Production of feed liquors for sodium carbonate crystallization processes
AssigneeFMC Wyoming Corporation
InventorsDavid E. Smith, William C. Copenhafer, Richard W. Chastain
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process is disclosed for converting dilute brines of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate to form feed solutions from which sodium based chemicals may be recovered. The sodium bicarbonate in a dilute brine is neutralized and the brine then fortified with calcined trona to form a feed liquor concentrated in sodium carbonate from which sodium based chemicals may be recovered in a Monohydrate or other crystallization process.
Claims25
A process for producing a feed liquor for a sodium carbonate monohydrate crystallizer from solutions containing sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate comprising:
- dissolving a sodium bicarbonate containing ore in a solution to form a brine;
- neutralizing said brine;
- dissolving calcined trona in said neutralized brine to form a feed liquor;
- and
- introducing said feed liquor to a sodium carbonate monohydrate crystallizer.
A process of producing sodium carbonate based crystals, comprising:
- dissolving a sodium bicarbonate containing ore in a solution to form a brine;
- adding lime to said brine to form a neutralized brine and lime muds;
- adding said neutralized brine and said lime muds to a thickener, where said neutralized brine is substantially separated from said lime muds:
- recovering said neutralized brine from said thickener;
- dissolving calcined trona in said neutralized brine to form a feed liquor;
- clarifying said feed liquor;
- and
- introducing said feed liquor to a crystallizer for crystallizing sodium carbonate based crystals.
A process for producing sodium based chemicals from solutions containing sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate, comprising:
- dissolving a sodium bicarbonate containing ore in a solution to form a brine having a total alkali value of at least about 8 percent by weight;
- neutralizing, at least a portion of said brine with a caustic to form a neutralized brine having a sodium bicarbonate concentration of about 0 percent by weight to about 2 percent by weight;
- dissolving calcined trona in said neutralized brine to form a feed liquor having, a sodium carbonate concentration between at least 22 percent by weight and about 30 percent by weight;
- crystallizing sodium carbonate monohydrate crystals from the feed liquor.
A process of producing sodium based chemicals from solution containing sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate comprising:
- dissolving a sodium bicarbonate containing ore in a solution to form a brine;
- splitting said brine into a first stream and a second stream;
- causticizing said first stream;
- combining said causticized first stream and said second stream to form a neutralized brine stream;
- dissolving calcined trona in said neutralized brine stream to form a feed liquor;
- and crystallizing said feed liquor to precipitate sodium carbonate based crystals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.