In Plant Training At Nirma PVT. LTD.

AN INTERNSHIP REPORT

Submitted by

Mitkumar Jitubhai Gohil

180170105018

In partial fulfillment for the award of the degree of

BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING
in

Chemical Engineering

Vishwakarma Government Engineering College, Ahmedabad

Gujarat Technological University, Ahmedabad

April, 2022
 Vishwakarma Government Engineering College

Nr. Visat Three Roads, Sabarmati-Koba Highway, Chandkheda Gam Rd,

Nigam Nagar,Chandkheda, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382424

We hereby declare that the Internship report submitted along with the
Internship entitled In Plant Training At Nirma PVT. LTD. Submitted in
partial fulfillment for the degree of Bachelor of Engineering in Computer
Engineering to Gujarat Technological University, Ahmedabad, is a
bonafide record of original project work carried out by me at In Plant
Training At Nirma PVT. LTD. the supervision of Prof. Parin Shah and
that no part of this report has been directly copied from any students’
reports or taken from any other source, without providing due reference.

Name of Student Sign of Student

1. Mitkumar Gohil
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

After the completion of this internship, words are not enough to express my feelings

about all those who helped me to reach my goal.

It’s a great pleasure and moment of immense satisfaction for me to express my profound

gratitude to Prof. Parin shah, Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering Department,

Vishwakarma Govt. Engg. College, whose constant encouragement enabled me to work

enthusiastically. Their perpetual motivation, patience and excellent expertise in

discussion during progress of the project work have benefited me to an extent, which is

beyond expression. Their depth and breadth of knowledge of the Chemical Engineering

field made me realize that theoretical knowledge always helps to develop efficient

operational software, which is a blend of all core subjects of the field. I am highly

indebted to them for their invaluable guidance and ever-ready support in the successful

completion of this project in time. Working under their guidance has been a fruitful and

unforgettable experience.

I express my sincere thanks and gratitude to Mrs.Femina Patel, Head of Department,

Chemical Engineering Department, Vishwakarma Govt. Engg. College for providing

necessary infrastructure and help to complete the project work successfully

I also extend my deepest gratitude to, Co-owner of Nirma Ltd. for providing all the

necessary facilities and true encouraging environment to bring out the best of my

endeavors.

The successful completion of the internship is not an individual effort. It is an outcome

of the cumulative effort of a number of persons, each having their own importance to

the objective. This section is a vote of thanks and gratitude towards all those persons
who have directly or indirectly contributed in their own special way towards the

completion of this internship.

 Abstract

The purpose of this report is to describe and reflect upon my internship at Nirma Ltd.
Internship enabled me to apply my knowledge learned and honed through the
academics. The purpose of this is to get a practical aspect of the theoretical work
studied at the university and to understand the operations in the industrial sector and
to gain experience in different tasks.

As a part of my internship, I conducted field research on formation and learned various

process in order to get the desired product and got to know about different equipment
used during the process along with emphasis placed on safety and environmental
aspects.

In conclusion, this report shows the opportunity I got to develop and enhance skills and
competencies in my career filed which I actually achieved.
209219

Table Of Contents
Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.........................................................................................................vi
ABSTRACT...............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
INTRODUCTION TO NIRMA.....................................................................................................1
1 UNITS OF NIRMA IN INDIA..............................................................................................2
2 IN NIRMA BHAVNAGAR PLANT CAPACITY................................................................3
3 TECHNOLOGY AND SUPPORTS......................................................................................4
4 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AT NIRMA...................................................................................5
4.1 SAFETY AND HEALTH GOALS OF NIRMA............................................................5
5 EMERGENCY SIREN CODE...............................................................................................6
5.1 EMERGENCYASSEMBLY POINTS...........................................................................6
6 “LEGENDS USED IN NIRMA”...........................................................................................7
7 Laboratory work.....................................................................................................................8
7.1 Materials for testing (Raw materials and intermediates and final product....................8
7.2 Raw materials.................................................................................................................8
7.3 Intermediates...................................................................................................................8
7.4 Final product...................................................................................................................8
7.5 Instruments: -..................................................................................................................9
7.6 For coal analysis.............................................................................................................9
7.7 Environmental Data......................................................................................................10
8 PLANT AND PROCESS OVERVIEW OF SODA ASH...................................................12
9 Block Diagram of Soda ash plant at Nirma Bhavnagar.......................................................15
10 MATERIAL & ENERGY BALANCE FOR SODA ASH PROCESS............................16
11 SECTION100: - BRINE PREPARATION AND PURIFICATION...............................21
12 BLOCK DIAGRAM OF SEC 100...................................................................................22
13 SECTION 200: LIME KILN & GAS CLEANING.........................................................23
14 BLOCK DIAGRAM OF SEC 200...................................................................................25
15 SECTION-300: LIME GRINDING, DISTILLATION AND ABSORPTION...............26
16 SECTION 400: CARBONATION...................................................................................29
17 SECTION 500: - FILTRATION AND CALCINATION................................................31
18 SECTION-600: DENSIFICATION.................................................................................36
19 SECTION-700: SODA -ASH STORAGE AND BAGGING..........................................38
20 SECTION: PURE WATER PLANT................................................................................39
21 SODIUM BICARBONATE.............................................................................................41
22 CONCLUSION................................................................................................................42

Gujarat Technological i VGE

 2092 INTRODUCTION TO

INTRODUCTION TO NIRMA

NIRMA is a group of companies based in the city of Ahmedabad in western India that
manufactures products ranging from cosmetics, soaps, detergents, salt, soda ash, Linear Alkyl
Benzene, Caustic soda, Bromine etc. Dr Karsanbhai Patel, a well-known entrepreneur of
Gujarat started Nirma as a one-man operation. Today Nirma has over 17000 employees and a
turnover of over Rs 9000 crores.
In 2004, Nirma's detergent approached 800,000 tonnes-one of the largest volumes sold in the
world - under a single brand NIRMA. In 1969, Dr. Karsanbhai Patel, a chemist at the Gujarat
Governments Department of Mining and Geology manufactured phosphate free Synthetic
Detergent Powder and started selling it locally. The new yellow powder was priced at Rs 3.50
per kg, at a time when Hindustan Limited made Surf excel was priced at Rs 15. Soon, there
was a huge demand for Nirma in Ruppur Gujarat.He started packing the powder in a 10 x10
room in his house. Patel named the powder as Nirma, after his daughter Nirupama. Patel was
able to sell about 15-20 packets a day on his way to the office on bicycle,15 km away
By 1985, The Company's mission to provide. "Better Product, Better Value, Better Living"
contributed a great deal of success. Nirma washing powder had become one of the most
popular, household detergents in many parts of the county. By 1999, Nirma was a major
consumer brand - offering a range of detergents, soaps and personal care products. Keeping
in mind to provide quality products at the best possible prices. Nirma brought in the latest
technology for its manufacturing facilities at six locations in India. Nirma's success in the
highly competitive soap and detergent market was attributed to its brand promotion efforts,
which was complemented by its distribution reach and market penetration. Nirma's network
consisted of about 400 distributors and over 2 million retail outlets across the county. This
huge network enabled Nirma to make its products available at the smallest village
In 2000, Nirma had a 15% share in the toilet soap segment and more than 30% share in the
detergent market. Aided by growth in volumes and commissioning of backward integration
projects, Nirma's turnover for the year ended March 2000 increased by 17% over the previous
fiscal, to Rs 12.17 billion. In november,2007, Nirma purchased the American raw materials
company Searles Valley Minerals inc. making among Top-7 Soda Ash manufacturer in the
world
In 2014 Nirma commenced its first cement plant at NIMBOL(Rajasthan) and started to
produce cement under the brand "NIRMAN”. In 2016 Nirma group agreed to buy one of the
largest cement producer group LAFARGE'S local businesses valued about 9400 crores. To
compete with Indian cement giants like PYRAMAL and JSW. This deal has increased the
capacity of Nirma cement product to 13 million tons.
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS
l. Light Soda Ash
2. Dense Soda Ash
3. Caustic Soda
4. Bromine
5. Industrial Salt
6. Vacuum salt
7. PPS

