Structural Simulation and Optimization Analysis of an 8 kA Neodymium Molten Salt Electrolysis Cell

The electrolytic cell is a critical component in fluoride molten salt electrolysis, and optimizing its structure can enhance production efficiency. Based on the coupling effects of multiple physical fields, COMSOL Multiphysics software is used to simulate the impact of cathode immersion depth and anode-cathode distance on the electric field and temperature distribution in the electrolytic cell. This study aimed to optimize the structural performance of the fluoride molten salt electrolytic cell and solve the problems of low current efficiency and high energy consumption in the production process. The research results indicate that when the cathode immersion depth is 440 mm and the anode-cathode distance is 85 mm, the current density of 8 kA neodymium electrolytic cell can be increased to 1.48×10⁵ A/m², and the average production of neodymium metal can be increased from 8.26 kg/h to 8.43 kg/h, the content of rare earth can also be enhanced from 99.61% to 99.73% and the average energy consumption per hour can be reduced by 1.62 kW·h. This research provides technical reference for the design and production of rare earth neodymium electrolytic cell.