Sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate production from nahcolitic oil shale

A process for the recovery of anhydrous sodium carbonate from a hot aqueous solution containing sodium bicarbonate comprising:

• decomposing the sodium bicarbonate portion of the hot aqueous solution by steam stripping at the equilibrium steam temperature for the pressure of the decomposition to form a hot aqueous solution comprising sodium carbonate:
• evaporating water from the hot aqueous solution comprising sodium carbonate to form a concentrated solution of sodium carbonate;
• producing sodium carbonate monohydrate from the concentrated solution of sodium carbonate by crystallization;
• and
• dewatering and calcining the sodium carbonate monohydrate to produce anhydrous sodium carbonate.

A process for the recovery of anhydrous sodium carbonate from a hot aqueous solution containing sodium bicarbonate comprising:

• decomposing the sodium bicarbonate portion of the hot aqueous solution in one or more stages to form a hot aqueous solution comprising sodium carbonate, wherein the decomposition of the sodium bicarbonate is accomplished in part by flashing prior to steam stripping;
• evaporating water from the hot aqueous solution comprising sodium carbonate to form a concentrated solution of sodium carbonate;
• producing sodium carbonate monohydrate from the concentrated solution of sodium carbonate by crystallization;
• and
• dewatering and calcining the sodium carbonate monohydrate to produce anhydrous sodium carbonate.

A process for the recovery of anhydrous sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate from a hot aqueous solution comprising sodium bicarbonate comprising:

• a. decomposing a portion of the sodium bicarbonate in the hot aqueous solution to form a hot aqueous solution comprising sodium carbonate;
• b. evaporating water from the hot aqueous solution comprising sodium carbonate to form a concentrated solution of comprising sodium carbonate;
• c. producing sodium carbonate monohydrate from the concentrated solution of comprising sodium carbonate by crystallization;
• d. dewatering and calcining the sodium carbonate monohydrate to produce anhydrous sodium carbonate;
• e. obtaining a purge stream containing sodium bicarbonate from at least one procedure selected from the group consisting of procedure a, procedure b and procedure c above;
• f. producing sodium bicarbonate from the purge stream by crystallization;
• and
• g. dewatering and drying the sodium bicarbonate.