Yu Zhou, Chaoxian Zhao, Jin Xiao, Liuzhou Zhou, Mengdi Wang, Sen Huang, Jie Yang, Qiuyun Mao, Zihan You, Qifan Zhong
The Hall–Héroult aluminum electrolysis process remains highly energy-intensive, making energy efficiency improvement crucial for sustainable aluminum production. Recent progress has focused on four key areas: electrolyzer structure optimization, advanced electrode materials, intelligent process control, and waste heat recovery. Structural innovations such as reducing the anode to cathode distance (ACD) and improving magnetohydrodynamic stability have lowered operating voltage and thermal losses. Novel carbon-based and conductive electrode materials have improved current efficiency and extended service life. Intelligent control methods, including model predictive control, adaptive dynamic programming, and Kalman filtering, have optimized alumina feeding, stabilized operations, and reduced perfluorocarbon emissions. Moreover, recovering waste heat from anode gases and electrolyzer sidewalls has created new opportunities for energy reuse. The integration of these strategies is advancing aluminum electrolysis toward higher efficiency, lower carbon emissions, and intelligent operation. Future directions include digital twin modeling, artificial-intelligence-driven control, ultra-low ACD designs, and efficient heat recovery systems to promote sustainable industrial transformation.