Soda ash, otherwise known as sodium carbonate, is a super versatile product that is used across many industries.
It’s a white, odorless powder made from sodium salts. And, its unique characteristics make it a very important ingredient for all sorts of things – starting from household items to industrial processes.
In simple terms – soda ash is a highly pure form of sodium carbonate. It is widely used in industries like glass, detergents, and textiles and the list goes on…..
Here are some interesting facts… soda ash has been around since ancient times! The Egyptians were the first to produce it by using the ashes of certain plants like the soda plant. And, in the Middle Ages, soda ash was made in Europe from plant ashes and used for making soap, dyeing cloth and many other applications. Over the centuries, the production methods became more advanced.
Let’s Know About Its Production Process
Soda ash can be produced in two main ways:
The Solvay Process – This process uses salt, limestone, and ammonia. It involves several steps:
Purifying salt brine by removing impurities
Recovering and recycling ammonia
Producing carbon dioxide by heating limestone
Combining the purified brine, ammonia and carbon dioxide to produce soda ash and calcium chloride
Separating and purifying the soda ash
And, recycling the calcium chloride by-product
The Solvay Process is efficient, eco-friendly and uses abundant raw materials like salt and limestone…you see
The Trona Process – Soda ash can also be produced from the natural mineral trona. Here’s how:
Mining to extract the trona deposits from underground
Crushing and milling the trona into a fine powder
Dissolving the soda ash in hot water and separating it from impurities
Filtering the soda ash solution
Drying the purified soda ash into a white powder
Lastly, packaging the final product for distribution
Both processes involve several steps but result in high-quality soda ash for various uses.
Now Check Out The Various Applications Of Soda Ash
Glass Manufacturing – Soda Ash is a must for making glass. It helps the melting process because it has the ability to lower the melting point, and enhances the quality and clarity of the glass. It also reduces the viscosity and allows for easy shaping and molding of products like bottles, windows, and mirrors.
Detergent Industry – Soda Ash is invaluable for detergents. It adjusts the pH in water and acts as a softener in the mixture. Its alkaline properties counteract acidic components and maintain a stable pH. It also bonds with calcium and magnesium ions, preventing soap scum and improving cleaning efficiency. It’s a necessity for laundry detergents, dish soaps, and more.
Metallurgy – In the metallurgical industry, Soda Ash is used for mineral separation and refining processes like flotation. It also plays a role in aluminum production, enhancing purity for better outputs.
Water Treatment – Soda Ash is used to adjust pH and control alkalinity in water treatment. It raises the pH of acidic water and also reduces corrosiveness. It also helps remove heavy metals and impurities – so it helps improve safety and quality of drinking water. It’s essential for wastewater treatment facilities too, as it neutralizes acidic wastes.
Chemical Manufacturing -Soda Ash is a crucial chemical reagent for many manufacturers. It’s used to make sodium bicarbonate, sodium silicates, sodium phosphates and sodium percarbonate. These compounds are used in various industries like pharmaceuticals, textiles, pulp and paper and food processing.
Finding the Right Soda Ash Supplier
Whether you are a chemical trader, factory owner, sales manager or any representative – your goal is clear…. that is to pick the right Soda Ash manufacturer, trader, distributor and supplier to buy the purest quality chemical products at a fair price.
Chemical Iran is a leading Soda Ash manufacturer and supplier. We supply the purest quality chemical products in America, Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and CIS countries.
We offer soda ash packed in 50 kg jumbo bags.
Here’s a quick snap of Our soda ash specifications-
Alkalinity (as Na₂CO₃) % ≥99.2 99.41
Bulk Density (gr/cm³) 0.55 – 0.65 0.56
Insolubility in water % ≤0.1 0.05
Iron Content (as Fe₂O₃) ≤0.002 0.0016
Chloride in terms of NaCl % ≤0.2 0.18
If you still have questions about soda ash or any other chemical compound, we are just a phone call away! Visit our website to discover more!
