Soda Ash Manufacturers Key Terms

Get to know the important terms associated with soda ash manufacturing

By Catherine Ryan

Soda ash is an important chemical compound to a broad range of industries, and its uses vary widely. Manufacturers use soda ash in the production of many products, including glass, food, pharmaceuticals and household cleaning detergents.

If your company works with soda ash manufacturers, it's important that you are familiar with the terminology associated with soda ash. Make sure to learn the following key terms: sodium carbonate, light soda ash, dense soda ash, medium-dense soda ash, Solvay Process and Hou's Process.

Sodium carbonate

Soda ash, also known as sodium carbonate, gets its name from the two chemicals used to make it. These chemicals are sodium and carbonate, a salt of carbonic acid.
Try: The USGS website provides an in-depth explanation of sodium carbonate, its makeup and its uses.

Light soda ash

Light soda ash is soda ash with a granulometry of .3 mm or smaller. One of the major applications of light soda ash is the regulation of plant wastewater pH levels.
Try: Visit Solvay Chemicals for a description of light soda ash.

Dense soda ash

Dense soda ash is a chemical created through the compaction of light soda ash. The higher density of dense soda ash makes it an important component in the production of glass and silicates.
Try: Learn all about dense soda ash at the Tata Chemicals website.

Medium-dense soda ash

Medium-dense soda ash has high liquid absorption and low dusting levels. It dissolves quickly in water. These features make it the popular choice for detergent manufacturers.
Try: American Natural Soda Ash Corporation provides an in-depth description of medium-dense soda ash, along with its features and applications.

Solvay Process

Developed in the 1860's by the Belgian chemist Ernest Solvay, the Solvay Process is the number one industrial method of producing soda ash. The process creates soda ash from limestone and brine through a series of chemical reactions.
Try: TETRA Technologies provides a definition of the Solvay Process.

Hou's Process

Hou Debang, a chemist, developed Hou's Process in 1941. Hou's Process is different from the Solvay Process in the final steps, which replace carbon dioxide and ammonia for the lime used in the Solvay Process. Unlike the Solvay Process, Hou's Process does not generate the byproduct calcium chloride.
Try: You can learn more at Datian Chemical, which provides an outline of Hou's Process.