized in that said first bearing structure and said hopper are included in said rotary part, said first bearing structure being designed to bear all of said rotary part and being mounted on said frame so as to pivot about said substantially vertical axis, and in that said rotary part comprises a second bearing structure, a fixed member of said telescopic arm being mounted on said second bearing structure interdependent with said rotary part through attachment means allowing pendular movements of said telescopic arm, said attachment means being fixed to an attachment part of said fixed member placed at a distance from the ends of said fixed member. 
     
     
         18 . Pot tending assembly for a plant for producing aluminum by igneous electrolysis comprising an overhead traveling crane and at least one pot tending machine comprising a carriage and a pot tending module comprising a frame able to be secured to a carriage and a rotary part mounted on said frame so as to pivot about a substantially vertical axis, said rotary part being equipped with at least one tool mounted on a telescopic arm of said rotary part, said pot tending module further comprising a first bearing structure mounted on said frame and designed to bear a hopper. said pot tending assembly being characterized in that said first bearing structure and said hopper are included in said rotary part, said first bearing structure being designed to bear all of said rotary part and being mounted on said frame so as to pivot about said substantially vertical axis, and in that said rotary part comprises a second bearing structure, a fixed member of said telescopic arm being mounted on said second bearing structure interdependent with said rotary part through attachment means allowing pendular movements of said telescopic arm, said attachment means being fixed to an attachment part of said fixed member placed at a distance from the ends of said fixed member. 
     
     
         19 . Method comprising using a pot tending assembly for work on electrolytic cells for the production of aluminum by igneous electrolysis, wherein the pot tending assembly comprises an overhead traveling crane and at least one pot tending machine comprising a carriage and a pot tending module comprising a frame able to be secured to a carriage and a rotary part mounted on said frame so as to pivot about a substantially vertical axis, said rotary part being equipped with at least one tool mounted on a telescopic arm of said rotary part, said pot tending module further comprising a first bearing structure mounted on said frame and designed to bear a hopper, said pot tending module being characterized in that said first bearing structure and said hopper are included in said rotary part, said first bearing structure being designed to bear all of said rotary part and being mounted on said frame so as to pivot about said substantially vertical axis, and in that said rotary part comprises a second bearing structure, a fixed member of said telescopic arm being mounted on said second bearing structure interdependent with said rotary part through attachment means allowing pendular movements of said telescopic arm, said attachment means being fixed to an attachment part of said fixed member placed at a distance from the ends of said fixed member.