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2092 UNITS OF NIRMA IN

1. UNITS OF NIRMA IN INDIA

Table 1.1 :Units of Nirma In India
SR. NO LOCATION STATE PRODUCTS
Kalatalav Bhavnagar Gujarat Light Soda Ash
Dense Soda Ash
Bromine
Caustic Soda
Vaccum Evaporated
Salt
Toilet Soap

2 Alindra(Baroda) Gujarat Linear Alkyl

Benzene Detergent
Cake

3 Moriya(Ahmedabad) Gujarat Single Super

Phosphate Packing
Unit

4 Mahesana Gujarat Detergent Powder

Detergent Cake
Oilum

5 Chhatral Gujarat Detergent Powder

6 Pithampur MP Detergent Powder

And Cake

7 Kanpur U.P Detergent Powder

And Cake

8 Trikampura Gujarat Detergent Powder

And Cake

9 Nimbol Rajasthan Cement

10 Porbandar Gujarart Soda Ash

Gujarat Technological 2 VGE

 2092 IN NIRMA BHAVNAGAR
CAPACITY

1. IN NIRMA BHAVNAGAR PLANT CAPACITY

1. Light Soda Ash 2800 TPD

2.Dense Soda Ash 1800 TPD
3.Toilet Soap 200 TPD
4. Vacuum salt 1600 TPD
5. Solar Salt 550 TPD
6. Caustic Soda 750 TPD
7. Bromine 10 TPD

Gujarat Technological 3 VGE

2092 TECHNOLOGY AND

1 TECHNOLOGY AND SUPPORTS

SR PLANT TECHNOLOGY
NO.
1 Soda Ash M/S AkzoNobel, Netherland
And detailed engineering. By
M/S Jacob, Mumbai

2 Vaccum Salt M/S AkzoNobel, Netherland and detailed

engineering. By
M/S Jacob , Mumbai

3 Fatty Acid C.M.B .1taly

4 Toilet Soap Binachhi & Co., Italy

5 RO Plant Thermax Co.

6 Pure water Plant M/S AkzoNobel , Netherland

Gujarat Technological 4 VGE

2092 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AT

2 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AT NIRMA

Industrial safety is important as it safeguards human life, especially in high risk areas such as
nuclear, aircraft, chemical, oil and gases, and mining industries, where a fatal mistake can be
catastrophic. Industrial Safety reduces risks to people, and processes.
2.1 SAFETY AND HEALTH GOALS OF NIRMA
 Provide workers with a safe work environment
 Conduct regular workspace inspection
 Provide ongoing safety training
 Provide personal protective equipment
 Enforce safety rules and appropriate
To achieve the safety goals Nirma is providing the personal protective to the employees. The
list of PPEs are: -
 Safety Helmet
 Safety Jacket
 Hand Gloves
 Asbestos Suit
 Ear Muff
 Reflective Jackets
 Fire Bucket
 Fire Entry Suit
 Safety Shoes
 Safety Shoes
 Facemask
 Airline Respirator
 Safety harness
 Long Sleeved Clothes

Gujarat Technological 5 VGE

2092 EMERGENCY SIREN

3 EMERGENCY SIREN CODE

I . Fire 30 SEC ON... 10 SEC PAUSE... 30 SEC ON STOP

2. Explosion 40 SEC ON... STOP
3. Gas leakage 60 SEC ON... 10 SEC PAUSE... 60 SEC ON STOP
4. All clear CONTINUOUS FOR 120 SEC
5. Testing CONTINUOUS FOR 60 SEC

3.1 EMERGENCYASSEMBLY POINTS

l. Near engg office

2. Near material gate
3. Near storage yard
4. Near caustic storage tank
5. Caustic plant near npsa

Gujarat Technological 6 VGE

2092 “LEGENDS USED IN

4 “LEGENDS USED IN NIRMA”

LEGEND EQUIPMENT

A Miscellaneous Equipment

B Crusher And Mills

D Column

F Dryer

E Heat Exchanger

G Dissolver

K Compressor Blower And Fan

M Mixers And Agitator

P Pump

R Reactor

T Separator

S Conveyor

V Vessel

W Weighing Equipment

Gujarat Technological 7 VGE

2092 Laboratory

5 Laboratory work

5.1 Materials for testing (Raw materials and intermediates and final
product

5.2 Raw materials

Lime stone (CaCO3)
Coke
Salt (NaCl)
Sodium sulfide (Na2S)
Ammonia (NH3)

5.3 Intermediates
Brine solution
A liquor (ammoniated liquor)
D liquor (NaHCO3)
Mother liquor (NH4OH+NH4Cl)

5.4 Final product

1)Soda ash (Na2CO3)

Gujarat Technological 8 VGE

 2092 Laboratory

5.5 Instruments: --
5.6 For coal analysis
TGA (Thermogravimetric analysis)
Ash, volatile, moisture &fix carbon
It takes 5 hours to give the result
Coal calculation (Australian)
Ash (18.07)
Fix Carbon (77.94)
Moisture (0.63)
Volatile (3.36)

Bomb calorimeter (GCV (gross calorific value))

GCV (6147.36 kcal)

Lecco calorimeter (gcv)

DOSIMAT IV
Used to check to iodine ppm by titration method

Elix (water purifying)

Used to check how much the water is demineralized
TDS 0.003

Conductivity meter
Used to check the conductivity of water
1.894µS/cm

Moisture Balance

Tintometer
Color checking for transmission and reflection color measurement of water
Dew point meter
Checking how much moisture is present in the air

Ion Meter
To check the ion content in the brine solution

Do meter

Gujarat Technological 9 VGE

2092 Laboratory

Used to calculate or check the cod in the water

Testo analyzer
Measure the flue gas in the boiler outlet
Eg NO, CO2,CO,N2,SO2

Turbidity meter
Used to see the cleanliness of the water

Spectrophotometer
Used to analyze the water that how much amount of silica, NO, CL, Fe etc.
Karl Fischer
Used to check the moisture of the component whose boiling point is less than 100 degrees
Celsius

Analysis of the feed in kiln

Limestone Imported (UAE) + Saurashtra

CaCO3 Imported Saurashtra

Moisture 0.5% max 4 % max
Silica 0.6 %max 3 % max
Fe2O3 0.4% max 3% max
CaCO3 96.5% max 92% max
MgCO3 1% max 3.5% max

5.7 Environmental Data

There are two types of monitoring done by the company

In the monthly monitoring they check flue gases waste water
Process stack, treated water.

This are the done by GPCB annually and also every 3 months
Things that are seen during the inspection
SPM --- 100 mg/ Nm3
SOX--- 600 mg/Nm3
NOMS---600mg/Nm3

Gujarat Technological 1 VGE

2092 Laboratory

Gujarat Technological 1 VGE

209219 PLANT AND PROCESS OVERVIEW
SODA
6 PLANT AND PROCESS OVERVIEW OF SODA ASH

Soda ash, also known as sodium carbonate (Na2C03), 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).
It most commonly occurs as a crystalline decahydrate, which readily effloresces to form a
white powder, the monohydrate. Pure sodium carbonate is a white, odorless powder that is
hygroscopic (absorbs moisture from the air). It has a strongly alkaline taste, and forms a
moderately basic solution in water. Sodium carbonate is well known domestically for its
everyday use as a water softener. Historically it was extracted from the ashes of plants
growing in sodium-rich soils, such as vegetation from the Middle East, kelp from Scotland
and seaweed from Spain. Because the ashes of these sodium-rich plants were noticeably
different from ashes of timber (used to create potash), they became known as "soda ash”. lt is
synthetically produced in large quantities from salt (sodium chloride) and limestone by a
method known as the Solvay process.
In Nirma SOLVAY PROCESS is used for production of soda ash.

