Method of producing soda ash and calcium chloride

1. A method of producing soda ash and calcium chloride, comprising the steps of:

providing a source of brine;

providing a source of gaseous ammonia;

ammoniating brine with gaseous ammonia to form ammoniated brine;

heating limestone to produce calcium oxide and carbon dioxide;

reacting the ammoniated brine with the carbon dioxide produced by the step of heating the limestone to produce sodium bicarbonate, ammonium chloride and a brine effluent;

calcining the sodium bicarbonate to decompose the sodium bicarbonate to produce soda ash and gaseous carbon dioxide;

reacting the calcium oxide with the ammonium chloride and brine effluent to produce calcium chloride, brine effluent, and ammonia;

wherein said step of reacting the calcium oxide with the ammonium chloride and brine effluent comprises reacting dry calcium oxide with the ammonium chloride and brine effluent without slaking the calcium oxide produced by heating the limestone;

recycling the ammonia to be used in the step of ammoniating the brine; and

recycling the water from the brine effluent to be used in the step of ammoniating the brine by crystallizing sodium chloride from the mixture of calcium chloride and brine effluent, separating the crystallized sodium chloride from the effluent by centrifuging the effluent, and recycling the crystallized sodium chloride;

evaporating any water remaining to produce water vapor;

recovering the produced calcium chloride;

recycling the water vapor and condensing into water;

wherein the crystallized sodium chloride is further used for the providing of fresh brine by combining with the condensed water to continue the method;

collecting the produced calcium chloride;

separating residual salt; and

forming an approximately 77 wt % solution of calcium chloride flakes.

2. The method of producing soda ash and calcium chloride as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the step of filtering the mixture of sodium bicarbonate, ammonium chloride, and brine prior to said calcining step, the brine and soluble ammonium chloride being removed for recovery of sodium chloride and ammonia.

3. The method of producing soda ash and calcium chloride as recited in claim 2 , wherein said step of calcining the sodium bicarbonate comprises heating the filtered sodium bicarbonate to a temperature sufficient to decompose the sodium bicarbonate.

4. The method of producing soda ash and calcium chloride as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the steps of condensing the water vapor and recycling the condensed water vapor for the formation of fresh brine with the recycled sodium chloride.

5. A method of producing soda ash and calcium chloride, comprising the steps of:

mixing sodium chloride and water to form fresh brine;

providing ammonia gas;

bubbling the ammonia gas through the fresh brine to form ammoniated brine;

heating limestone in a lime kiln to produce dry calcium oxide and carbon dioxide;

bubbling the carbon dioxide through the ammoniated brine in a carbonation tower to produce sodium bicarbonate, ammonium chloride, and a brine effluent, the sodium bicarbonate precipitating in the brine effluent and the ammonium chloride being soluble in the brine effluent;

filtering the brine effluent to remove the precipitated sodium bicarbonate;

calcining the filtered sodium bicarbonate at a temperature sufficient to decompose the sodium bicarbonate to form soda ash as a major product;

reacting the dry calcium oxide with the filtered brine effluent to produce ammonia gas and a brine effluent containing calcium chloride;

wherein said step of reacting the dry calcium oxide with the filtered brine effluent to produce ammonia gas and a brine effluent containing calcium chloride comprises reacting dry calcium oxide with the ammonium chloride and brine effluent without slaking the calcium oxide produced by heating the limestone;

recycling the ammonia gas produced by the reacting step to form additional ammoniated brine using the bubbling ammonia step;

crystallizing sodium chloride in the brine effluent;

centrifuging the brine effluent to separate the crystallized sodium chloride from the brine effluent;

recycling the separated crystallized sodium chloride to form additional fresh brine using the mixing step;

evaporating water from the effluent to form water vapor and to recover calcium chloride as a major product;

collecting the produced calcium chloride;

separating residual salt therefrom;

forming a solution;

wherein the solution is selected from a group consisting of an approximately 77 wt % solution of calcium chloride flakes, and an approximately 95 wt % solution of calcium chloride granules; and

recycling the water vapor to form addition fresh brine using the mixing step;

whereby all reactants are recycled, leaving substantially no waste to discharge.

6. A method of producing soda ash and calcium chloride, comprising the steps of:

providing a source of brine;

providing a source of gaseous ammonia;

ammoniating brine with gaseous ammonia to form ammoniated brine;

heating limestone to produce calcium oxide and carbon dioxide;

reacting the ammoniated brine with the carbon dioxide produced by the step of heating the limestone to produce sodium bicarbonate, ammonium chloride and a brine effluent;

calcining the sodium bicarbonate to decompose the sodium bicarbonate to produce soda ash and gaseous carbon dioxide;

reacting the calcium oxide with the ammonium chloride and brine effluent to produce calcium chloride, brine effluent, and ammonia;

recycling the ammonia to be used in the step of ammoniating the brine; and

recycling the water from the brine effluent to be used in the step of ammoniating the brine by crystallizing sodium chloride from the mixture of calcium chloride and brine effluent, separating the crystallized sodium chloride from the effluent by centrifuging the effluent, and recycling the crystallized sodium chloride;

evaporating any water remaining to produce water vapor;

recovering the produced calcium chloride;

recycling the water vapor and condensing into water;

wherein the crystallized sodium chloride is further used for the providing of fresh brine by combining with the condensed water to continue the method;

collecting the produced calcium chloride;

separating residual salt; and

forming an approximately 95 wt % solution of calcium chloride granules.

7. The method of producing soda ash and calcium chloride as recited in claim 6 , further comprising the step of filtering the mixture of sodium bicarbonate, ammonium chloride, and brine prior to said calcining step, the brine and soluble ammonium chloride being removed for recovery of sodium chloride and ammonia.

8. The method of producing soda ash and calcium chloride as recited in claim 7 , wherein said step of calcining the sodium bicarbonate comprises heating the filtered sodium bicarbonate to a temperature sufficient to decompose the sodium bicarbonate.

9. The method of producing soda ash and calcium chloride as recited in claim 6 , further comprising the steps of:

condensing the water vapor;

recycling the condensed water vapor; and

forming fresh brine with the recycled sodium chloride.

10. The method of producing soda ash and calcium chloride as recited in claim 6 , wherein said step of reacting the calcium oxide with the ammonium chloride and brine effluent by reacting dry calcium oxide with the ammonium chloride and brine effluent without slaking the calcium oxide produced by heating the limestone.