Sodium carbonate

manufacturing process,
solvay process
Sodium carbonate (washing soda) is
a white crystalline solid. It exists as
a decahydrate ( Na2CO3.10H2O) Washing soda, soda ash, baking
soda
compound . Sodium carbonate is •Washing soda - Na2CO3
manufactured by solvay process in •Baking soda - NaHCO3
•Soda ash - Na2CO3
industrial scale and have very
industrial and domestic uses.
Solvay process steps or ammonia-soda process
Solvay process has five main steps on sodium carbonate
manufacturing.
1.Ammonia absorber - saturation of brine with ammonia
2.Carbonation tower
3.Filtration
4.Calcination of sodium bicarbonate
5.Ammonia recovery tower
The solvay process is an excellent example for a closed cycle
chemical process where the byproducts are efficiently reused in
the manufacturing process.
Raw materials of sodium carbonate manufacturing
•Brine solution (NaCl)
•Limestone (CaCO3) for CO2
•Ammonia gas
•water
Like above materials, ammonia(NH3) is also contributed in
sodium carbonate manufacturing. But it does not contain in the
final product. Therefore ammonia gas is recycled completely in
the solvay process..
Principles of solvay process of sodium carbonate manufacturing

common ion effect

The main psysicochemical principle is that when a saturated solution of sodium chloride (NaCl) is
saturated with ammonia and carbon dioxide, then sodium bicarbonate gets precipitated. Sodium
bicarbonate is generally soluble in water, but in a concentrated solution of NaCl its solubility gets
lowered. Therefore sodium bicarbonate gets precipitated. This is called the common ion effect.
What this state is that the solubility of an electrolyte is lower in a medium where there is an excess
of a common ion. In sodium bicarbonate manufacturing process, sodium ion is the common ion.

Counter current principle

The counter current principle is used in sodium carbonate manufacturing process. Brine is
saturated with ammonia gas and slowly passed through solvay tower from top to bottom. Carbon
dioxide is sent from bottom to top. Inside the tower, there are a number of mushroom shaped
perforated plates
Steps of Sodium carbonate manufacturing process

Ammonia absorber tower

Brine solution (NaCl, 30% solution) is pumped into the ammonia
absorber tower. Ammonia and small amount of carbon dioxide
from ammonia recycling tower is bubbled through brine
solution. Solution gets saturated with ammonia and form sodium
bicarbonate.
Calcium and Magnesium ions(in brine solution) are removed as
carbonates in the filter.
Carbonation tower
Carbon dioxide is entered from the bottom of the tower.brine
solution comes down.
Both reacts and form insoluble (due to common ion effect)
sodium bicarbonate.

Solution coming from the carbonation tower contain

ammonium chloride and small amount of ammonium
bicarbonate. They are pumped to ammonia recovery tower.
Sodium bicarbonate is heated.
Then sodium carbonate, carbon dioxide gas and water form.

Ammonia recovering tower

Filtered ammonium chloride ,ammonium bicarbonate are
pumped into ammonia recovering tower and mixed with
calcium hydroxide. Then mixture is heated. Ammonia gas,
calcium chloride (CaCl2), and water are given as products. This
is an economical advantage because ammonia is recovered.
Ammonia is a relatively expensive material.
Lime kiln
Lime(CaCO3) is heated to produce CO2 and CaO.
CaO is mixed with water to produce Ca(OH)2.
HEAT + CaCO3 → CaO + CO2
CaO + H2O → Ca(OH)2
By-products of solvay process
Ammonium chloride(NH4Cl) formed as a byproduct. It reacts
with calcium hydroxide to regenerate ammonia. To produce
carbon dioxide gas, limestone (CaCO3) is heated. CaO formed
as a byproduct in this reaction. CaO is slaked with water to
produce calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) which is used to
regenerate ammonia from ammonium chloride
Uses of sodium carbonate
Sodium carbonate is used in domestic purposes and industrial
productions.
•for softening the hard water
•for washing purposes in the laboratory
•in textile industry
•in petroleum refining industry
•to produce soap, glass, paper, borax, caustic soda, etc.
•A mixture of Na2CO3 and K2CO3 is used as a fusion mixture.
•Na2CO3 is used as a reagent in the laboratory.
•For paint and dye stuffs.
•For metal refining