Industrial salt may not be a household term, but its applications and significance in everyday life are immense. It is widely used in various industries and countless products that we consume daily. We will explore what industrial salt is produced by our industrial salt manufacturers in India, its various uses, applications, and the reasons behind its importance.
Understanding Industrial Salt – A Basic Overview
Industrial salt produced by industrial salt manufacturers in Gujarat is extracted from natural resources like seawater or rock mines through different processes such as evaporation, solar evaporation, and mining. The primary difference between table salt (commonly used for cooking) and industrial salt is their respective purification levels. While table salt undergoes extensive refining to remove impurities and ensure the high purity level needed for human consumption, industrial salt does not require such stringent purification.
Wide Array of Applications – Where is Industrial Salt Used?
Industrial salt finds usage in multiple sectors. Let’s have a look at some of the primary areas where it is employed:
1. Chemical Industry: Industrial salt acts as a raw material in manufacturing chemicals like chlorine, which is vital for water disinfection, PVC production, and pharmaceutical products. Moreover, it produces caustic soda used to manufacture cleaning agents and detergents.
2. Water Treatment: Industrial salt plays a significant role in water softening plants where its brine solution binds calcium and magnesium from hard water sources, making the water fit for consumption.
3. Textile Industry: Used for dyeing textiles by combining chemical reagents with fabric fibers, ensuring vibrant colors that do not fade over time.
4. Agriculture: In agro-based industries like fisheries and livestock farming, industrial salt supplements the animals’ diets, maintaining their overall health.
5. Public Services: One of the essential daily uses for industrial salt is deicing roads during winter, lowering the freezing point of ice, and ensuring safer driving conditions.
6. Preservation: An integral part of food preservation; however, it is different from the regular salt we consume in our diet and only used as a preservative.
The Structure and Manufacturing Process
Composition: Industrial salt is primarily composed of two elements: sodium and chloride. Although sometimes accompanied by other minerals in trace quantities, the percentage of sodium chloride constitutes nearly 96-99% of its weight.
● Manufacturing Process: There are three primary methods used for extracting industrial salt:
● Evaporation: In this technique, brine solution from saline water or seawater is heated until undesired minerals evaporate, leaving behind salt crystals.
● Solar Evaporation: Solar-based extraction where shallow seawater ponds are left under sun exposure, allowing the water to evaporate naturally.
● Mining: Industrial salt can also be obtained through mining deposits of underground salt beds. This method involves drilling wells into salt domes, which are vast underground salt deposits. The salt is then extracted, crushed, and processed for industrial use.
The Importance of Industrial Salt in Modern Society
Infrastructure Maintenance: Industrial salt is a cornerstone of winter road maintenance. Its ability to melt ice and snow efficiently ensures safer transportation during cold weather conditions, preventing accidents and facilitating the movement of goods and people.
Chemical Manufacturing: The chemical industry relies heavily on industrial salt to produce essential chemicals. Chlorine, caustic soda, and other products are fundamental in processes like water treatment, pharmaceuticals, and the production of plastics.
Food Preservation: Industrial salt is crucial in preserving food products, particularly in the meat and fish industry. It helps extend the shelf life of these products.
Agriculture: Using industrial salt as a supplement in animal feed helps maintain the health and well-being of livestock and fish.
Chemical Processing: Many industrial processes require chlorine derived from industrial salt. These processes include the production of plastics, paper, and pharmaceuticals.
Environmental Benefits: Industrial salt’s role in deicing roads ensures safer driving conditions, and it is less harmful to vegetation and aquatic ecosystems than some alternative deicing chemicals.
Conclusion
Industrial salt is an unsung hero of various industries, contributing significantly to our daily lives, and we belong to the list of one of the top industrial salt manufacturing companies in India. From ensuring safe transportation during winter to supporting chemical manufacturing, food preservation, and agriculture, its applications are vast and indispensable. Despite being less refined than table salt, industrial salt is a foundational element in many industrial processes, playing a vital role in modern society’s functionality and convenience. Its significance reminds us that even the most humble substances can profoundly impact our world.