Soda Ash Light

Soda ash light, also known as anhydrous sodium carbonate, has a formula of Na2CO3. It is a white, odorless granular powder and is soluble in water, giving a strong alkaline aqueous solution. It is also hygroscopic and absorbs moisture from the atmosphere, causing it to clump together. It exists mainly in its monohydrated form but there are decahydrated and heptahydrated forms.


Soda ash light is naturally formed from sodium deposits, which have been through periods of long geological processes such as erosion of igneous rocks, transportation of sodium deposits and chemical reactions. Sodium deposits are first released from the igneous rocks upon weathering. They are then being washed off, carried down streams and collected in basins. Upon contact with carbon dioxide, it yields a soda ash light.


Manufacturing Process


Solvay Process

In 1861, Belgian chemist Ernest Solvay developed Solvay process, a more efficient method to convert sodium chloride to soda ash light. In Solvay process, ammonia reacts with sodium chloride with the aid of calcium carbonate. Sodium bicarbonate is produced and it is then heated and converted to soda ash light.


Hou Process

In 1930, Chinese chemist Hou Debang developed the Hou process. Using carbon dioxide, it is pumped through a saturated solution of sodium chloride and ammonia to form sodium bicarbonate. The precipitated sodium bicarbonate is then heated, yielding pure soda ash. The Hou process is clearly a modified version of the Solvay process and the commonly used method is still Solvay process.