SOLVAY PROCESS: -

The Solvay process or ammonia-soda process is the major industrial process for the
production of soda ash (valued primarily for its content of sodium carbonate). The ammonia-
soda process was developed into its modern form by Ernest Solvay during the 1860s.
The ingredients for this process are readily available and inexpensive: salt brine (from inland
sources or from the sea) and limestone (from mines). The worldwide production of soda ash
in 2005 has been estimated at 42 billion kilograms, which is more than six kilograms per year
for each person on Earth. Solvay-based chemical plants now produce roughly three-quarters
of this supply, with the remainder being mined from natural deposits.
Chemistry: -
The Solvay Process as an example of a cyclic process in chemical industry where green
indicates reactants, black indicates intermediates & red indicates products)
The Solvay process results in soda ash (predominantly sodium carbonate (Na2C03) from
brine as a source of sodium chloride (NaCl) and from limestone as a source of calcium
carbonate (CaC03).

Gujarat Technological 1 VGE

209219 PLANT AND PROCESS OVERVIEW
SODA

The overall process is:

2 NaCl + CaCO3—> Na2C03 + CaCl2
The actual implementation of this global, overall reaction is intricate. A simplified
description can be given using the four different, interacting chemical reactions illustrated in
the figure. In the first step in the process, carbon dioxide (C02) passes through a concentrated
aqueous solution of sodium chloride (table salt, NaCl) and ammonia (NH3).
NaCl + C02 + NH3 + H20------- NaHC03 + NH4Cl
In industrial practice, the reaction is carried out by passing concentrated brine through two
towers. In the first, ammonia bubbles up through the brine (salt water) and is absorbed by it.
In the second, carbon dioxide bubbles up through the ammoniated brine, and sodium
bicarbonate (baking soda) precipitates out of the solution. Note that, in a basic solution,
NaHC03 is less water-soluble than sodium chloride. The ammonia (NH3) buffers the solution
at a basic pH; without the ammonia, a hydrochloric acid by product would render the
solution acidic, and arrest the precipitation.
The necessary ammonia "catalyst" for reaction is recovered in a later step, and relatively little
ammonia is consumed. The carbon dioxide required for reaction is produced by heating
("calcination") of the limestone at 950 - 1 1 00 oc. The calcium carbonate (CaC03) in the
limestone is partially converted to quicklime (calcium oxide (CaO)) and carbon dioxide:
CaCO3-- CO2 + CaO
The sodium bicarbonate (NaHC03) that precipitates out in reaction is filtered out from the hot
ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) solution, and the solution is then reacted with the quicklime
(calcium oxide (CaO)) left over from heating the limestone in step.
2 NH4Cl + CaO ----- 2 NH3 + CaCl2 + H2O
CaO makes a strong basic solution. The ammonia from reaction is recycled back to the initial
brine solution of reaction.
The sodium bicarbonate (NaHC03) precipitate from reaction is then converted to the final
product, sodium carbonate (washing soda: Na2C03), by calcination (1 60 230 C), producing
water and carbon dioxide as by products:
2 NH4Cl ----- Na2C03 + H2O + C02

Gujarat Technological 1 VGE

209219 PLANT AND PROCESS OVERVIEW
SODA

The carbon dioxide from step (IV) is recovered for re-use in step (I). When properly designed
and operated, a Solvay plant can reclaim almost all its ammonia, and consumes only small
amounts of additional ammonia to make up for losses. The only major inputs to the Solvay
process are salt, limestone and thermal energy, and its only major by product is calcium
chloride, which is sold as road salt.
In the modified Solvay process developed by Chinese chemist Hou Debang in 1930s, the first
few steps are the same as the Solvay process. However, the CaCl2 is supplanted by
ammonium chloride (NH4Cl). Instead of treating the remaining solution with lime, carbon
dioxide and ammonia are pumped into the solution, then sodium chloride is added until the
solution saturates at 400 C. Next, the solution is cooled to I OOC. Ammonium chloride
precipitates and is removed by filtration, and the solution is recycled to produce more sodium
carbonate. Hou's process eliminates the production of calcium chloride. The by-product
ammonium chloride can be refined, used as a fertilizer and may have greater commercial
value than CaCl2, thus reducing the extent of waste beds.
Additional details of the industrial implementation of this process are available in the report
prepared for the European Soda Ash Producer's Association.
The Solvay process is less polluting and less expensive than the Leblanc process; chemical
process which allows to obtain the sodium carbonate from sea salt. It is because it rejects
polluting hydrochloric acid (HCI in the first step) and calcium sulphide, Cas (last step).
Salt and chalk are plentiful and inexpensive, and the ammonia is recycled during the reaction.

MAIN PRODUCTS OF THIS PROCESS: -

 Light Soda Ash
 Dense Soda Ash
BY PRODUCTS OF THIS PROCESS: -
 Calcium Chloride
 Ammonium Chloride

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THIS PROCESS:

ADVANTAGES: -
 Replacements can be found to substitute in the process that eliminate or reduce the waste
factor.
 Economically friendly, Inexpensive.
 The waste Calcium Chloride can be dumped into oceans without disrupting or hurting
aquatic life.
 Water used once can be reused for later process. Ammonia gas can be reused.
DISADVANTAGES: -
1.Traces of Ammonia is released into the air during the process.
2.Thermal pollution occurs.
3.The Calcium Chloride produced is relatively useless & needs to be dump
4.Large amount of water is needed.

Gujarat Technological 1 VGE

209219 Block Diagram of Soda ash plant at
Bhavnag
7 Block Diagram of Soda ash plant at Nirma Bhavnagar

Gujarat Technological 1 VGE

209219 MATERIAL & ENERGY BALANCE
SODA ASH
8 MATERIAL & ENERGY BALANCE FOR SODA ASH
PROCESS
(1) For the Brine refinery of a 2000 TPD Soda ash plant, how much Soda ash and quick lime
will be required for brine purification per month? Raw water is used. (Salt – 94% NaCl, Ca
0.2%, Mg 0.17%)

Salt required per ton Soda Ash = 1.8 T

For 2000 TPD Salt required = 2000 x 1.8 = 3600 TPD
Mg Content = 3600 x 0.17
= 6.12 TPD
100
Mg”Cl2 + Ca(OH)2  Mg(OH)2 + CaCl2
Mg” + CaO  MgO + Ca”
24.3 56 40

56
Daily CaO required =
24.3 x 6.12 TPD = 14.1 TPD

0.2
Calcium in salt = 3600 x = 7.2 T
100
40
Calcium generated = 6.2 x
= 10.2 T
24.3
Total Calcium = 7.2 + 10.2 = 17.2 T
CaCl2 + Na2CO3  CaCO3 + 2NaCl
Ca” + Na2CO3  CaCO3 + 2Na
40 106
106
Daily Soda required = 17.2 x
40 = 113.93 T
Monthly requirement
CaO 14.1 x 30 = 423 TPM
Soda Ash 113.95 x 30 = 3418.5 TPM

(2) How much CO2 in m3/ Hr (39%) does a Kiln of 300 TPD quicklime capacity
produce? CaCO3  CaO + CO2
300 TPD
56 44

