Project Overview:

Given my interest in space, which is biggest chemistry lab one can find, always going through the
process of chemical reactions - churning new planets and stars, I am curious to learn more on this
topic. The most practical and affordable way to start the learning process is to visit a plant and meet
the officials who run the plant and get exposed to chemical reactions that are performed to obtain the
most basic of daily need items such as Caustic Soda (in this case).

I am fortunate enough to get an opportunity to visit and meet the officials of Century Rayon Chemical
Plant, Kalyan the plant is owned by Grasim Industries, which is part of large industrial conglomerate
called - Aditya Birla Group.

During the visit and meetings, I was able to gather the insights on the process of manufacturing
caustic soda including the ingredients that raw material, process followed, stages of chemical
reactions, identified risks and process followed to mitigate these risks - these learnings are duly
captured in the document.

Project Objective:

To learn about the manufacturing process of Caustic Soda, by way of manufacturing unit visit and
interaction with subject matter experts incl. people who operate plant.

Project Methodology:

For the purpose of this project, I used a combination of three sources namely, visit to plant, interaction
of key officials who are subject matter expert (by way of experience and skills) and desktop research.

I carried project in three step model, as below:

1. Desktop research to form initial understanding of the process

2. Interactions with subject matter experts, to validate the insights

3. Subsequent visits to plant, to see the practical aspects of learning, by observing things in motion

Project Observations:

Definition

Caustic soda is an alkali salt which is also called Lye. It is the common name of chemical compound
Sodium hydroxide. This name is given due to the corrosive nature of this salt on animal and plant
tissues. It has a wide range of applications. The chemical formula of Sodium Hydroxide is NaOH.
Process Description

In the chemical plant caustic soda is manufactured through Membrane Cell process. This process is
also known as Nelson Diaphragm Cell method.

Raw material are Salt water (Brine Solution) and electricity.

By products of electrolysis are Chlorine and Hydrogen.

The equation for chemical reaction is

2NaCl + 2H2O Cl2 + 2NaOH + H₂

The output of Diaphragm cell method is 50% NaOH(aq) and 1% NaCl(aq)

Reaction at the anode (or oxidation):

2Cl- (aq) → Cl2(g) + 2e

Cathode reaction (or reduction):

2H2O (l) + 2e → H2(g) + 2OH- (aq)

Na+ migrates across the diaphragm to the cathode compartment by combining with OH- to form
NaOH.

Overall cell reaction (showing the Na+ Spectator Ions):

2H2O (l) + 2Cl- (aq) + 2Na+ (aq) → 2Na+ (aq) + 2OH- (aq) + H2(g) + Cl2(g)

This product contains sodium hydroxide and sodium chloride, and the NaOH(s) can be crystallised
out.
Process Flow Chart

Plant is divided into sections mentioned below:

1. Brine Plant

The main purpose of brine plant is to re-saturate the depleted brine coming from electrolysers by
adding quantity of salt which has been electrolysed.

Saturated solution of Sodium Chloride is known as Brine. The depleted brine from the membrane cell
house is fed to the saturator along with the salt from the salt storage. There are two saturators one on
line and the other on standby.

Concentrated brine is fed to the reaction tank for the removal of impurities such as Calcium,
Magnesium, Sulphate etc. by addition of Soda ash(Barium carbonate and Sodium hydroxide)

2. Membrane Cell Plant

There are 3 electrolysers connected to the D.C. source in series

Sr. Technology Generation Year of start

NO
1 BM 2.7 udhenora Gen-III 2004
 2 BM 2.7 udhenora Gen-IV 2011

3 BM 2.7 udhenora Gen-V 2019

Each cell consists of

• Anode compartment made of titanium

• A cathode compartment made of nickel, and A cation exchange membrane

Concentrated brine which acts as an electrolyte is fed to the anode compartment of the cells.
Due to passage of the electric current NaCl decomposes into chlorine and sodium ions. Chlorine is
discharged at anode. Sodium enters the cathode compartment through membrane which does not
allow the chorine ions to pass through it. The depleted brine leaves the anode compartment and is
collected in a FRP Depleted Brine tank. Sodium reacts with the DM(demineralised) water, which is
fed in the cathode compartment and forms the Caustic Soda and the Hydrogen gas. Caustic soda
leaves the cathode.

