Currently, recycled metal is diluted with primary metal to keep the concentration of alloying elements within specification. This will be more difficult in the future, when a larger proportion of the metal is made from scrap. Particularly, there is a need for a process that can remove elements more noble than aluminum from the scrap metal. While electrolytic refining in a three-layer cell (the Hoopes process) is a possibility; the present paper presents a simpler and more flexible electrolysis cell where the anode metal (alloy) and the cathode metal (purified metal) are placed side-by-side. The principle was demonstrated in a laboratory cell. The current efficiency was above 80 pct and the specific energy consumption was about 7 kWh/kg Al. The refining effect was very good, e.g., the copper content in the 7xxx alloy used was reduced from 2.1 wt pct to less than 20 ppm. An industrial version of the cell used in the present work is suggested. The principles and design are generic and can be used for other purposes than recycling aluminum.

当前，再生金属用原生金属稀释，以使合金元素的浓度保持在规格范围内。当更大比例的金属是由废料制成时，这将在未来变得更加困难。特别地，需要一种能够从废金属中去除比铝更贵重的元素的方法。虽然可以在三层电解槽中进行电解精炼（Hoopes工艺）；本文提出了一种更简单，更灵活的电解槽，其中阳极金属（合金）和阴极金属（纯金属）并排放置。该原理已在实验室单元中得到证明。当前效率在80 pct以上，并且单位能量消耗是大约7 kWh / kg Al。提炼效果非常好，例如，所使用的7xxx合金中的铜含量从2.1 wt％降低到小于20 ppm。建议在本工作中使用的工业电池。这些原理和设计是通用的，除了回收铝之外，还可以用于其他目的。