Soda Ash

Tuticorin Alkali Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited (TFL) produces all grades of Soda Ash and co-produces Ammonium Chloride Fertilizer. It is located at Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu contiguous to the SPIC Fertilizer Plant. The Unit was set up in the year 1981 and is the only producer of Soda Ash in the South India. It has adopted an eco-friendly dual process, coproducing Ammonium Chloride Fertiliser. Through in-house R&D efforts, additional production units for Sodium Bicarbonate, Ammonium Bicarbonate, Technical and Pure Grade Ammonium Chloride have also been set up. The production capacities of the plants are as below.

CAPACITY OF THE PLANTS

SODA ASH	180,000 MTPA
AMMONIUM CHLORIDE (FERTILISER GRADE)	162,000 MTPA
AMMONIUM CHLORIDE (TECHNICAL/PURE GRADE)	12,000 MTPA
AMMONIUM BICARBONATE	7,200 MTPA
SODIUM BICARBONATE	14,400 MTPA
CARBON DIOXIDE RECOVERY PLANT	62,000 MTPA
DESALINATED WATER	3 MLD

Soda Ash, technically termed Sodium Carbonate, is one of the basic industrial chemicals which has increase in demand of 8% per annum. Sodium Carbonate finds extensive application in various industries – Soaps & Detergents, Glass, Silicates, Dyes & Dyestuffs, Bichromate, Textiles and other products including House cleaning and Petroleum refining agents.

Owing to the adherence to the stringent quality control measures, TFL’s Soda Ash is rated the best in the industry.

THE SPECIFICATION OF LIGHT & DENSE SODA ASH IS AS BELOW

Soda Ash Light & Soda Ash Dense

Characteristic	Unit	IS Spec.
Total Alkalinity, as Na2CO3	% max.	98.5
Insoluble matter	SPIC	0.15
Sulphate as Na2SO4 *	% max.	0.08
Chloride, as NaCl	% max	1
Iron, as Fe2O3	% max	0.007
Volatile matter	% max	2
Bulk Density (Soda Ash Light)	kg/m3	500 – 750
Bulk Density (Soda Ash Dense)	kg/m3	951 -1250
Sieve – Soda Ash Dense + 10	% max	1
-200	% max	15

*For modified Solvay process 0.5 % max.

Ammonium Chloride Fertilizer

Ammonium Chloride, a Nitrogenous fertilizer containing 25% N, enjoys a high demand owing to its wide acceptance by the farming community for the various crops including paddy, sugarcane, groundnut, banana, coconut, cotton, chillies, mulberry, etc., in different agroclimatic conditions.

Characteristic	Unit	FCO Spec.	IS:1114-1964
Moisture	% max.	2	2
Ammonium Chloride as NH4Cl	% max.	–	–
Iron, as Fe	% max.	–	–
Sulphate, as (NH4)2SO4	% max.	–	–
Total sulphated residue	% max.	–	–
pH	% max.	–	–
Matter insoluble	% max.	–	–
Heavy metals including iron, as Pb	ppm max	–	–
Arsenic, as As2O3	ppm max.	–	–
Other chlorides, as NaCl	% max.	2	2
Ammoniacal Nitrogen (as N)	% max.	25	25

Ammonium Chloride Technical Grade & Pure Grade

Ammonium Chloride Technical Grade & Pure Grade Plant were set up by the R&D Department and commissioned in the year 1998. It utilizes the recycled liquor from the Ammonium Chloride Plant, thus saving use of lime for recovery of Ammonia. It is used in batteries, pharmaceuticals and for galvanizing. The specification of Technical Grade Ammonium Chloride is as below

AMMONIUM CHLORIDE – TECHNICAL AND PURE GRADE IS:1113 – 1965

Characteristic	Unit	IS Spec.	IS Spec.
Pure	Tech.
Moisture	% max.	0.5	1
Ammonium Chloride as NH4Cl	% max.	99.5	98.5
Iron, as Fe	% max.	0.01	0.01
Sulphate, as (NH4)2SO4	% max.	0.1	0.3
Total sulphated residue	% max.	0.3	–
pH	% max.	4.50-5.20	–
Matter insoluble	% max.	0.1	0.2
Heavy metals including iron, as Pb	ppm max	–	–
Arsenic, as As2O3	ppm max.	–	–
Other chlorides, as NaCl	% max.	–	–

Sodium Bicarbonate

As part of diversification 5,000 Tonnes of Refined Sodium Bicarbonate plant had been set up in the Company’s manufacturing facilities at Tuticorin. The process, which is being used, has been developed by the Company’s own R&D. The production has been commenced in the year 1995. Sodium Bicarbonate is used in the manufacture of Biscuits, Pharmaceuticals, Fire Extinguishers etc.

SPECIFICATION FOR SODIUM BICARBONATE

SODIUM BICARBONATE – REFINED GRADE

IS: 2124 Specification. Refined Grade

SODIUM BICARBONATE – IS: 2124

Characteristic	Unit	IS Spec.
Total Alkalinity as NaHCO3	%	99.0 Min
pH of 1% solution	–	8.8 Max
Chloride (as Cl)	%	0.06 Max
Water Insoluble matter	%	0.10 Max
Sulphates (as SO4)	% max	0.07 Max
Iron (as Fe)	%	0.0040 Max
Heavy metals (as Pb)	ppm	5 Max
Arsenic (as As)	ppm	1.5 Max
Copper (as Cu)	ppm	30 Max