General Description of Soda Ash: Applications and Specifications

Welcome to ASA, your premium and reliable Soda Ash supplier. Sodium carbonate, widely known in the industrial sector as soda ash, washing soda, or soda crystals, is an inorganic, intensely alkaline compound with the chemical formula $Na_2CO_3$.

$Na_2CO_3$ exists both naturally and artificially. The ashes of trees grown in sodium-rich fields are excellent historical sources of sodium carbonate. Because the natural method produces a limited amount, it is commonly manufactured through synthetic procedures, primarily the Solvay process. To produce soda ash using the Solvay process, raw materials such as pure salt and limestone are strictly necessary. All forms of this chemical appear as a white, solid, and humidity-absorbent powder.

Soda ash has a varied range of applications across different global industries, including the manufacturing of cleaning and hygiene products, glass making, and the formulation of some cosmetics and personal care products.

What Happens in the Solvay Process?

Producing soda ash through the Solvay method requires salt and trona ore; as a result, manufacturing factories are typically located in regions with abundant trona ore mines. This specific chemical process generates a lower amount of waste product; therefore, it is highly economical. After mining the trona ore, it is heated in rotary calciners, which leads to the production of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and ammonium chloride. Then, the sodium bicarbonate is heated again, and the final product, sodium carbonate, emerges.

The final produced soda ash is available in two main grades: dense and light. Accordingly, they are chemically identical. Albeit, they vary significantly in density, granule size, and industrial application.

What is Soda Ash Dense?

After getting soda ash light in the Solvay process, the dehydration continues to obtain a product with higher density. Additionally, by proceeding with dehydration, the sodium carbonate crystals’ size grows considerably larger.

Larger granules mean less dust and impurities, ensuring untroubled transportation, as the particles are heavier and the scattering possibility decreases.

The most extensive application of heavy sodium carbonate is in the glass manufacturing industry, where it actively accelerates the melting of silica (sand).

The density of heavy sodium carbonate is about 1000 kilograms per cubic meter, and the granule size is nearly 300 to 500 micrometers. (Note: In the product picture, you can see detailed information on ASA soda ash dense specifications.)

What is Soda Ash Light?

Soda ash light has significantly smaller grains than the dense variation. In the chemical process, the light form is created first and contains 5% less sodium chloride than the dense type. The density of light sodium carbonate is about 500 kilograms per cubic meter, and the granule size is nearly 100 micrometers. It is highly suitable for the production of household chemicals, industrial detergents, and other synthetic uses.

(Note: In the product picture above, you can see specific information on the soda ash light specifications that ASA can offer.)

Soda Ash Applications in Industry

Soda ash is a vital raw material in the glass industry, but glass manufacturing is not its only use. Nevertheless, you cannot neglect the vast application of the dense grade in glassmaking. In 2018, 53% of the 60 million tons of produced $Na_2CO_3$ was consumed entirely by the glassmaking industry.

Here you can see some of the primary applications:

• Chemical Production: Both light and dense types are useful for the chemical industry. Various chemicals such as sodium bicarbonate, sodium silicate, and others need $Na_2CO_3$ in their production procedures.
• Paper and Pulp: In paper and pulp production, it acts as a reliable pH regulator. Moreover, it effectively decolorizes waste paper.
• Detergents and Cleaning: Cleaning products, precisely environmentally-friendly types, contain sodium carbonate due to its antiseptic properties, as well as its fats permeability and breakdown capabilities. You may find it in laundry detergents, dishwasher detergents, multi-purpose cleaners, glass cleaners, stain removers, and laundry conditioners.
• Textile Industry: Sodium carbonate is a profound stain remover and bleacher; consequently, it is incredibly popular in the textile industry. It adjusts the pH of the dyeing procedure and, additionally, in silk production, performs as an anti-acid.

Since the applications of soda ash and caustic soda are somewhat similar to each other, these two products still have distinct chemical differences. If you are interested in finding out the exact differences and industrial uses, please read the caustic soda page on our website.