What is Soda Ash?
Soda ash, the common name for sodium car-bonate (Na2CO3), has significant economic importance because of its applications in manufacturing glass, manufacturers of chemicals, paper industry, detergents manufacturer and many other products.
The Solvay process or ammonia-soda process is the major industrial process for the production of sodium carbonate (soda ash). The ammonia-soda process was developed into its modern form by Ernest Solvay
The Solvay process or ammonia-soda process is the major industrial process for the production of sodium carbonate (soda ash). The ammonia-soda process was developed into its modern form by Ernest Solvay
Soda Ash Properties
Soda ash is a white, anhydrous, powdered or granular material containing more than 99% sodium carbonate (Na2CO3). The commercial standard for soda ash is expressed in terms of the equivalent sodium oxide (Na2O) content. A 99.5% soda ash is equivalent to 58.2% Na2O (the conversion equation is: % Na2CO3x0.585 = % Na2O). Soda ash is made in three main grades — light, intermediate and dense.
Sodium carbonate (soda ash) is a white alkaline powder soluble in water which is produced in two grades - light and dense. Light soda ash is a fine powder whereas dense soda ash, with twice the bulk density is a granular product.Soda ash is manufactured using the locally-available natural raw materials of salt, in the form of brine, and limestone.
| Chemical Name | Sodium Carbonate | |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular Weight | 105.989 | |
| Melting Point | 851oC 1564oF |
|
| Specific Gravity | 20o/4oC | 2.533 |
| Specific Heat | 25oC | 0.249 cal/gm/oC |
| 77oF | 0.249 Btu/lb/oC | |
| 45oC | 0.256 cal/gm/oC | |
| Heat of Fusion | 854oC | 75.5 cal/gm 135.9 Btu/lb |
| Heat of Formation | 25oC | -2550 cal/gm -4590 Btu/lb |
| Heat of Hydration | Monohydrate, Na2CO3 • H2O | 30.0 cal/gm Na2CO3 54.0 Btu/lb Na2CO3 |
| Heptahydrate, Na2CO3 • 7H2O | 156.4 cal/gm Na2CO3 281.5 Btu/lb Na2CO3 |
|
| Decahydrate, Na2CO3 • 10H2O | 208.8 cal/gm Na2CO3 375.8 Btu/lb Na2CO3 |
|
| Solubility | 0oC | 7 gms Na2CO3 in 100 gms H2O |
| 100oC | 44.7 gms Na2CO3 in 100 gms H2O | |
| 35.37oC (max.) | 49.5 gms Na2CO3 in 100 gms H2O | |
| Alkali equivalent | 100 % Na2CO3 = 58.48 % Na2O | |
| Acid equivalent | 1 lb Na2CO3 = 0.6881 lb HCl | |
Soda Ash Application
Soda ash is used in a wide variety of applications and industries. Among st many others the major uses of soda ash are in
•Glass
soda ash is used in the manufacture of flat and container glass. Acting as a fluxing agent, it allows the melting temperature of the batch to be lowered and therefore reduces energy consumption.
• Detergents
- soda ash is used in a large number of prepared domestic products: washing powders, soaps and scouring powders where it acts primarily as a builder or water softener.
• Chemicals
- soda ash is a primary raw material in the production of sodium based chemicals e.g.. sodium bicarbonate, sodium silicate, sodium phosphate and sodium per-carbonate.
Sodium Bicarbonate is also used in a wide variety of applications and industries. Some typical major uses are in:
• Food and Pharmaceuticals
- Sodium bicarbonate is extensively used in human food products and domestic uses : baking soda, effervescent drinks, toothpaste, fruit cleaning, personal hygiene, etc. and in pharmaceutical applications :effervescent tablets, hemo dialysis.
• Animal Feed Products
- to balance diets to compensate for seasonal variations and meet specific biological and rearing needs.
• Environmental Sector
- Sodium bicarbonate is used in water treatment, fire fighting agents and in the growing market
for flue gas treatment