300 TPD CaO = 44/56 x 300 TPD

= 235.7 TPD CO2

235700 Kg/ day = 9820 Kg/ Hr

= 9820/44 Kg mole/ Hr

Gujarat Technological 1 VGE

209219 MATERIAL & ENERGY BALANCE
SODA ASH
= 223 Kg mole/ Hr (100%)
= 223 x 22.4 m3/ Hr (100%)
= 4995 m3/ Hr (100%)
= 4995/0.39 = 12808 m3/ Hr (39%)
FROM COKE
C + O2  CO2
12 44
Coke required = 75 Kg/T LS
= 75 x 300 x 100/56 Kg
= 75 x 300 x 100/56 x 0.8 Kg Carbon
CO2 = 75 x 300 x 100/56 x 0.8 x 44/12
= 117857 Kg / Day
= 4911 Kg/ Hr
= 111.6 Kg mole/ HR
= 2500 m3/ Hr (100%)
= 6410 m3/ Hr (39%)
Total CO2 from Kiln = 12808 + 6410
= 19218 m3/ Hr (39%)
(3) How much CO2 do Calciners produce (95%) at 2000 TPD? (m3/ Hr)

2NaHCO3  Na2CO3 + CO2 + H2 O

106 44

2000000
Na2 CO3 produced = Kg/Hr
24
= 83333 Kg/Hr

44
CO2 = 83333 x
106
= 34591 Kg/Hr
= 786 Kg Mole/Hr
= 786 x 22.4 m3/ Hr
= 17610 m3/ Hr (100%)
17610
= 0.95
= 18537 m3/ Hr (95%)
(4) How much air is required in m3/ Hr for one kiln of 300 TPD (CaO) capacity?

The reaction is
C + O2  CO2

Gujarat Technological 1 VGE

 209219 MATERIAL & ENERGY BALANCE
SODA ASH
300000 100
L.S. required = x
24 56
= 22321 Kg/Hr
75
Coke required = 22321 x Kg/Hr
1000
= 1674 Kg/Hr
Carbon in Coke = 1674 x 0.8 = 1340 Kg/Hr
32
O2 required = x 1340 Kg/Hr
12
= 3573 Kg/Hr
Th. Air required = 3573 x 100
25
= 14292 Kg/Hr
With 15% excess air,
Air required = 14292 x 1.15
= 16436 Kg/Hr
16436
= 29 Kg Mole/Hr
= 16436
x 22.4 m3/ Hr
29
= 12695 m3/ Hr
(5) Heat of Calcination of Ca CO3 is 43350 K Cal/ Kilo mole. If LS contains 95% Ca CO3
and if CV of Coke is 7500 K Cal/Kg and thermal efficiency of the kiln is 85%, how much
coke is required in Tons/Hr for a kiln of 350 TPD lime stone capacity?

Kiln capacity = 350 TPD LS

Ca CO3 = 350 x 0.95
= 332.5 TPD
332500
Heat required = x 43350 KCal
100
C.V. Coke = 7500 K Cal/Kg
332500 43350
Coke required (100% Eff.) = x
Kg/day
100 7500
332500
Coke required at 85% Eff. = x 43350 x 1
x 1
x 1
=0.942
Tons/ Hr 100 7500 0.85 1000 24

(7) Steam tube calciner - Heat Balance :

Chemical Reactions
. NaHCO3 + NH4Cl NH3 + CO2 + H2O + NaCl
7.0 4.5 1.4 3.7 1.5 4.9 Kg/T
= 0.0841 Kmole
HR = +25230 x 0.0841 = +2420 Kcal
NH4HCO3 NH3 + CO2 + H2O
79.5 17.1 44.3 18.1 Kg/T

Gujarat Technological 1 VGE

209219 MATERIAL & ENERGY BALANCE
SODA ASH
= 1.006 Kmole
HR = +27300 x 1.006 = +27460 Kcal
. 2NaHCO3 Na2CO3 + CO2 + H2O
1585 1000 415.2 169.9 Kg
= 9.433 K Mol
HR = +19960 x 9.433 = 188 280 Kcal
Total HR = 218160 Kcal
• STD Heat Balance
Heat in Heat out
From steam (28 Bar, 300°C) From Condensate
1000 x 1.4 x 717 = 100 3800 Kcl 1000 x 1.4 x 235 329000
From Product
1000 x 0.25 x 200 50000
• STD Heat Balance
Heat in Heat out
From Filter moisture as vapor of
117°C
1680 x 0.20 x 640 215040
From Reaction water vapor
188 x 640 120320
From CO2
415 x 0.2 x 117 9711

From Heat of read 218160

942231 Heat loss 61569

(8) Ammonia Inventory calculation:

V-412 A/B/C V-413 A/B/C V-504 A/B/C Tower-14 V-503 A/B
Vol – 450 m3 Vol – 250 m3 V – 450 m3 V – 150 m3 V – 80 m3
Ammonia Inventory MT = Level x Volume x NH3 concentration x Mol. Wt.
A-liquor tank = 0.30 x 3 x 450 x 5.1 x 17 = 35.1 MT
1000
C-liquor tank = 0.45 x 3 x 250 x 5.0 x 17 = 28.7 MT
1000
Mother liquor = 0.5 x 3 x 450 x 4.35 x 17 = 49.9 MT
1000
Carbonation Tower = 14 x 150 x 4.75 x 17 = 169.5 MT
1000
Bicarbonate slurry tank = 0.6 x 2 x 80 x 4.75 x 17 = 7.7 MT

Gujarat Technological 1 VGE

209219 MATERIAL & ENERGY BALANCE
SODA ASH
1000
Total ammonia Inventory = 35.1 + 28.7 + 49.9 + 169.5 + 7.7 = 290.9 MT
(9) PHE–303 Heat load calculation / Stream:
A-liquor flow rate – 810 m3/hr
A-liquor inlet temp. – 60 degC
A-liquor outlet temp. – 40 degC
A-liqour density – 1170 kg / m3
A-liquor Specific heat - 0.78

Heat load Q = m x Cp x ∆ T
= 810 x 1170 x 0.78 x (60 – 40)
= 14784120 kcal / hr = 14784120 / 860 = 17190 kw / hr
= 14784120 / 30
= 492804 kcal / ton of soda ash
Sea Water required
492804 = m x 1 x (38-30)
m = 492804 / 8 x1025 = 60.1 x 29 = 1743 m3/hr.

Gujarat Technological 2 VGE

209219 SECTION100: - BRINE
AND
9 SECTION100: - BRINE PREPARATION AND
PURIFICATION
RAW MATERIALS: -
 Ro water / Treated water
 Milk of lime
 Salt
 Flocculant
 Soda ash solution
EQUIPMENTS USED
 Conveyor Belts
 Centrifugal Pump
 Screw Pump
 Piston Pump
 Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor
 Settler With Agitator

PROCESS: -
Treated water / RO water from storage and salt from local salt works are mixed in dissolver
and saturated solution of salt is made which is known as RAW BRINE. This Raw Brine has
density about 1.3 kg/lt. This Raw Brine is collected in Raw brine storage tank.
This Raw brine will have impurities like Ca+1 and Mg+2 ions, which are to be removed för
further process. To remove this Impurities Raw Brine is mixed with Soda Ash solution and
Milk of Lime. The reaction is as following:

Ca +2 + Na2CO3 --- CaC03 + 2 Na+1

Mg+2 +Ca(OH)2 ---- MgOH + Ca+2
These reaction takes place in 3 reactors present at section 100. After these reactors the brine
goes to Settler where Flocculant is added to settle down impurities present as precipitates of
and Mg (OH)2 as a slurry form. The overflow of this settler is taken out which is pure is
called as pure brine which is collected in pure brine tank and sent to further process.
The settled slurry in settler is kept out as a waste and washed with incoming

raw brine to collect the residue of NaCl remaining in the waste slurry. Then this slurry is sent
to ETP plant for final disposal as a Waste.
FINAL PRODUCT:
 Pure Brine

Gujarat Technological 2 VGE

2092 BLOCK DIAGRAM OF SEC

10 BLOCK DIAGRAM OF SEC 100

Gujarat Technological 2 VGE

209219 SECTION 200: LIME KILN &
CLEANIN
11 SECTION 200: LIME KILN & GAS CLEANING
RAW MATERIALS
 Limestone
 Coke
 Air

EQUIPMENT USED: -
 Vertical Saft Kiln
 Vibro Feeder
 Air Fan
 Elevating Bucket
 Scrubber
 Electrostatic Precipitator
 Weigh Bin

PROCESS: -
1. Lime stone is imported from Dubai Saudi Arabia and other local mines which comes to
RMH which will have size about 60-120 mm will be converted to 30-60 mm sized stones in
grinding mill.
2. This lime stones goes to lime bunker located at the top of the section from where it is
transported to screening via vibro feeder where under size particles are recycled to the
bunker. From screening regular size stones will go to weighing bunker where desired amount
of lime stone is feed.
3. Coke coming from RMH is stored in Coke bunker and then transferred in weighing bunker.

