Non-ferric alum and its production from Hydrate

Hi Friends,

In present post, we will discuss the specifications, applications and production process route for manufacture of Non-ferric alum as described in following paragraphs-

Specifications of Non-ferric alum:

The purity level of non-ferric alum is higher compared to Ferric alum, thus it is marketed at premium price. The specifications of product conforms to IS 260 : 2001 (2nd revision) as detailed below-

• Aluminium compounds as Al2O3: 17% min. (w/w),
• Iron as Fe: 0.01% max. (w/w),
• Insoluble matters: 0.30% max. (w/w),
• pH of 5% solution : 2.8 max.

Applications of Non-ferric alum:

Non-ferric alum has following main applications-

• As mordant in dyeing,
• Paper sizing to improve durability and receptivity,
• Clarification of water,
• Water proofing agent and accelerator in concrete,
• Clarification of fats and oils,
• As foaming agent in fire foams,
• Medicinal applications as antiseptic.

Production process route:

Chemical grade hydrate (Hydrated alumina) is the basic input material used for production of non-ferric alum as impurities in product is strictly controlled well within specified limits. The secondary chemical is Sulfuric acid which is available in abundance at comparatively lower issue price across the globe. Generally batch process is adopted for production of non-ferric alum. Since hydrate is a soft powdery material so it is directly put into the reaction vessel containing calculated volume of dilute sulfuric acid and heated to attain the temperature at  around 100 degree centigrade. The process and operating parameters are almost similar to production of Ferric alum presented in earlier post. The solidified non-ferric alum thus produced is crushed, screened and bagged in high density polyethylene bags for despatch to desired customers. 
Safety Precautions:
As a safety precaution, ensure to provide non-return valve in acid transfer line discharging acid to reaction vessel. Also, always add concentrated sulfuric acid to water for dilution and never add water to sulfuric acid as it may cause serious blast because of enormous generation of flux of heat.
Market potential for Non-ferric alum:
This value added product has tremendous market potential with reasonably good profit margin. The payback period for such project is about 5 to 6 years.
Hope, the topic has been covered with clarity in expression for easy understanding. However, request to put your valued remarks / comments, if any.



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Kunwar Rajendra