Research Progress on Physical Field in Rare Earth Molten Salt Electrolytic Cells

The molten salt electrolysis method is an important process for producing rare earth metals, and the electrolytic cell is its core equipment. The research on multiphysics simulation of rare earth electrolysis cell involves many disciplines such as metallurgy, physics and mathematics. In recent years, the combination of multiphysics simulation and numerical simulation of rare earth electrolytic cell has become an important means of optimizing the design of electrolysis cell and auxiliary production process control. This article summarizes four physical fields of rare earth electrolysis cells: electric field, magnetic field, flow field, and temperature field. Discuss and analyze the current research status of different physical fields and their impact on the rare earth electrolysis process. Multiple physical fields within the rare earth electrolytic cell exert individual effects while simultaneously interacting through coupling mechanisms. These interactions directly influence energy consumption during electrolysis, current efficiency, and the operational lifespan of the electrolytic cell. However, to date, no study has achieved a fully coupled numerical solution that comprehensively integrates these multiphysics phenomena. Multiphysics coupled simulation analysis of rare earth electrolytic cells plays a pivotal role in optimizing the design of physical fields within these systems and advancing the development of novel cell configurations, representing a critical pathway toward future technological progress.