Now both limestone and coke are mixed on the conveyor belt in a ratio given in the table
below:
Lime stone Coke Ratio
Imported Regular 9.4
Saurashtra Regular 7.0
imported Anthracite 8.4
Saurashtra Anthracite 6.8
imported Briquette 10.2
Saurashtra Briquette 7.4

The mixture of Lime stone and coke is feed with conveyor belt to elevating bucket which
feeds the mixture to the top of the kiln

In Nirma there is Vertical shaft kiln is used to decompose CaC03 into CaO and C02. The
height of the lime kiln is 31m each, in which effective height is 28m. to reduce heat looses by
conduction and radiation kiln is insulated with brick lining about 600mm. Kiln's outside
diameter is 6.5m and inside diameter is 5.3m. This kiln is designed such that the residence

Gujarat Technological 2 VGE

 209219 SECTION 200: LIME KILN &
CLEANIN
time of material is about 48hrs. There are total 8 kilns in section-200. Lime kiln are divided
into three zones.
(vi) Top zone it is called preheater zone in which temp is maintained about 300-
3500 c.
(vii) Middle zone it is called reaction zone in which decomposition reaction of calcium
carbonate (CaC03) takes place and carbon dioxide gas (C02) is released. The reaction is as
following:
CaC03--- Cao + C02
Limestone quick lime
2C+O2- 2CO
2C0+O2 - 2C02
(viii) Cooling zone in this zone temp is maintained around 2000C by passing air by air
blower.
The CO2 gas is raised with the atm air provided by the air fan from the bottom of the kiln,
and remaining lime Cao is collected from the bottom via table and transported to section-300.

(IX) The CO2 collected from the top of the kiln is sent to gas scrubber in which water is
spread from the top and the gas is passed from the bottom. Clean gas is obtained from the top
of the scrubber, thus SO2 is removed from CO2 gas.
(X) From scrubber CO2 goes to electrostatic precipitators to separate dust particles from kiln
gas in these precipitators high voltage electric current is used as an electrode to collect ionic
particles from the gas. After electrostatic precipitation the gas is sent to utility department for
compression.

STEPS FOR IDEAL OPERATIONS OF KILN ARE: -

 Charging sequence
 Discharging sequence
 Kiln air fan operation
 Gas cleaning
 Undersize material handling
FINAL PRODUCT: -
1. CO2 Gas (40%)
2. Quick Lime

Gujarat Technological 2 VGE

2092 BLOCK DIAGRAM OF SEC

12 BLOCK DIAGRAM OF SEC 200

Gujarat Technological 2 VGE

 209219 SECTION-300: LIME
DISTILLATION AND
13 SECTION-300: LIME GRINDING, DISTILLATION AND
ABSORPTION
RAW MATERIALS: -
 Mother liquor from section -500
 Lime from section- 200
 Pure brine from section-500

PROCESS: -
It is divided into three major parts
(1) Lime grinding
(2)Distillation
(3)Absorption
(i) LIME GRINDING: -
 In lime grinding the main raw material is lime coming from sec-200, this lime is in form
of big stones having size of 30-60mm. And further these stones are transferred to bunker.
From bunker this limestone is sent to lime crushing mill where the particle size is reduced
to 20-50mm. Magnets are installed at the output of the crushing mill to remove metallic
impurities.
 This particle is further sent to lime grinding mill where its size is reduced about 90%. The
output of lime grinding mill will have particle size smaller than 0.15mm which will be a
fine powder.
 The remaining uncrushed or bigger particle than the desired size are separated via
circulation air and sent again to grinding mill. And the particles which are of desired size
are sent to cyclone.
 From cyclone particles are discharged to lime powder bunkers via rotary feeder.
 To prevent dusting and higher temp in plants fans are provided which will collect dust
particles and sent it back to lime bunkers for crushing again.
 From lime powder bunker some part of powder lime is dissolve in dissolver tank to
prepare milk of lime which is to be used in sec- 100 brine purification. This dissolver tank
is CSTR type, to avoid settling of lime particles.
 The remaining lime is sent to a reactor called pre-limer. In which lime is mixed with
mother liquor and the resulting product will be Calcium Chloride (CaC12) in the form of
sludge.
 The remaining sludge is sent to settler and washed with brine to recover remaining
mother liquor.
(ii) DISTILLATION: -
 Distillation is the process of separating the components or substances from a liquid
mixture by selective boiling and condensation.
 Distillation may result in essentially complete separation (nearly pure components),
or it may be a partial separation that increases the concentration of selected
components of the mixture.
 In either case the process exploits differences in the volatility of the mixture's
components. In industrial chemistry, distillation is a unit operation of practically
universal importance, but it is physical separation process and not a chemical
reaction.

Gujarat Technological 2 VGE

209219 SECTION-300: LIME
DISTILLATION AND
 The application of distillation can roughly be divided in four groups: laboratory
scale, industrial distillation, distillation of herbs for perfumery and medicinal (herbal
distillate), and food processing. The latter two are distinctively different from the
former two in that in the processing of beverages and herbs, the distillation is not
used as a true distillate purification method but more to transfer all volatiles from
the source materials to the distillate.

 The main difference between laboratory scale distillation and industrial distillation
is that laboratory scale distillation is often performed batch-wise, whereas industrial
distillation often occurs continuously.
 In batch distillation, the composition of the source material, the vapours of the
distinct compounds and the distillate change during the distillation.
 In batch distillation, a still is charged (supplied) with a batch of feed mixture, which
is then separated into its component fractions which are collected sequentially from
most volatile to less volatile, with the bottoms (remaining least or non-volatile
fraction removed at the end. The still can then be recharged and the process
repeated.
 In continuous distillation, the source materials, vapours, and distillate are kept at a
constant composition by carefully replenishing the source material and removing
fractions from both vapor and liquid in the system. This results in a better control of
the separation process.
 The ground lime is feed to prelimer in which lime react with hot CO, free mother
liquor by pump.
 In prelimer slight vacuum is present. The content in prelimer is agitated for mixing
then mixture is gone to settler, the coarse particles are settled in bottom of the settler
and reacted with ammonia free ammonium liquor from distillation column that has
been use for washing of solid.
 The solid is fluidized with ammonia in liquor. The solid is sent to sand washer. In
that solid are washed with counter flow with ammonia free liquor. The wash liquor
is fed to bottom of settler. The solids are discharged to dilution tank. The mixture
settled under gravity.
 In stripper ammonia is stripped of prelimer liquor with live steam stream of
intermediate pressure is fed to injector through which vacuum is maintained in flash
tank. The steam is supplied to distillation.
 In the flash tank fixed ammonia still, liquor is flashed. The vapour from flash tank is
use to reduce temperature of fixed ammonia liquor. Mother liquor from filtration is
few controlled feds to preheater.
 In preheater mother liquor is heated at 71 oc by partial condensation of distillation
gas from free ammonia still in PHE-I. Heat is also transfer between PHE-I and PHE-
2 by circulation of fluid.
 The heat circulated fluid is cooled in PI-IE 2, such that mother liquor is heated
circulating fluid can further cool and achieved 55-60 o c. About 40% of dissolved
carbon dioxide and small part of free ammonia present in mother liquor which are
separated and supply to absorber pump to prelimer. The rich ammonia stream is
cooled from 920C to 57oc in preheater to prevent the crystallization of ammonia of
ammonium salt to 55 0 C temperature.
 This ammonia and carbon dioxide is removed by stripping in liquor and this free
liquor is maintain in preheater.

