What is Soda Ash?

Commonly named “Soda”, the Soda Ash is

known as Sodium carbonate, Na2CO3.
Its CAS registry number is 497-19-8 and its
Harmonized System (HS) code is 283 620.
Sodium Carbonate or Natural Soda Ash
(based on Trona) are present in a wide range
of applications. They are already well-known
for their effectiveness in flux for glass and
flux for silicate. Moreover, they are also
Playing another role: a chemical that can substitute caustic soda
and increase PH.

Soda ash is an alkali chemical refined from the mineral trona or

naturally occurring sodium carbonate-bearing brines (both referred
to as natural soda ash), the mineral nahcolite (referred to as natural
sodium bicarbonate, from which soda ash can be produced), or
manufactured from one of several chemical processes (referred to
as synthetic soda ash).

How is Soda Ash Prepared?

A series of refining steps are required to produce soda ash from
trona ore. First the raw ore from the mine is crushed and screened.
The materia l is then fed to rotary calciners and heated. In this
process, the trona decomposes to form crude soda ash, which is
dissolved in water. The insoluble shales are separated from the
solution by a combination of settling and filtration steps, and the
resulting insoluble tailings are taken back into the mine as backfill.
The soda ash solution is treated to remove organic materials
yielding a high-purity saturated solution of sodium carbonate.

Next, the solution is fed to crystallizers where water is evaporated

and sodium carbonate monohydrate crystals are formed. The
industry-familiar term "mono-process" originates from this process
step. The crystals are dewatered and washed using cyclones and
centrifuges, and the solution is recycled to the evaporator units for
further recovery of soda ash. The monohydrate crystals are fed to
rotary kilns where they are dried to finished soda ash. Finally,
product is screened and sent to storage silos awaiting rail and truck
loadout.

Where is it used?
Soda ash has a number of diversified uses that touch our lives every
day. Glass manufacturing is the largest application for soda ash
whether it is in the production of containers, fiberglass insulation, or
flat glass for the housing, commercial building, and automotive
industries.

Soda ash also is used to clean the air and soften water. As
environmental concerns grow, demand increases for soda ash used
in the removal of sulfur dioxide and hydrochloric acid from stack
gases. Chemical producers use soda ash as an intermediate to
manufacture products that sweeten soft drinks (corn sweeteners),
relieve physical discomfort (sodium bicarbonate) and improve foods
and toiletries (phosphates). Household detergents and paper
products are a few other common examples of readily identifiable
products using soda ash.
In which consumer markets
is Soda Solvay usually
present?
Glass Industry : Raw material for
melting and flux agent to reduce the
melting point of silica (and consequently
Reduces energy consumption)

Detergents : Alkaline support, grease removal

( (sapinification effect), water softening

Chemical Industry: Acting as a strong

base (increases pH) with a softer effect

compared to caustic soda

Metallurgical processes: Desulfurization of pig iron, flux

. agent for mineral extraction, production of Lithium
i Carbonate

Pulp & Paper - Can substitute caustic soda

Supplement in pharma : High purity carbonate IPH is used as an

Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) to enable tabletting
(effervescent tablets)
Solvay is available in two
different grades
Soda Solvay is available in dense and light grades to meet its
customers' specifications in accordance with all applicable safety,
health and environmental standards.

SODA SOLVAY DENSE

The dense grade has a bulk density of ~1 t per m3
and a Particle-Median-Diameter (D50) of 300 to 500
microns.
Soda Ash Dense is the grade preferred for glass
manufacture because its granular properties make it
widely dust-free and reduce the risks of
segregation during transport and handling.

SODA SOLVAY LIGHT

The light grade has a bulk density of ~0,5 t per m3
. The D50 of approximately 100 microns is very well
. suited for detergent and chemical applications.

IPH CARBONATE
A pharmaceutical grade of sodium carbonate
anhydrous is also available. It is produced in a
dedicated production facility in Dombasle
(France).
Why do we speak about the
“Solvay process”?
We speak about the “Solvay process” because in the 1860s, Ernest
Solvay invented a new soda ash process using ammonia as
processing agent - enabling CO2 to substitute Chlorine at the
Sodium atom (also called "ammonia process"). This process
replaced the previous Leblanc process as Solvay process is much
less impactful for the environment. We still use today this process to
produce synthetic soda ash. The other synthetic route is the Hou
process developed in China where ammonia is not recycled but sold
as a byproduct: ammonium chloride.