Ocober,2023 Chemical Engineering Department

Table of Content

• Introduction
• Problem Statement
• Aim and Objectives
• Processes
• Methodology
• Results and Discussion
• Conclusion References

2
Introduction

Doum Tree:
Doum tree (Hyphaene thebaica) is a palm tree that is indigenous to
desert areas of India, the Middle East, and Africa.
It also grows well in the Northern part of Nigeria, Niger Republic
and Chad.
Characteristics:
Doum fruit is a fantastic source of fiber and carbohydrates from a
nutritional standpoint.
Economic Importance:
It is used for glassmaking, soapmaking, and as a cleaning agent.
Source: Getty image

It is a drought-resistant, slow-growing tree that can grow up to 10 meters in height and have a trunk diameter
up to one meter (Fletcher, 1997).
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synthetic methods which can have negative impacts on the environment
due to the high energy consumption and production of waste products.

there is a need to explore alternative and sustainable methods for

producing soda ash

4
 Justification
• The current methods for producing soda ash, such as the Solvay process, are energy-intensive, and the waste
generated during the production process can have negative impacts on the environment

Need
There is a need to explore alternative and sustainable sources of soda ash. The use of doum tree as a natural
source of soda ash presents an opportunity to reduce the dependence on synthetic methods and promote
sustainable practices in the soda ash industry

Doum tree is a readily available and renewable source of sodium carbonate, and the
Availability: extraction process is relatively simple and low-cost compared to the current methods of
soda ash production.

The soda ash industry is a critical component of several industrial processes,

including glass manufacturing, detergents, and chemicals .
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 Aim
v To produce soda ash from doum tree .
Objectives:
1. To study the proximate analysis of the
produced soda ash.
2. To characterize the physical properties of
the produced soda ash and compare with the
commercial grade.
The scope of this project is limited
to:
1. Investigate the chemical composition and
properties of doum tree ash as a potential
source of soda ash
2. Evaluate technical feasibility, conduct an
economic analysis and environmentacl impact
3. Compare quality and purity, and identify
potential challenges and limitations 6
 Manufacturing Processes
Manufacturing Methods :
1. Synthethic process
v Leblanc process
v Solvay process
v Dual Modified Solvay process

2. Natural Process
v Trona Purification
v Monohydrate process

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Exemplary block scheme of soda production by Solvay method
 v Gaeous effluents :
Particulate dust, Nox
v Liquid effluents:
waste water from distillation
v Solid effleunts:
raw limestone particles

Liquid, gaseous, and solid waste are produced as a

result of the Solvay process. The wastes, both liquid
and solid, are typically dumped into the ocean, lakes,
and rivers.

Source: getty image 8

 Metholodogy
The materials and equipment used during the course The doum tree bark was cleaned and first
of this work are: sun dried followed by oven drying at 60OC
• Doum Tree bark for 4 hrs to remove all traces of moisture
content present. It was then crushed and
• Sample containers later subjected to griding process to reduce
the particle size. The sample was weighed
• Furnace
(2210.531g) and calcinationation process for
• Palm kernel oil 6 hrs at 800 ° C
• Caustic soda (NAOH)
• Sodium carbonate (soda
ash)
• Sodium sulphate
• Sodium silicate
• Pigment
• Fragrance
Source: Science direct 9
 Results …….. 1 of 2
This section presents the results and discussion of the research carried out on the production of soda ash from doum
trees

SN: Sample Mositu Ash % % Lipid % % Fibre % CHO

re % Protein
1 A 6.55 8.70 9.80 8.75 21.50 67.09
2 B 6.50 8.70 9.85 9.00 21.35 65.95
3 C 6.50 8.65 9.78 8.90 21.40 66.17
Av. - 6.52 8.68 9.81 8.88 21.40 66.40

Table 1: Proximate Analysis of the Doum Tree Back Used

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 120

100

80
foamability level (%)

60
Good interactions with the
other components contained in
40 the formulation that affect the
soap formation and stability.
20

0
A B C D E F G
Variable concentrations

Figure 1: The foamability property of the soaps with varying soda ash concentrations
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 10

5 the pH of the soap with 100 %

pH

4
natural soda ash content
(sample A) is 4.6, which is
3
within the range of
2
specification to keep skin
1 hydrated and safe, when
0
compared to the sample “B”,
A B C D
Sample variable concentrations
E F G
with 100 % synthetic soda ash
of pH value of 8.1, that has
characteristic of disrupting the
protective barrier.
Figure 2: The pH analysis of the produced soap
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 3,5

3
Penetration level (cm)

2,5

1,5 the samples with 100 % and

1
80 % natural soda ash
composition have the highest
0,5
penetration of 3.2 cm
0
A B C D E F G respectively while the sample
Samples with variable concentrations with 100 % synthetic soda ash
content has penetration level of
2.3 cm

Figure 3: Durability test analysis of the produced soap with different compositions
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 3,5

2,5
The 100 % of both synthetic
and natural soda ash
Cleanliness level (%)

2 composition as well as 80 %
natural soda ash compositional
1,5
formulations the lowest
1
cleanliness level when
compared to the sample with
0,5 80 % synthetic and 20 %
natural soda ash formulation
0
A B C D E F G
Sample variable concentrations

Figure 4: Analysis of the cleanliness ability of the soap in water

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 1,2

0,8
Solubility (g/hr)

shows the solubility of the

0,6
produced soaps with different
soda ash concentrations. As
0,4
shown in the figure, the sample
with 100 % natural soda ash
0,2 content dissolved more with 1
g/hr when compared to the
0 sample with 100 % synthetic
A B C D
Sample variable concentration
E F G
soda ash content with 0.7 g/hr.

Figure 5: Analysis of solubility of soap in water

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The following conclusions were drawn from this research at the end of the investigations

v The soda ash content extracted from doum tree back was 8.68 % which is good for partial replacement of synthetic soda

ash (ash content in the range of 2-2.5 %) in soap making.

v The foamability performance of the formulations containing both synthetic and natural soda ash further justified that,

partial replacement of natural soda ash with that of synthetic with right proportions will enhance soap production

sustainability and efficiency

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v Sirajo, A. Z. (2016). Production and analysis of soap using locally available raw materials. Elixil International Journal of
Applied Chemistry. 96(2016).
v Fletcher, R. (1997) Listing of Useful Plants of the World. Australian New Crops.
v Hsu, H. W. ; Vavak, D. L. ; Satterlee, L. D. ; Miller, G. A., 2006. A multienzyme technique for estimating protein
digestibility. J. Food Sci., 42 (5): 1269-1273
v Curlin, L. C.; Bommaraju, T. V; 1991; Sodium carbonate; Encyclopedia of chemical technology; 4th edition;
v Örgül, S.; 2003; Evaluation of soda ash production parameters from Beypazari trona ore; The Middle East Technical
University
v Backus, R.; 2007; Location, Location, Location: synthetic soda ash vs natural soda ash; Focus on Surfactants; 2007
v Neuman, T.H; Chastain, R.W; Solution mining of carbonate/bicarbonate deposits to produce soda ash; 1998; United
States Patent 5766290
v Thieme, C; 2003; Sodium carbonate; Ullmann’s Encyclopedia of Industrial chemistry; 6th edition
v Wagialla, I. S. ;Al-Mutaz; El-Dahshan, M. E. ;1992; The manufacture of soda ash in the Arabian Gulf; International
Journal of Production Economics
v Steinhauser, G; Cleaner production in the Solvay Process: general strategies and recent developments; 2007; journal of
Cleaner Production; 16 (2008)

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T H A N K
YO U