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Solvay Process for the Production of Sodium Carbonate
Key Concepts
Sodium carbonate, Na
2
CO
3
, has a number of uses but its most common use is in the
production of glass.
Since the 1860's, sodium carbonate has been produced using the Solvay Process.
The Solvay Process is a continuous process using limestone (CaCO
3
) to produce
carbon dioxide (CO
2
) which reacts with ammonia (NH
3
) dissolved in brine
(concentrated NaCl
(aq)
) to produce sodium carbonate.
The steps in the Solvay Process are:
i. Brine Purification
ii. Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate Formation
iii. Sodium Carbonate Formation
iv. Ammonia Recovery
Properties and Uses of Sodium Carbonate
Sodium carbonate, Na
2
CO
3
, dissolves in water to form an alkaline solution.
Used as a base, sodium carbonate is cheaper and safer than sodium hydroxide.
Uses of Sodium Carbonate
Use Process Notes
Glass Making
A mixture of Na
2
CO
3
,
CaCO
3
and SiO
2
(silicon
dioxide sand) is used for
window or bottle glass.

Water Softening Agent
CO
3
2-
from dissolved
Na
2
CO
3
can precipitate
Mg
2+
and Ca
2+
ions from
hard water as the insoluble
carbonates, preventing
them from forming a
precipitate
with soap resulting in scum.
For this reason, sodium
carbonate is also known as
washing soda.

Paper Making
Na
2
CO
3
is used to produce
the NaHSO
3
necessary for
the sulfite method of
separating lignin from
cellulose.

Baking Soda Production
Baking soda (or sodium
hydrogen carbonate or
sodium bicarbonate),
NaHCO
3
, is used in food
preparation and in fire
extinguishers.

Sodium Hydroxide Production for Soaps and Detergents
Na
2
CO
3
is reacted with a
Ca(OH)
2
, slaked lime,
suspension.

Wool Processing
Na
2
CO
3
removes grease
from wool
andneutralises acidic
solutions.

Power Generation
Na
2
CO
3
is used to remove
SO
2(g)
from flue gases in
power stations.
Solvay Process
The Solvay Process for the production of sodium carbonate is summarised in the flowchart
below:
brine
NaCl
(aq)

-----> ammoniated brine <-----
ammonia
NH
3


|
|

/\
|

limestone
CaCO
3


|
|
|
|
NaCl
H
2
O
NH
3


|
|
|
|
NH
3

|
|
\/

|
|
|
\/

|
|
|
|

lime kiln

CO
2

----->
carbonating tower
|
|
|


H
2
O
|
CaO

|
\/

|
|

|
\/
|
\/

filter
|
NH
4
Cl
---------> ammonia recovery
lime slaker Ca(OH)
2

------------|--------------->

|
|
\/

|
\/


product
NaHCO
3


by-product
CaCl
2



|
300
o
C
|
\/



product
Na
2
CO
3



i. Brine Purification

Brine is concentrated by evaporation to atleast 30%
Impurities such as calcium, magnesium and iron are removed by precipitation, eg,
Ca
2+
(aq)
+ CO
3
2-
(aq)
CaCO
3(s)

Mg
2+
(aq)
+ 2OH
-
(aq)
Mg(OH)
2(s)

Fe
3+
(aq)
+ 3OH
-
(aq)
Fe(OH)
3(s)


Brine solution is then filtered and passed through an ammonia tower to dissolve
ammonia.
This process is exothermic, releases energy, so the ammonia tower is cooled.
ii. Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate Formation

Carbon dioixide is produced by the thermal decomposition of limestone, CaCO
3(s)
, in
the lime kiln:
CaCO
3(s)
CO
2(g)
+ CaO
(s)


Carbon dioxide is bubbled through the ammoniated brine solution in the carbonating
tower.
The carbon dioxide dissolves to form a weak acid:
CO
2(g)
+ H
2
O
(l)
HCO
3
-
(aq)
+ H
+
(aq)


The ammonia in the brine reacts with H
+
to form ammonium ions:
NH
3(aq)
+ H
+
(aq)
NH
4
+
(aq)


The HCO
3
-
then reacts with the Na
+
to form a suspension of sodium hydrogen
carbonate:
HCO
3
-
(aq)
+ Na
+
(aq)
NaHCO
3(s)


NaHCO
3
precipitates because of the large excess of Na
+
present in the brine which
forces the equilibrium position to shift to the right by Le Chatelier's
Principle (NaHCO
3
is quite soluble in water).
The overall molecular equation for the formation of sodium hydrogen carbonate in the
carbonating tower is:
NH
3(aq)
+ CO
2(g)
+ NaCl
(aq)
+ H
2
O
(l)
NaHCO
3(s)
+ NH
4
Cl
(aq)


The net ionic equation for the formation of sodium hydrogen carbonate in the
carbonating tower is:
NH
3(aq)
+ CO
2(g)
+ Na
+
(aq)
+ H
2
O
(l)
NaHCO
3(s)
+ NH
4
+
(aq)

where Cl
-
is a spectator ion
iii. Sodium Carbonate Formation

Suspended sodium hydrogen carbonate is removed from the carbonating tower and
heated at 300
o
C to produce sodium carbonate:
2NaHCO
3(s)
Na
2
CO
3(s)
+ CO
2(g)
+ H
2
O
(g)


The carbon dioxide produced is recycled back into the carbonating tower.
iv. Ammonia Recovery

CaO is formed as a by-product of the thermal decomposition of limestone in the lime
kiln.
This CaO enters a lime slaker to react with water to form calcium hydroxide:
CaO
(s)
+ H
2
O
(l)
Ca(OH)
2(aq)


The calcium hydroxide produced here is reacted with the ammonium chloride
separated out of the carbonating tower by filtration:
Ca(OH)
2(aq)
+ 2NH
4
Cl
(aq)
CaCl
2(aq)
+ 2H
2
O
(l)
+ 2NH
3(g)


The ammonia is recycled back into the process to form ammoniated brine.
Calcium chloride is formed as a by-product of the Solvay Process.
Environmental Issues
1. Solid Wastes
Calcium chloride, CaCl
2
, is a by-product of the Solvay Process.
There are a limited number of uses for CaCl
2
:
- drying agent in industry
- de-icing roads
- an additive in soil treatment
- an additive in concrete
The rest must be disposed of either by pumping out to sea, or by evaporating to
dryness and disposing of the solid.
CaCl
2
can not be pumped into rivers or lakes because it will raise the concentration of
chloride ion to unacceptable levels.
Other solid wastes include unburnt calcium carbonate, sand and clay from the kiln. It
is possible that these could be used to make bricks, landfill or road base.
2. Air Pollution
Some ammonia is lost to the atmosphere during the Solvay Process. Ammonia is a
toxic atmospheric pollutant.
Ammonia losses are minimised to reduce plant operation costs.
3. Thermal Pollution
Some of the processes involved in the Solvay Process are exothermic, they release
heat.
Near the ocean, water used during the cooling processes can be released into the sea
without causing disruption to aquatic organisms.
Inland plants need to either release heated water slowly into rivers or lakes or cool
the water first before releasing in order to prevent disruption to aquatic organisms.

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