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(BAT) Reference Document for the Production of Chlor-alkali ...

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Chapter 2<br />

almost always added to prevent caking in <strong>the</strong> case <strong>of</strong> vacuum salt, but rarely in <strong>the</strong> case <strong>of</strong> rock<br />

salt.<br />

Solution-mined brine is sometimes transported by pipelines over distances which can exceed<br />

100 km. The brine is kept in storage tanks [ 1, Ullmann's 2006 ].<br />

2.4.2 Brine purification and resaturation<br />

2.5.2 Brine preparation<br />

When solid salt is <strong>the</strong> raw material, a dissolving operation becomes necessary which is carried<br />

out in open or closed vessels. The water and/or depleted brine can be sprayed onto <strong>the</strong> salt or<br />

introduced at <strong>the</strong> base <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> saturator <strong>for</strong> progressive saturation when running through it. In <strong>the</strong><br />

latter case, <strong>the</strong> saturated brine overflows <strong>the</strong> equipment at <strong>the</strong> top. Modern saturators are closed<br />

vessels to reduce emissions <strong>of</strong> salt spray or mist as well as <strong>of</strong> mercury in <strong>the</strong> case <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> mercury<br />

cell technique. NaCl concentrations in <strong>the</strong> saturated brine reach values <strong>of</strong> 310 – 315 g/l [ 1,<br />

Ullmann's 2006 ].<br />

2.5.3 Brine purification<br />

2.5.3.1 General description<br />

As can be seen in Figure 2.1 on page10, <strong>the</strong> brine purification process consists <strong>of</strong> a primary<br />

system <strong>for</strong> all chlor-<strong>alkali</strong> techniques consisting <strong>of</strong> precipitation and filtration mercury and<br />

diaphragm technologies and an additional secondary system <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> membrane cell technique<br />

technology. This operation is needed to reduce <strong>the</strong> concentration <strong>of</strong> avoid any undesirable<br />

components (sulphate anions, cations <strong>of</strong> Ca, Mg, Ba and metals) that can affect <strong>the</strong> electrolytic<br />

process. The quality <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> raw material and <strong>the</strong> brine quality requirements <strong>for</strong> each <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> three<br />

techniques technologies determine <strong>the</strong> complexity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> brine treatment unit.<br />

2.5.3.2 Primary purification<br />

Precipitation<br />

The initial stage <strong>of</strong> purification uses sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide to precipitate<br />

calcium and magnesium ions as calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and magnesium hydroxide<br />

(Mg(OH)2). Metals (iron, titanium, molybdenum, nickel, chromium, vanadium, tungsten) may<br />

also precipitate as hydroxide during this operation. The usual way to reduce <strong>the</strong> concentrations<br />

<strong>of</strong> avoid metals is to specify maximum concentration values <strong>the</strong>ir exclusion in <strong>the</strong> purchase and<br />

transport specifications <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> salt. Sodium sulphate can be is controlled by adding calcium<br />

chloride (CaCl2) or barium salts (BaCO3 or BaCl2) to remove sulphate anions by precipitation <strong>of</strong><br />

calcium sulphate (CaSO4) or barium sulphate (BaSO4). The precipitation <strong>of</strong> barium sulphate can<br />

take place simultaneously with <strong>the</strong> precipitation <strong>of</strong> calcium carbonate and magnesium<br />

hydroxide, whereas <strong>the</strong> precipitation <strong>of</strong> calcium sulphate requires a separate vessel.<br />

WORKING DRAFT IN PROGRESS<br />

When vacuum salt is used as raw material, only a part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> brine stream is treated in <strong>the</strong><br />

primary purification unit, while <strong>the</strong> total stream is usually treated when using o<strong>the</strong>r salt types<br />

[ 3, Euro <strong>Chlor</strong> 2011 ].<br />

Filtration<br />

The precipitated impurities are removed by sedimentation, filtration or a combination <strong>of</strong> both.<br />

The separated filter cake is generally concentrated to 50 – 60 % (although a figure <strong>of</strong> 60-80% is<br />

reported in <strong>the</strong> literature) solids content in filter presses, rotary drum vacuum filters or<br />

40 December 2011 TB/EIPPCB/CAK_Draft_1

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