Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering (Jun 2024)
Refining NaCl: Elevating Salt's quality from coarse to industrial and Pharmacy grade through innovative hydroextraction techniques
Abstract
Increased demand for industrial and pharmaceutical salt surpasses production capabilities, posing challenges for the salt industry. This study uses a cost-effective hydroextraction method utilizing mixing washers and hydrocyclone to enhance NaCl purity and eliminate Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions from coarse salt (CS). Results indicate that salt from the mixing washer (CS-MW) meets industrial standards with 99.72 % NaCl, 0.036 % Ca2+, and 0.067 % Mg2+, while salt from hydrocyclones (CS-HC) meets pharmaceutical standards with 99.87 % NaCl, 0.054 % Ca2+, and 0.052 % Mg2+. This approach offers a promising solution to the industry's technological challenges.