DEPARTMENT OF CEHMICAL ENGINEERING, L. D.

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING,
AHMEDABAD - 380015
Mistry Ankit (130280105026)
Guided By
Nakum Anil (130280105027)
Prof. R P Bhatt
Paghdar Divyesh (130280105029)

MANUFACTURING OF CAUSTIC SODA PRILLS

ABSTRACT PROCESS OUTLINE

This user defined project covers the manufacturing of We have designed a plant to produce 500 TPD of caustic soda by Ion Exchange Membrane electrolysis process. This process
caustic soda prills. Our study includes the improvement has replaced the Mercury Cell process as it produced huge amounts of mercury as waste, which was highly toxic to the
brine treatment plant which gives higher purity brine for environment. Chlorine and Hydrogen gases are liberated as side products.
production of caustic soda.
The raw materials are salt, water, and power. The final products are:
Also the evaporation unit, Brine dechlorination plant and 1. Pure caustic soda prills
Caustic prills plant. We had done the Material Balance and 2. Liquid chlorine
Energy Balance calculation of whole plant. The study will 3. Hydrogen gas
focus on improvement in the manufacturing procedure of
caustic soda prills including environmental expects. Also The chemical process may be broadly classified into four sections:
identification of major engineering problem will be carried
out. Section No. Section Name
1 Brine Preparation & Treatment Section
1. Primary Brine precipitation
CHEMICAL REACTION 2. Primary Brine Filtration
3. Sludge Treatment
4. Secondary Brine Purification
2NaCl + 2H2O 2NaOH + Cl2 + H2 5. Brine Dechlorination
2 Electrolysis (32% Caustic Soda, Chlorine & Hydrogen as products )

3 Caustic Concentration
PROBLEMS & MODIFICATION 1. Caustic Evaporator (32% NaOH to 48% NaOH lye)
2. Caustic Fusion (48% NaOH lye to 98.5% NaOH Prills)
4 1. Chlorine Purification & Liquefication
2. Hydrogen Purification & Compression
The two modification that we suggest in this project are as
follows:
OBJECTIVES
1. The depleted brine coming from the dechlorination PROCESS BLOCK DIAGRAM 1. To reduce the amount pf chlorine dissolved in depleted
tower is not completely free from chlorine content. If brine
there is any active chlorine content available in recycling 2. Increase the efficiency of Evaporation Unit
brine then it will damage the membrane of the ion 3. Improve the purification of feed Brine
exchange unit as this brine is going to be recycled. So
we have to remove these chlorine content. Instead of
current method of processing, the depleted brine mixture
is first sent to the separator. The liquid portion is then
sent to the steam operating Stripper where remaining USES OF CAUSTIC PRILLS
chlorine content will be removed. After that it is sent to
the vacuum vessel where the level of the vacuum in 1. Petroleum & Natural Gas Processing
vessel is maintained with the temperature with which the 2. Chemical Production
brine concentrated therein is to leave vessel. 3. Detergent, Soaps and Cleaners
4. Food processing Edible Oil Refining
2. In multi-effect evaporating unit, the consumption of the 5. General Purpose
high pressurized steam is large and also the economy of 6. Textile Finishing Process
the evaporator is not that much satisfying. Therefore to
overcome this problem, we suggested to use mechanical
compressor over the 1st effect which will reduce the REFERENCES
requirement of the of high pressurized live steam and
reduce the energy consumption of the evaporation unit. 1. Thomas F. OBrien, Bommaraju T. V. and Fumio Hine,
Handbook of Chlor-Alkali Technology, Volume 1 to 5.

2. Thakore S B & Bhatt B I, Introduction to Process

Engineering & Design, 2nd Edition, McGraw Hill
RESULT OF MODIFICATION Education, New Delhi, 2010

Cost (Rs/hr) 3. Sinnott R K, Coulson Richardson's Chemical Engineering,

Without MVR With MVR 4th Edition, Volume 6, page (60 - 120)

Steam 26467.42 5208.741

Compressor 0 1689.84
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Total 26467.42 6898.581
We wish to express our heartily thanks to our project guide
With the use of MVR, there is considerable saving in the Prof. Rajul P Bhatt for enlightening us through out the
evaporation unit. project.
Savings = 469650 Rs / Day
Payback Period of compressor = 110 days I would like to express special thanks to Prof. S. B. Thakore,
for his knowledge full insight, support and for his valuable
Poster Design & Printing by Graphic Arts Center time in the project.