PRODUCTION OF POLYALUMINUM CHLORIDE FROM BASIC ALUMINUM CHLORIDE AND SODIUM ALUMINATE VIA ULTRASONIC PROCESSING

摘要

A method is provided for the production of a stable mid- and high-basicity polyaluminum chloride and polyaluminum chlorosulfate, respectively from sodium aluminate and aluminum chloride or low- or mid-basicity polyaluminum chloride by ultrasonic processing of the reactants. The method overcomes the formation of gels and insoluble precipitates that typically form when mixing sodium aluminate and aluminum chloride and the formation of sodium chloride, which is insoluble in high concentration polyaluminum chloride solutions. The invention eliminates the cumbersome extended heating periods previously required to deal with the formation of insoluble aluminum oxide precipitates in batches of polyaluminum chloride produced from sodium aluminate and aluminum chloride using high-shear mixing. Also because the use of ultrasonic processing reduces the amount of aluminum oxide generated, a batch heating cycle is avoided which reduces the energy costs associated with the production of polyaluminum chloride and thereby allows the process to be run as a continuous process rather than a batch process.