Copper Electrorefining Cell Optimization

I’m upgrading a small pilot-scale copper electrorefinery and need expert guidance on the cell, electrode layout, and overall electrical configuration so the unit runs cleaner, faster, and more energy-efficiently. The chemistry side is performing as expected; the bottleneck is now strictly mechanical-electrical. Here’s what I have today: a compact polypropylene tank, lead anodes, stainless-steel cathode blanks, and a modest rectifier that tops out at 3 kA. Current distribution is uneven, anode passivation appears early, and the bus-bar arrangement is generating excessive heat. I can supply photographs, existing CAD drawings, operating logs, and ICP analyses of the deposit. What I need from you: • A revised cell and bus-bar design (2D CAD or 3D model) showing optimal electrode spacing, conductor cross-sections, and cooling or ventilation provisions if required. • A matching electrical specification—rectifier sizing, recommended waveform or ripple limits, cabling, and safety interlocks—complete with calculations (current density targets, voltage drop, power consumption). • A brief commissioning protocol outlining start-up checks and baseline test points so I can verify performance improvements in-house. Acceptance criteria: the design must achieve a uniform current density within ±5 % across the cathode surface at 260 A m-2, keep bus-bar temperatures below 45 °C during an 8-hour run, and fit within my existing 1 m × 0.5 m tank footprint. Tools such as COMSOL Multiphysics for current-field modelling, SolidWorks or AutoCAD for mechanical drawings, and Excel or MATLAB for the supporting calculations are welcome—use whatever lets you substantiate the numbers clearly. If this sounds like your specialty, let’s talk through the details and set milestones for draft drawings, simulation results, and final documentation.