Bulk Salt for Chlor-Alkali Membrane Cells — Spec, Purity & Supplier Selection
How to specify bulk salt for chlor-alkali membrane-cell electrolysis. Critical SO₄ ≤ 0.08%, Ca + Mg limits, ion-exchange resin compatibility, PVC production grade. Egyptian sea salt premium chlor-alkali specs.
Bulk Salt for Chlor-Alkali Membrane Cells — Spec, Purity & Supplier Selection
Membrane-cell chlor-alkali electrolysis is brutally demanding on salt purity. The wrong salt will foul a USD 200-400/m² ion-exchange membrane within weeks — a single membrane replacement can run hundreds of thousands of dollars on a 50-200 m² cell.
If you're a chlor-alkali producer or a salt buyer specifying for one, this guide covers what to look for, what kills membranes, and how Egyptian Bulk Sea Salt premium chlor-alkali grade meets the spec.
- Sulphate (SO₄) — competes with chloride for membrane sites. Limit: ≤ 0.08% (preferably ≤ 0.05%).
- Calcium (Ca²⁺) — precipitates on the cathode side as Ca(OH)₂, blinds the membrane. Limit: ≤ 50 ppm (0.005%).
- Magnesium (Mg²⁺) — same precipitation issue + harder to remove via ion exchange. Limit: ≤ 20 ppm (0.002%).
- Iron (Fe) — catalyses oxidation reactions, brown-staining the membrane. Limit: ≤ 1 ppm.
- Heavy metals (Pb, Hg, Cd, As) — accumulate, toxify, and displace useful sites. Limit: ≤ 1 ppm each.
- Iodine (I) — causes spurious side reactions. Specify iodine-free.
SKU PS_SEA_CHEM_PCA — Egyptian Bulk Sea Salt — Premium Chlor-Alkali Low-SO₄
| Parameter | Value | Method |
|---|---|---|
| NaCl | ≥ 99.5% | Argentometric titration |
| Moisture | ≤ 0.30% | LOD at 105°C |
| SO₄ | ≤ 0.08% | Gravimetric BaCl₂ |
| Ca | ≤ 50 ppm | EDTA / AAS |
| Mg | ≤ 20 ppm | EDTA / AAS |
| Fe | ≤ 1 ppm | AAS |
| Pb | ≤ 1 ppm | ICP-MS |
| Hg | ≤ 1 ppm | ICP-MS |
| Cd | ≤ 1 ppm | ICP-MS |
| As | ≤ 1 ppm | ICP-MS |
| Iodine | Not detected | Ion chromatography |
| Particle size | 0.30-1.50 mm | Sieve analysis |
| Bulk density | 960-1080 kg/m³ | Tap density |
Vacuum-evaporated from purified Egyptian sea brine. Compatible with all major membrane suppliers (Asahi Kasei AGC, Chemours Nafion, AGC Engineering CMV).
For PVC producers using membrane-cell chlorine as a feedstock, our PVC Production Sea Salt variant has slightly tighter Fe control (≤ 0.5 ppm) since iron in the chlorine stream catalyses unwanted reactions in the EDC + VCM stages.
- Naturally low contamination — Mediterranean sea salt is naturally lower in Ca + Mg than Caspian / Dead Sea salt. Less purification work needed.
- Proximity — Egypt → GCC chlor-alkali plants in 2-3 days; Egypt → Indian subcontinent in 12-15 days; Egypt → SE Asia in 20-25 days. Cheaper freight than European salt landed at the same destination.
- Vast supply — we ship 50,000-200,000 MT/year of premium chlor-alkali grade, never short for repeat contracts.
- Independent third-party testing — every shipment can carry SGS / Intertek / Bureau Veritas certification on request.
A chlor-alkali membrane should last 5+ years on premium salt. On marginal salt (SO₄ > 0.20%, Ca > 100 ppm), membrane life drops to 1-2 years. The cost difference between premium and marginal salt is typically USD 5-10/MT FOB. The cost difference in membrane replacement is USD 50-200/MT salt-equivalent. The premium grade is always cheaper on TCO.
Submit a chlor-alkali salt RFQ — specify your membrane supplier (Asahi / Chemours / AGC) and your existing salt spec. We'll send a Proforma Invoice within 24 hours with FOB pricing + indicative freight to your nearest port.
Or browse the chlor-alkali application landing.
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