Process for manufacturing a solution of an earth alkali hydrogen carbonate

A process for the preparation of an aqueous solution comprising at least one earth alkali hydrogen carbonate, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing water in a main process flow (1) and in at least one side process flow (2);
• b) adding at least one earth alkali carbonate-comprising material to the water provided in a first portion (4) of the side process flow (2) to obtain a suspension comprising the at least one earth alkali carbonate-comprising material;
• c) adding carbon dioxide or an acid having a pKa-value <5 to the water provided in a second portion (5) of the side process flow (2) and adjusting the pH-value to a range from 2.5 to 7.5 to obtain acidified water;
• d) combining the suspension obtained in step b) with the acidified water obtained in step c) to obtain a solution or suspension of at least one earth alkali hydrogen carbonate;
• e) dosing the solution of at least one earth alkali hydrogen carbonate obtained in step d) into the water provided in the main process flow (1) to obtain an aqueous solution of at least one earth alkali hydrogen carbonate;
• and
• f) adding an earth alkali hydroxide provided in water to the aqueous solution of at least one earth alkali hydrogen carbonate obtained in the main process flow (1) of step e) to adjust the pH-value of the aqueous solution of at least one earth alkali hydrogen carbonate to a range from 7.0 to 9.0 and to form an aqueous solution of at least one earth alkali hydrogen carbonate having an earth alkali concentration as earth alkali hydrogen carbonate in the range from 10 to 300 mg/l;
• wherein the molar ratio between the at least one earth alkali carbonate-comprising material in step b) and the earth alkali hydroxide in step f) is in the range from 50:1 to 1:10.