Gujarat Technological 2 VGE

 209219 SECTION-300: LIME
DISTILLATION AND
ABSORPTION
 It is a physical or chemical phenomenon or a process in which atoms, molecules of
ions enter some bulk phase-liquid or solid material. This is a different process from
adsorption, since molecules undergoing absorption are taken up by the volume, not
by the surface (as in the case for adsorption). A more general term is sorption, which
covers absorption, adsorption, and ion exchange. Absorption is a condition in which
something takes in another substance.

 In many processes important in technology, the chemical absorption is used in place

of the physical process, e.g., absorption of carbon dioxide by sodium hydroxide
such acid-base processes do not follow the Nernst partition law.

 For some examples of this effect, see liquid-liquid extraction. It is possible to extract
from one liquid phase to another a solute without a chemical reaction. Examples of
such solutes are noble gases and osmium tetra oxide.

 The process of absorption means that a substance captures and transforms energy.
The absorbent distributes the material it captures throughout whole and adsorbent
only distributes it through the surface.

 The process of gas or liquid which penetrate into the body of adsorbent is
commonly known as absorption.

 The ammoniated purified brine from filter gas scrubber. To ammonia brine flows by
gravity to absorber. In absorber brine is further ammoniated with distillate gas from
preheater which fed to bottom of absorber.
 Increase brine flow in lower part of absorber temperature rise, by absorption of
ammonia decreased. Maintain ammonia absorption to obtain good bicarbonate
crystal quantity in carbonation the ammonia content in liquor must kept constant. To
reduce iron, pick up and oxidation of cast iron material NaS solution is dosed by
sulphide pump.

Gujarat Technological 2 VGE

2092 SECTION 400:

14 SECTION 400: CARBONATION

RAW MATERIALS: -
 AMMONIATED LIQUOR FROM (SECTION 300)
 CARBON DIOXIDE FROM (SECTION 200)
EQUIPMENTS USED: -
 PACKED COLUMN
 CENTRIFUGAL PUMP
COMPRESSION PROCESS:
 The gases required in the carbonation are compressed by compressor. The entering
gases stream are rich gas from calciner gas condensation (sec 500) with high carbon
dioxide gas (95% by volume) lime kiln gas from kiln (sec200) with low c02 content
40% by volume.
 In bottom gas compressor a mixture of kiln and calciner gas of c02 content 80% by
volume. All recycle rich gas system for this suction pressure 4.1 bar absolute.
 Middle gas compressor compresses the kiln gas from 0.9 to 2.95 bar absolute is
middle gas and cleaning gas compressor compress 0.9 to 4.1 bar is called cleaning
gas.
 Compressors are stream turbine driven with speed control for constant exhaust
pressure. The seed of turbine is controlled by stream flow. Depending on speed
there is a minimum gas through put for each compressor below this through put the
compressor operation become unstable. If the required compressor capacity is lower
than minimum through put. Some compressed gas will be recycled to prevent
surging.
 In the suction of compressor process water in injected to prevent fouling of
compressor internal; and to cool by circulation of water in scrubber.
 Water flow is circulated by pump and cooled by water in PHE water of gas
compression resulting from water injection in compressor to wet controlled pump
to other process section. Ammonia contain water of bottom compression is set to
calciners gas condenser. Ammonia free water and middle gas compression is flow
controlled send to flash water tank. liquors are collected in sump pit and pumped to
slops tank.

CARBONATION:

 Ammoniated brine from absorption is stored in A- liquor tank. The carbonation of

A-liquor tanks place in 2 groups of 5 carbonation tower. In each group one by one
cleaning is done and remove bicarbonate scale sediment during production cycle.
 The remaining 4 towers of this group are operating in production cycle. A cleaning
take approximately 16 hours and production cycle 64 hours. The A liquor is flow
controlled pumped by to cleaning tower.
 The sediment bicarbonate in the tower will dissolve in A-liquor on its way from top
of bottom of cleaning tower. A certain amount of gas is needed to obtain sufficient
agitation in cleaning tower. Some cleaning gas is fed flow to bottom of tower.

Gujarat Technological 2 VGE

2092 SECTION 400:

Carbone dioxide content of carbonate brine (c-liquor) in bottom of cleaning tower is

kept constant (l .6 kmol/m3) by adjusting quantity of cleaning gas fed to tower.
 Cleaning of carbonation tower it is important that carbon dioxide content of A-
liquor is not high. Heat is generated by absorption of carbon dioxide; heat is
removed by cooling water at bottom part of tower. C-liquor flow via over flow top
to C-liquor storage. It is pumped from storage to top of 2 group of 4 parallel
operating production tower. Carbon dioxide gas is flow controlled supplied at
bottom and at middle of production tower.
 Gases flow counter current with respect to liquid to top of tower. The carbon
dioxide is dissolved in liquid followed by crystallization due to exothermal reaction;
cooling of liquor is required to reduce temperature and obtain NaHC03. cooling take
place with cooling water and chilled water.
 In tower operating temperature control is obtain well grow NaHC03 crystals. The
descending C-liquor increase in temperature to 65 oc in tower part of column
cooling bases are installed and down temperature.
 The bicarbonate slurry is cooled by both cooling water and chilled water. The upper
part of cooling section is cooled by cooling water and lower part of cooling section
is cooled by chilled water.
 Bottom liquor (draw liquor) flow to filtration section 400 from top of carbonation
tower is separated from liquid in separator and washed with brine to remove
ammonia collected liquor in flow to C-liquor tank. The production rate of tower is
controlled by gas flow to tower.
 Middle gas supply offers best starting point for capacity of carbonation. The
quantity of bottom gas is depended on an amount of gas in calcinations. Other
reactant C-liquor follow automatically changed in carbon dioxide which is change
heat of reaction

Gujarat Technological 3 VGE

209219 SECTION 500: - FILTRATION
CALCINATIO
15 SECTION 500: - FILTRATION AND CALCINATION
RAW MATERIALS: -
 D Liquor (Draw Liquor)

EQUIPMENTS: -
 RVDF (Rotary vacuum drum filter)
 Lewis Conveyor
 Calciner
 Vacuum Pump

PROCESS: -
 The bicarbonate slurry from carbonation tower is filtered by rotary vacuum drum
filter. And then send to calciner to remove moisture in bicarbonate.
 In this section we get soda ash in form of light soda ash and dense soda ash and
carbon dioxide gas.
 Carbon dioxide is sent to section-400 in carbonation tower and dense soda is send to
section-700 for bagging and light soda ash is send to section-600 for densification.
 The precipitated bicarbonate separated from liquor by vacuum filter. The air is
sucked through the filter is blown off to the atmosphere. After ammonia is removed
by washing the air with brine to reduce NaCl content of soda ash. The bicarbonate
filter cake is washed with water.
 The water used for filtration which combined with mother liquor which is fed to
distillation to recover ammonia. In calciner bicarbonate is decomposed into light
soda ash, carbon dioxide and water in form of vapour by heating operation. 180 oc
of decomposition.

