A Novel Method for the Adjustable Potential Quantification of Aluminum Smelter Load

The energy intensive loads are particularly ideal resources in different types of electrical demand. The accurate adjustable potential quantification is a prerequisite for energy intensive loads to participate in demand response. Nevertheless, the adjustment potential quantification of the energy intensive loads is extremely challenging, mainly due to the fact that different subsectors of energy intensive loads have diverse manufacturing processes involving multiple disciplines such as electricity, thermodynamics and mechanics. In this paper, the adjustable ability of aluminum smelter load is discussed, the adjustment methods and characteristics are also analyzed. Then, based on the first law of thermodynamics, the dynamic reduction cell thermal model is derived in detail, including the heat income, heat dissipation, heat absorption and heat consumption. The adjustment potential evaluation method is proposed, which includes index definition and flow chart. Finally, the proposed adjustment potential evaluation method based on reduction cell thermal model is tested by real data collected from a ASL in Sichuan Province.