Few people realise just how energy-intensive the Hall-Heroult aluminium smelting process really is. Aluminium is the only metal which is extracted in exactly this way; every other commercial metal can use less energy-hungry processes.
Norm, that plant is just way too power-hungry for backup power to be feasible. The voltage drop across an individual pot is less than 5V DC, but the current through the potline [pots are connected in series] is around 310,000 A. No, that's not a typo!
Cheers,
Gadge
"ODK Mods can explain it to you, but they can't understand it for you..."
"Crazy can be medicated, ignorance can be educated - but there is no cure for stupid..."
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