Gujarat Technological 3 VGE

209219 SECTION 500: - FILTRATION
CALCINATIO

FILTRATION

(ROTATRY VACUUM DRUM FILTER)

Rotary vacuum filter drum consists of a drum rotating in a tub of liquid to be filtered.
The technique is well suited to slurries, and liquids with a high solid, which could
clog other forms of filter. The drum is pre-coated with a filter aid, typically of
diatomaceous earth (DE) or Perlite. After pre-coat has been applied, the liquid to be
filtered is sent to the tub below the drum. The drum rotates through the liquid and the
vacuum sucks liquid and solids onto the drum pre-coat surface, the liquid portion is
"sucked" by the vacuum through the filter media to the internal portion of the drum,
and the filtrate pumped away.
 The solids adhere to the outside of the drum, which then passes a knife, cutting off
the solids and a small portion of the filter media to reveal a fresh media surface that
will enter the liquid as the drum rotates. The knife advances automatically as the
surface is removed.

Gujarat Technological 3 VGE

 209219 SECTION 500: - FILTRATION
CALCINATIO
 A rotary vacuum filter consists of a large rotating drum covered by a cloth. The
drum is suspended on an axial over a trough containing liquid/solids slurry with
approximately 50-80% of the screen area immersed in the slurry.
 As the drum rotates into and out of the trough, the slurry is sucked on the surface of
the cloth and rotated out of the liquid/ solid’s suspension as a cake. When the cake is
rotating out, it is dewatered in the drying zone. The cake is dry because the vacuum
drum is continuously sucking the cake and taking the water out of it. At the final
step of the separation, the cake is discharged as solids products and the drum rotates
continuously to another separation cycle.

 The draw liquor is come from carbonation tower is collected in draw tank. The
function of this filter is removed impurity by 3-fold in filter.
i To separate solid bicarbonate from mother liquor.
ii Remove Cl content by washing with the cake. Reduce moisture
content of filter cake.
 The surface of drum is dipping into a through filled with bicarbonate slurry. By
means of vacuum in filter drum compartment. Filtrates and air is flowing through
filter cake and filter cloth and via central output into filter separator to separate the
air and liquid.
 Mother liquor is flow by vacuum pump to scrubber. Cake on filter cloth is washed
with free of Ci and NH3 water. Dewatering of cake is mainly done by air
displacement of liquid in pores cake.
 To support dewatering process a number of pressing rolls are used. This cracking of
cake.
 There are two separate connections between central discharge of filter drum and
separator.
a Mother liquor discharge provided with pressure control valve.
b Discharge of wash water and dry air.
Moisture in cake is 17% by weight cake is discharged from drum surface by scraping and
collected in tank blow back air is applied for cleaning of filter cloth with some water.
Filter capacity is controlled by variation of drum speed and thus cake thickness.
Regularly unit have cleaned by hot water. This hot water is mixture of steam and process
water. Suction pressure of vacuum pump is controlled by recycle flow. In this some water
present is cause the fouling in pump. This excess sprayed water is removed in separator.
Ammonia is removed by scrubber with pure brine.
To keep liquid level in scrubber is constant, is adjusted by level controller. Wash water is
fed to tank is cooled to 300C in cooler. This low temperature is decrease solubility of
bicarbonate. Mother liquor is pumped with mother liquor pump to distillation section 300.
Gases from mother liquor are fed to calciner o as condenser.
Bicarbonate slurry tank buffers temporarily unbalance between bicarbonate supply from
production tower and filter through put. Bicarbonate slurry tank is to provide with agitator
to prevent sedimentation of crystals.
The slurry tank is recycled with bicarbonate slurry pump. To prevent emission of
ammonia to environment filter is partly converted and vapor are removed by fan removed
air/vapor. Mixture is washed together with filter gases in scrubber. Spent liquor is
collected in sump pit to slop tank. By mean of slop pump this liquid is pumped to free
ammonia still.

Gujarat Technological 3 VGE

209219 SECTION 500: - FILTRATION
CALCINATIO
CALCINATION:

 Bicarbonate cake from filters is collected in bicarbonate buffer where temporarily some
bicarbonate can be buffered. i.e., in the case of carbonation tower change over.
 From buffer bicarbonate is distributed by means of drug conveyor to calcination unit.
Three in operation and one in standby. To prevent emission of ammonia to environment
air is sucked through storage tank and belt by means of vacuum pump. The loaded with
ammonia scrubbed in filter gas scrubber.
 Crude bicarbonate is fed to calciner feeder. To avoid transport and fouling problem inside
calciner, the crude bicarbonate is mixed with recycled light soda vs produced soda ash
such that moisture content of product is 7% by weight.
 Recycle soda ash is dosed by ash recycle valve and ash recycle screw in to mixture. Due
to high temperature of recycle soda ash(180 oc)
 Decomposition of bicarbonate is start already in feed mixture. It is transported into
calciner. Calciner consists of rotary drum with steam tubes. In it bicarbonate is
decomposed according to reaction. Required heat for decomposition will be provided by
condensing high pressure stream (35 bar) in tubes. Condensate is collected in calciner. To
assure complete decomposition of bicarbonate temperature of soda ash leaving calciner
must be minimum 1800C.
 Then soda is collected in discharge box of calciner and transported with conveyor to ash
conveyor. The hot calciner gas (1200C) loaded with soda ash
 Dust will be fed via gas box into calciner cyclones. Cyclones remove dust and then gases
is sent to calciner gas scrubber to remove remaining dust.
 In scrubber gas is scrubbed by circulating condensate from calciner gas.
 Almost clean water from weak liquor still vacuum pump is added to dilute and cool
circulating fluid. To avoid accumulation of soda ash on cyclone wall. Scarpereds are use.
Dust is collected in cyclone transported to recycle screw.
 The collected middle stream condensate in condenser receiver tank is sent level controlled
to intermediate pressure flash tank to flashed at 8bar. Flash stream is fed to 8bar stream
grid.
 Hot soda ash is transported with ash conveyor via elevator to top part of conveyor in the
top building. For start-up purposes a part of the light ash can be transported from ash
conveyor to the calciner unit by means of start-up rotary valve and conveyor. In conveyor
soda ash is transported in the top part to the end of conveyor and transported back in
bottom.
 First densification bunker is filled. The soda ash not consumed by densification is
transported to the light ash cooler by rotary valve. when soda ash supply to conveyor
exceeds the consumption of the downstream equipment, the excess amount soda is
transported by conveyor to screen to storage.
 The L.S cooler the soda is cooled to 80 oc to prevent scaling of the cooling water tubes in
the soda cooler.
 Then it is transported with conveyor and feed to screen, the oversize ash is removed and
crushed in lump crusher. To prevent damaging of crusher by metal parts, magnet is
located in the crusher inlet.
 The obtained L.S is transported to section 700. And it transports system is dedusted by
means of de-dusting system consisting of de-dusting filter, dedusting fan, screw, valve.

Gujarat Technological 3 VGE

209219 SECTION 500: - FILTRATION
CALCINATIO
 L.S ash bunker is provided with inner tube in which dust is stored. This is required to
proper mixing of fresh soda ash and dust in feed to hydrator.
 The soda dust will be removed from air in scrubber by counter current flow of diluted
soda ash solution circulation by pump. A part of circulation solution is used in hydrator.
In process water will be supplied level-controlled valve to scrubber from flash water tank.
 Water used for flushing is collected in sump at wash water tank. By sump pump water is
transported to flash water tank. Where it is store together with ammonia free purge water
from the compression section. process water is used. The water is pumped flow controlled
by flash water pump to scrubber.
 Oversize is crushed by dense ash lump crusher and recycles by screw and cooling section
of fluidized bed drier to remove newly formed fines. The dense ash is conveyed by ash
belt to soda storage. For indication of actual/ total produced quality converted soda ash
will be weighed.

