Question 12

Discuss the various reactions that occur in the Solvay process.

Answer

Solvay process is used to prepare sodium carbonate.

When carbon dioxide gas is bubbled through a brine solution saturated with ammonia, sodium hydrogen carbonate is formed. This sodium hydrogen carbonate is then converted to sodium carbonate.



Step 1: Brine solution is saturated with ammonia.

2NH3 + H2O + CO2    →    (NH4)2 CO3

This ammoniated brine is filtered to remove any impurity.

 

Step 2: Carbon dioxide is reacted with this ammoniated brine to result in the formation of insoluble sodium hydrogen carbonate.

NaCl  +  NH4HCO3  →  NaHCO3  +  NH4Cl

 

Step 3: The solution containing crystals of NaHCO3 is filtered to obtain NaHCO3.

 

Step 4: NaHCO3 is heated strongly to convert it into NaHCO3.

2NaHCO3  →  Na2CO3 +  CO2  + H2O

Step 5: To recover ammonia, the filtrate (after removing NaHCO3) is mixed with Ca(OH)2 and heated.

The overall reaction taking place in Solvay process is  2NaCl  + CaCO3  →  Na2CO3 + CaCl2

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