Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol.45, No.21, 7144-7150, 2006
Stability of sodium sulfate dicarbonate (similar to 2Na(2)CO(3)center dot Na2SO4) crystals obtained from evaporation of aqueous solutions of Na2CO3 and Na2SO4
Crystallization of sodium sulfate dicarbonate ( similar to 2Na(2)CO(3) center dot Na2SO4) is known to be a primary contributor to the fouling of heat-transfer equipment in spent-liquor concentrators used in the pulp and paper industry. Therefore, understanding the conditions leading to the formation and in-process stability of this double salt and the related burkeite salt is crucial to the elimination or reduction of industrial problems. In this work, double salts were generated in a batch crystallizer at close-to-industrial process conditions. X-ray diffraction, calorimetry, and microscopic observation were used to investigate the stability of the salts to in-process aging, isolation and storage, and exposure to high temperature. The results verify that sodium sulfate dicarbonate exists as a unique phase in this system and that it remains stable at process conditions.