Calcined soda - an indispensable reagent for the industry

Calcined soda in a dehydrated state is a colorless crystalline powder. In nature, it occurs in large volumes mainly in salt formations in the form of ground brines, minerals and brine in saltwater reservoirs. In addition, calcined soda is found in the ash of a number of marine algae.

In modern industry, sodium carbonate (the chemical name of soda) is produced during the ammonia-soda process, with complex processing of nephelines, natural soda and carbonization of sodium hydroxide. The most environmentally friendly is its production from natural raw materials.

This substance was known to the ancient Egyptians, who used it as a detergent and when cooking glass. They extracted it from the waters of salt lakes. For the first time, artificial pure calcined soda was isolated by the Frenchman AL Duhamel du Montceau. In nature, the main deposits of sodium carbonate are in Canada, the United States, Kenya, South Africa, Mexico. The most famous salt lakes with a high content of soda ash in the water are Sherry Island in California and Otron Island in Tanzania.

It dissolves well in water, because of the hydrolysis of the salt , the soda solution has an alkaline reaction. This substance is a very important raw material in the chemical industry (making paints and synthetic detergents). Most of all soda is used as a component of the charge in the manufacture of glass, the production of soap and other detergents. Calcined soda is a raw material for obtaining various sodium salts (including caustic soda). Use it for tanning the skin, cooking pulp, neutralizing the acidic elements during the cleaning of petroleum products. In addition, in the energy sector, it serves to soften the water supplied to steam boilers. Soda was found to be a calcined application in metallurgy. There, it is used for refining and degreasing metals, processing bauxites (raw materials for aluminum), desulfurization of blast furnace pig iron. Soda is supplied to consumers in single-use special soft containers such as Big-Bag, having a mass of up to 800kg, or in five-layer bitumen or laminated bags (weight up to 50 kg). To transport the substance in bulk, special hoppers and sodovozes are used.

Calcined soda is also used in everyday life. Ordinary people encounter it in food products or as part of washing or water softening agents. In food production, it is known as an E500 additive regulating acidity, or a baking powder, which prevents caking and the formation of lumps. As a detergent, soda effectively removes fat. Due to its ability to soften water, it is used for washing enamel, porcelain, porcelain, boiling and washing fabrics. It is a part of the majority of detergents and scales. Soda is used to neutralize acidic constituents in wastewater. This substance has an allergic and irritating effect, its effect on the body is moderately dangerous.