Ceramic – Glass

Raw materials for Glass Manufacturing:

Solvay’s Process: Practically following are the steps followed in soda ash production in the solvay’s process.

• The Brine (i.e. Salt Solution) is allowed to react with ammonia to form ammoniated brine.

  NaCl + H₂O + NH₃ — > NaCl + NH₄OH

• The ammoniated Brine is allowed to react with carbon dioxide to form ammonium Carbonate

  2 NH₄OH + CO₂ — > (NH₄)₂ CO₃ + H₂O

• Successive reaction with CO₂ will produce ammonium bicarbonate.

  (NH₄)₂ CO₃ +CO₂ + H₂O —- > 2NH₄HCO₃

• With further addition of Brine and carbon dioxide and by cooling the solution, sodium bicarbonate will get precipitated and ammonium chloride will be formed.

  2NH₄HCO₃ + 2NaCl — > 2NaHCO₃ + 2NH₄Cl

• The sodium bicarbonate crystals thus formed are separated from the mother liquor by filtration.
• The filtered Sodium bicarbonate crystals are then decomposed thermally into Sodium Carbonate, Water and Carbon dioxide.

  2NaHCO₃ — > Na₂CO₃ + H₂O + CO₂

The CO2 liberated is recovered in the process and recycled for use again.

To be Contd….

Posted by Saseedaran Kumaran on November 7th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Filed under: Ceramics, Glass, Soda Ash  |  Leave a comment  |  Trackback