Technology Profile

Calcium Hypochlorite Production

By Intratec Solutions Slaked lime,
Slaked lime,
caustic soda, Sodium method Calcium method
chlorine

C
alcium hypochlorite,
Ca(OCl)2, is among the few
metal hypochlorites that is
stable enough to be pro-
duced as a solid salt. Because of this
fact, it is the main bleaching agent pro-
duced commercially as a solid (some-
times referred to as bleach powder).
The process
The following paragraphs describe
the production of calcium hypochlo-
rite (70 wt.%) from slaked lime, sodi-
um hydroxide and chlorine, a typical,
so-called sodium process. Figure 1
presents a simplified flow diagram of
the process.
Reaction. Initially, caustic soda so-
lution is mixed with recycled bleach
mother liquor composed of calci-
um hypochlorite and sodium chloride
dissolved in water in the caustic
mixing vessel. The resulting solution is
sent to the lime-mixing vessel, where
slaked lime is fed to form a milk-of-
lime slurry. This slurry is forwarded to
the salt nucleator vessel, where it is
mixed with chlorinator liquor recycled
material and recycled bleach mother
liquor. The resulting solution is su-
persatured with sodium chloride and
calcium hypochlorite, which initiates
the precipitation of the crystals. The
mixture from the salt nucleator ves-
sel is fed to the chlorinator along with
gaseous chlorine, which reacts with
calcium hydroxide and sodium hy-
droxide to form calcium hypochlorite
and sodium chloride. In this way, fur-
ther crystals of calcium hypochlorite
and sodium chloride are formed and
growth of pre-existing crystals occurs.
Separation. The chlorinator out-
Slaked lime
(97 wt.%) 3 4
1 2
Caustic
soda
(50 wt.%)
Chlorine
chlorine
Slaked lime,
Sodium method
chlorine,
sodium hypochl.
hypochlorite
Quicklime,
water, caustic Sodium method
soda, chlorine
n Raw material n Pathway n Main product
FIGURE 2. The diagram shows multiple production pathways for calcium hypochlorite
let slurry is fed into the a two-stage,
upward-flow cylindrical elutriator-clas-
sifier at its midpoint. Bleach mother
liquor from the calcium hypochlorite
centrifuge is fed into the bottom por-
tion of the lower stage of the elutriator
as the elutriating fluid. From the upper
portion of the elutriator, an aqueous
slurry containing most of the calcium
hypochlorite is withdrawn and sent
to calcium hypochlorite centrifuge.
An aqueous slurry containing denser
sodium chloride crystals are removed.
The bottom product of the elutria-
tor, an aqueous slurry containing the
denser sodium chloride crystals is
sent to the salt centrifuge.
The sodium chloride slurry from the
bottom of the elutriator is centrifuged,
and the sodium chloride wet cake
is then conveyed to an intermediate
tank. The salt-centrifuge mother liquor
is sent to the Ca(OCl)2 centrifuge.
Finishing. The wet cake from the cal-
cium hypochlorite centrifuge is dried
in a turbo dryer, and gases from the
dryer are scrubbed and released. The
dry calcium hypochlorite is squeezed,
prilled and then classified. The over-
sized and undersized solids are re-
turned for further processing, while
the calcium hypochlorite product is
directed to packing.
Process water
6 Sodium
chloride
8 (31 wt.%)
11
7 8. Salt tank
5 9
RW
Calcium
10
hypochlorite
ST
Calcium Quicklime,
Calcium method
water, chlorine
Quicklime,
Sodium method water, sodium
hypochlorite
Ca(OCl)2 production pathways
Calcium hypochlorite was initially pro-
duced by passing chlorine gas over
slightly moist calcium hydroxide. Cur-
rently, calcium hypochlorite is mainly
produced from slaked lime and so-
dium hydroxide. Figure 2 presents dif-
ferent pathways for calcium hypochlo-
rite production.
Economic performance
The total operating cost (raw materi-
als, utilities, fixed costs and deprecia-
tion costs) estimated to produce cal-
cium hypochlorite was about $1,120
per ton of calcium hypochlorite in the
fourth quarter of 2013. The analysis
was based on a plant with capacity to
produce 25,000 metric ton per year of
calcium hypochlorite.
This column is based on Calcium
Hypochlorite Production via Sodium
Method Cost Analysis, a report
published by Intratec. It can be found
at: www.intratec.us/analysis/calcium-
hypochlorite-production-cost. n
Edited by Scott Jenkins
Editors note: The content for this column is supplied by In-
tratec Solutions LLC (Houston; www.intratec.us) and edited by
Chemical Engineering. The analyses and models presented are
prepared on the basis of publicly available and non-confidential
information. The content represents the opinions of Intratec only.
More information about the methodology for preparing analysis
can be found, along with terms of use, at www.intratec.us/che.
1. Caustic mixing vessel
2. Lime mixing vessel
3. Salt nucleator vessel
Off-gas
4. Chlorinator
5. Elutriator
6. Salt centrifuge
7. Calcium hypochlorite centrifuge
Wastewater 9. Turbo dryer
10. Crusher and classifier
11. Scrubber
12. Steam boiler
13. Cooling tower
14. Chiller
12

13 ST Steam
CW
CW Cooling water
FIGURE 1. This flow diagram depicts a typical sodium process for production calcium hypochlorite RW 14 RW Chilled water

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM NOVEMBER 2017 29