Intercell Busbars: The Critical Link for Efficient Copper Electrowinning

Intercell Busbars: The Power Path Behind Every Copper Electrowinning Tankhouse

In a copper electrowinning (EW) plant, the large-scale cells, anodes and cathodes often capture attention - yet the intercell busbar, which links these cells, quietly determines your plant's electrical performance and long-term cost. These conductors carry thousands of amperes between cells and rectifiers, and a smart design directly translates into better energy efficiency, improved copper quality and operational stability.

Why Busbar Design Directly Impacts Your ROI

If the busbar system lacks optimization, you may encounter three costly issues:

1. Voltage drop and power loss - As resistance rises, energy wasted per amp increases, inflating your power bill by up to 5–15 %.
2. Uneven current distribution - Varied conductor geometry or inconsistent contact pressure causes uneven copper deposition and reduces current efficiency.
3. Hot spots, corrosion and early failure - Poor connections lead to localized heating and accelerated material degradation. Studies show segmented intercell bars reduce hot-spot temperatures and improve energy efficiency by 0.5–3 %.

Intercell Busbar Drawing

PRS's Engineering Approach to Intercell Busbars

At PRS, we treat intercell busbars as precision components rather than simple links. Our engineering philosophy covers:

• Material Purity & Conductivity: We choose LME-Grade A copper (99.99% purity) with ~100% IACS conductivity. This minimizes baseline resistance.
• Current Density & Thermal Management: Using IEC-based guidelines, we size conductors to limit ΔT (temperature rise) to ≤30 °C above ambient. For instance, forced-air cooled bars may handle ≤6 A/mm²; liquid-cooled designs can reach ~12 A/mm².
• Optimized Geometry & Short Path Routing: We design shortest electrical paths and symmetric layouts to deliver uniform current across cells.
• Surface Finish & Protective Coatings: We apply tin plating (~5–10 µm) and polish surfaces (Ra ≤ 0.8 µm) to reduce contact resistance by 15% and resist oxidation in acidic tankhouse environments.
• Modular Prefabrication: Busbars are built, drilled, labelled and tested in-factory, enabling faster plug-and-play installation on-site.
   

PRS Intercell Busbar Package Drawing  

Material & Installation Checklist - What to Ask Your EPC Supplier

Field Application: Where Busbars Perform Best

PRS intercell busbar systems fit into:

• Rectifier to cell house links (0.5 kA–20 kA)
• Cell-to-cell busbars handling high current density circuits
• Switchgear and tankhouse integration in space-limited areas

In one 3,000 TPA copper EW project, PRS reduced busbar resistance losses by ~12% and shortened commissioning time by 25% via modular prefabrication.

Conclusion: Smart Busbar Design Powers Better Electrowinning

Choosing the right intercell busbar system isn't just about copper bars-it's about optimizing material choice, current paths, thermal behavior and installation method. With PRS's engineered busbar solutions, you get lower energy cost, higher current efficiency and improved operational reliability in your copper EW tankhouse. If you're ready for a busbar layout that drives performance, PRS can design and supply it for you.