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