Gujarat Technological 3 VGE

2092 SECTION-600:

16 SECTION-600: DENSIFICATION
Raw Materials:
Light Soda Ash
EQUIPMENTS USED
1)Hydrator
2)Crusher
3)FBD (fluid bed dryer)
4)Rotary Valve
PROCESS:
Product from the section 500 is L.S is densification in the section 600. This is done by two
types. One is by hydration and other is dehydration.
There two steps:

1) Hydration:
 Light soda ash coming from sec-500 is mixed with water to hydrate. In the ratio of
Im3/hr of water to 3rpm of feed screw. To cooldown these mixture cooling is given by
cooling water.
 The mixture created in hydrator is fed to crusher to make similar size monohydrate
crystal of soda ash.
 Hydrator is a horizontal type Mixer which continuously mixes and agitates the
mixture regularly.

Gujarat Technological 3 VGE

2092 SECTION-600:

Fluid Bed Dryer

 The cake coming from crusher is fed into fluid bed dryer and it is dried to
make dehydrated crystal of dense soda ash.
 In FBD the mean bed temp is maintained 1350C by providing 35bar steam.
 After heating the crystal, it will be cooled down below 800C by directly contact with
ambient air and cooling water.
 Density of inlet is about 620-680 kg/m3. And the output of FBD will have density
.
about 1120-1220 kg/m3

Gujarat Technological 3 VGE

 2092 SECTION-700: SODA -ASH
AND BAGGING

17 SECTION-700: SODA -ASH STORAGE AND BAGGING

EQUIPMENTS USED :---
Conveyor Belt
Screw Feeder
Vibro Feeder
Weighing Bucket
Bags Lifting Crane

PROCESS
Section 700 is storage and bagging section for the soda ash product, light soda in section
600.
Conveying of L.S.A from the storage facilities is done by installed conveying belts.
There are 6 bunkers (SILO) for storage of L.S.A and four bunkers for dense soda ash.
Material coming from belt is lifted by Silo buckets lifts to top floor by vibrato feeder.
Then the material is sent to screen, from the screen the material is sent to packing while
remaining lumps are sent to hammer mill and then recycled to screen.
The bags of light soda ash are of three size 50kg, 750kg and 1000 kg.
It has packing capacity of 1800-2000 tons/day.
The bags of dense soda ash are of two size 50 and 1000 kg.
It has packing capacity of 800-1000 tons/day.

Gujarat Technological 3 VGE

2092 SECTION: PURE WATER

18 SECTION: PURE WATER PLANT

RAW MATERIAL:-
 BRINE: 1200 KG/m3
 2.5 BAR STEAM
EQUIPMENTS USED: -

 Insulated Vessel
 Shell And Tube Heat Exchanger
 Settling Tank
 Centrifuge
 FBD (Fluid Bed Drier)
PROCESS: -
Saturated brine from the condenser of the salt works is preheated, degassed and fed to a
three-stage evaporation unit. The resulting water to water vapour is condensed and
transported to water treatment section at the soda ash plant. The resulting salt is separated
washed, dried and transported to storage bin.
In the evaporation process anhydrite is formed as second solid phase in order to minimize the
crystallization on heating surface of anhydrite crystals are recovered and used as seeds.
Process section:
 Section 3000: raw and intermediate materials
 Section 3100: evaporation plant
 Section 3200: salt drying storage and handing
 Section 3300: salt storage and handling
 Section 3400: salt packing
Process:
 In this section main product is pure water and by product is salt. Here different types of
salt are produced like plane, pure, printed and iodized salt.
 Sea water is taking into the pond through pump and solar evaporation is occur. We will
get raw brine with density 1200kg/m3from pond is stored in the storage tank.
 Raw brine is preheated in shell and tube heat exchanger and then feed into every
evaporator from washing leg. In first evaporator brine is flow through tube while 2.5 bar
steam is passed by shell side. Steam is condensed which is collected from the bott01n of
heat exchanger then utility section.

 Vapour formed in first evaporator is using as a heating medium for 2nd evaporator and
slurry have a density of 1230-1280 kg/m3 is discharge from leg. Condensate from second
effect shell side is pure water which is stored in storage tank. Vapour from 2nd effect is
used as a heating medium for 3rd evaporator and condensate is pure water which is stored
into storage tank.

 Here steam used in first effect is having temp. of 130 oc output will have temp of about 1
12 0 C. Vapours coming from first effect will have temp of 94 0 C And the outcon1ing

Gujarat Technological 3 VGE

2092 SECTION: PURE WATER

vapours of second effect will have temp of 75 oc which will act as a heating medium for
third effect and output of third effect vapours will have temp of 58 0 C.
 Here all three evaporators are working under vacuum. Slurry from these three effects is
feed into salt slurry tank and then washed with brine in washing tank. After this process
slurry is sent to thickener from which heavy slurry from bottom is sent to the centrifuge
and over flow clear liquor is stored into brine tank which is recycled to process again.
 This centrifuge is rotating pusher type having 40 MT/hr capacity. Solid from centrifuge
contain 1.7% moisture and Mother liquor is send to raw brine tank and cake is conveyed
into FBD.
 Before feed to FBD an anti-caking agent is mixed with it’ll Nirma they are using Fe
(CN)6 as an anti cacking agent for salt. The aqueous solution of Fe (CN)6 is sprayed on
conveying belts in the limits of 6ppm.
 After addition of anti cacking agent salt is sent to FBD for removing remaining moisture.
The output salt is stored on silo and packed as per requirements with fully automatic
packing unit.
FINAL PRODUCTS: -
2200-2300 m3/day pure water as main product.
1800 PD vacuum salt as by product.

Gujarat Technological 4 VGE

2092 SODIUM

19 SODIUM BICARBONATE:
Raw Materials:
 Water
 Carbon dioxide
 Soda ash
 Molecular weight-84.607 g/mol
 Density-2.2 g/cm3
 Soluble – water
 Melting point – 3273 K
Reaction includes:
Refined sodium bicarbonate, commonly known as baking soda, is widely used in industry.
The chemical formula is NaHC03. Basic ingredients for the manufacture of refined bicarb are
soda ash and carbon dioxide.
Na2CO3 + H2O + CO2 --- NaHCO3
Here,
Mother liquor dissolves LSA and is sent to the feed filter where it is filtered using a sand
filter. There are three sand filters and their combined capacity is 400m3/hr. CaCl2 is dosed in
it before sending it to the filter. The feed is then sent to the saturator where hot kiln gas is
pumped from the bottom by FD fan and converts LSA to Sodium Bicarbonate. The gas is
sucked from the top by suction fan. The magma produced is sent to the magma tank and from
there it is pumped to the centrifuge decanters. The cake and mother liquor are separated using
a filter cloth and the mother liquor is sent back to the dissolver where LSA is dissolved. The
cake is removed by a knife and sent to the drying tube where the rest of the moisture is
removed. After that, it is sent to a cyclone where its impact is lowered, and smooth flow is
maintained. It then moves to the storage silos where RSB is packed in bags.

Gujarat Technological 4 VGE

2092 CONCLUSIO

20 CONCLUSION
It is known that experience is the best guide; I understood the ignorance of internship
program during this period. During this time of four weeks, I have come across a lot of new
things. Seeing the things, we study' in college, in the indust1Y on giant scale is quite helpful.
Industry is the place where one can learn about the practicality of the concepts understood at
lectures in college. In ever thought that a single process can also require so much
complications and arrangements to take place correctly. The processes taking place are
arranged in such a manner that there is neither wastage being produced nor wastage of energy
but apart from our study. I have also experienced the working atmosphere, how they are
trying continually to expand the capacity. Maintaining the quality up to the customers
satisfaction etc. One can really learns a lot if he is to work with such organization. The basic
fundamentals, how all the departments are integrated with one another and how all the
departments are working together towards a single vision. I am very glad that I had such a
good organization to learn from.

Gujarat Technological 4 VGE