The overall cell reaction is

2NaCl + 2H2O Cl2 + 2NaOH + H₂

From Depleted brine tank one branch (about 10% of volume) goes to chlorate decomposer and the
other branch is sent to brine decomposer for chlorine stripping by means of steam ejector, brine,
almost free of chlorine is collected in another tank. Brine from chlorate reactors comes to depleted
brine tank. Brine from second tank is made chlorine free try chemical dozing of Sodium by Sulphite

Brine is then made alkaline by addition of alkaline effluent or caustic and sent to the saturator. During
re saturation, brine picks up impurities like Calcium, Magnesium, and Sulphate etc. These impurities
are taken care of by chemicals in the reaction tanks. Brine from reaction tank is sent to clarifier.
Clarified brine from the settler is taken in a tank. Then it is passed through the precoat filters where
the suspended solids are retained on a filter media (alpha cellulose powder). From filters the brine is
passed through the guard filter to filter the carryover of the cellulose powder, if any and then to the
Filtered Brine tank.

The brine to be passed in the electrolysers has to be ultra pure for the smooth performance of
membrane. Hence, the brine is passed through the ion exchange resin towers(2 Nos.) running in
series. Before passing the brine into these towers, the brine temp is increased to 60°C for better
results. Here the level of hardness (Calcium, magnesium etc.) is brought down to less than 20 ppb
(parts per billion). This brine is stored in pure brine tank.

Brine from the pure brine tank is passed through the contact tower where it comes directly in contact
with the hot chlorine coming from the electrolysers. Brine takes heat from the chlorine (and chlorine
gets cooled) and its pH comes down to 4. The brine is then fed into the electrolysers through a heat
exchanger which regulates the temperature to around 65°C to 70°C.

3. Chlorine Plant

The main process of chlorine plant is to cool the chlorine and remove water vapour from it. Chlorine
from electrolysers is sucked by blower and passed to chlorine plant through contact tower and a
cooler. Also a high pressure and a low pressure seal is provided before the contact tower for any
abnormality to prevent dispersion of chlorine gas to atmosphere.

The chlorine gas coming from cell houses is cooled, dried, compressed and then liquefied and stored
in chlorine storage tanks. The wet chlorine gas leaving then is passed through the drying towers in
which its dries with concentrated sulphuric acid. The dry gases pass through glass wool filters where
traces of impurities are removed.

In order to remove acidic droplets still present in the gas, the compressed gas is liquefied in the
chlorine condenser by evaporating Freon 22 which is a refrigerant. The liquified chlorine flows into
storage tanks, from the storage tanks the liquid chlorine is filled into drums and steel cylinders by air
padding.

4. Chlorine Storage Tanks

There are 5 chlorine storage tanks. Each tank has 40 M.T.(metric ton ) storage capacities. Tanks are
made of mild steel with wall thickness 16 mm. Dry chlorine is not corrosive, hence it is stored in MS
tanks.

Dry air padding is used for raising the tank pressure to 10 Kg/cm2 for filling of liquid chlorine in toners.
Air dew point is less than 50°C.

5. Hypo Plant

This plant is important as all the waste gases from various sections of plant are neutralised in Caustic
to produce Sodium Hypochloride.
Emergency power supply from D G Set is given to Hypo plant. During power failure D G Set
automatically starts and takes over the power supply to pumps and tail gas fan during emergency to
avoid the chlorine nuisance.

6. Hydrogen Plant

Hydrogen produced in manufacturing process is cooled and scrubbed and then goes to Hydrogen
gas holder which is of 140 M³ capacity at a pressure of 100 mm column of the water. Excess
hydrogen, which is not compressed, is vented to atmosphere through gas holder with proper vent.

There are five Hydrogen compressors - two of 280 M³/hr capacity, two of 140 M³/hr capacity, one
Hydrogen compressor of 440 NM/hr 200 Bar. These reciprocating compressors have final
compression pressure of 150/200 kg/cm². The compressed hydrogen is filled in loose cylinders and
these cylinders are mounted on the trucks and trailer’s and sent to customers.

Sodium Hypochlorite is used as an disinfectant in laundries, water supplies, sewage disposal. It is

also used as a bleaching agent for fabrics, jute, rayon, paper, pulp.

The chemical reaction for it is as given below:

Cl2 + 2NaOH NaCl + H2O + NaOCl

7. HCL plant

The excess chlorine from electrolysers is used to produce HCL. The process involves burning
chlorine and hydrogen in a furnace at about 1200 deg. The reaction is exothermic hence continuous
water is used to keep furnace at standard temperature. The HCl gas formed is absorbed in the
absorber in DM water to produce liquid HCL and is stored in a HCL storage tank.

Capacity of Chemical Plant

Caustic Soda : 65-70 MT per day

Chlorine : 60 MT per day

Hydrogen : 80 Mt per day

Project Site and Officials:

Site

Grasim Industries. Ltd., Unit Century Rayon Chemical Plant, Kalyan, Maharashtra

Officials