Potassium Chloride
Potassium Chloride
Potassium Chloride
Dr. N. K. Patel
Lecture: 41 Potassium chloride
Module: 10
Lecture: 41
POTASSIUM CHLORIDE
INTRODUCTION
Potash varies in colour from pink or red to white depending on the mining and
recovery process used. White potash or soluble potash is usually higher in analysis
and is used primarily for making liquid starter fertilizers. It occurs naturally as the
mineral sylvite and in combination with sodium chloride as sylvinite.
MANUFACTURE
Raw Materials
Basis: 1000kg of Potassium chloride (Muriate)
Sylvinite = 2510kg
Steam = 1250kg
Water =170-200m3
Electricity = 180MJ
Direct labour = 4-5work-hr
Manufacture
Potassium chloride is obtained by following methods
1. Leaching process
2. Flotation process
NPTEL 262
Module: 10
Dr. N. K. Patel
Lecture: 41 Potassium chloride
Leaching process
The solubility of potassium chloride and sodium chloride increases as the
temperature increases. Individually both are much more soluble in hot water than in
cold water. But in solutions saturated with both sodium and potassium chloride, the
concentration of NaCl diminishes as temperature rises, while the concentration of
potassium chloride increases. These solubility characteristics are used to extract
potassium chloride from sylvinite. Crushed ore is mixed with sufficient quantity of
recycle brine which is already saturated with NaCl and heated almost to hilling to
dissolve KCl. The KCl rich brine on clarification and then cooling by vacuum
evaporation produces KCl crystals which are centrifuged, washed, dried and
packed. The filtrate (brine) is recycled for leaching more ore.
Flotation process
Amine acetate
Water Starch
Sylvinite
Centrifuge
Absorber
Reactor
Flotation
Dryer
chamber
Crusher
Water
Water KCl
Uncoated particles Air
Animation
NPTEL 263
Module: 10
Dr. N. K. Patel
Lecture: 41 Potassium chloride
PROPERTIES
USES
As a fertilizer
Used as thickeners, stabilizer, mineral salts, gelling agents and acidity
regulator in food
Used as a salt replacer in foods, for recovery of potassium in the human body,
It's used in brewing, as a salt substitute (as salt free, sodium free, and low
sodium products), gelling agent, and in reduced sodium breads.
Used in various pharmaceutical preparations to correct potassium deficiency.
It used as a substitute for table salt in the diet of people with cardiovascular
disorders, in administration of the potassium ion, and as a constituent of
Ringer's solution.
NPTEL 264