Survey of twenty years of modelisation of the MHD stability in Aluminium 
Electrolysis
By Michel Romerio, Senior Researcher, EPFL, Lausanne

Michel Romerio, a physicist by formation has worked for twenty years 
with Alusuisse and now with ALCAN, developing the numerical simulation 
of Aluminium electrolysis pots.  This is a complex multi physics process
that includes Joule effects, convection and magneto-hydrodynamics.
It also involves stability of free surfaces, and much more.

The process must be designed to avoid damages to the pots as well as 
optimal energy requirements.

The EPFL team has had and still has a unique industrial collaboration 
with the aluminium producer and R/D lab. The conference will overview 
the work done, and the state of the art today.

For a presentation of the problem and  example see :
http://dmawww.epfl.ch/rappaz.mosaic/research/alu.html
http://dmawww.epfl.ch/rappaz.mosaic/animations/alu.html