NEWS
The Industrial Applications of Salt
The ubiquitous shaker next to pepper contains sodium chloride, which adds flavor to your next meal. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg of what salt can do. Food ingredient supplier Bell Chem wishes to share the myriad industrial uses of industrial salt, from gas exploration to water treatment.
Cleaning and Safety
As far as chemicals go, salt is about as versatile as it gets. Here are a few of the ways salt is used to promote cleaning and safety across industries:
Detergents: Soaps, detergents, and solvents contain salt as a filler. When several chemicals are present, salt separates the chemicals so they can perform their specific tasks.
Chlorine production: Sodium chloride’s main industrial use is in the production of chlorine, a feedstock for plastics and other chemicals.
Pool maintenance: Pools and spas are more frequently being outfitted with saltwater systems, which gives the same water sanitation as chlorine while reducing chlorine levels.
Water treatment: Salt flocculates calcium and magnesium, which softens water.
Road maintenance: Industrial salt is an inexpensive method for controlling ice or melting ice on roads since it lowers water’s freezing point. As roads are maintained or constructed, salt added to soil binds it more tightly for a firmer surface.
Food and beverage: In processed meats, salt enriches color, controls bacterial growth, binds sausage, and softens meat. For breads and dairy products, salt coordinates fermentation rates and enhances flavor. Flour contains salt to strengthen gluten and heighten flavor.
Manufacturing
Salt tends to show up in unexpected places — even heavy manufacturing. Here are several ways salt is used in manufacturing:
Metallurgy: Metal processing creates abundant impurities. Salt removes the impurities during refining or smelting of aluminum, beryllium, copper, steel, vanadium, and uranium.
Pharmaceuticals: Saline solution obviously contains salt, but so do capsules. Intravenous fluids flowing into the human body often attempt to match the body’s content of saline for ease of dispersal; equalizing IV fluids with normal human saline levels accomplishes this task.
Chemicals: As a feedstock, industrial salt eventually becomes caustic soda, soda ash, sodium sulfate, sodium carbonate, hydrochloric acid, sodium bicarbonate, and chlorine, to name a few.
Oil and gas drilling: Salt increases the density of drilling fluids and soil, which increases safety during the drilling process. Salt behaves as both a coolant and lubricant for the drilling head. Industrial salt also expedites concrete drying and acts as a flocculant to remove impurities.
Rubber synthesizing: In combination with sulfuric acid and water, industrial salt coagulates latex, thereby separating rubber from latex, to create neoprene and white rubber.
Textiles: In a solution with water, salt flocculates contaminants to cleanse and purify textile fibers. Industrial salt increases the uptake of dyes, acts as a filler for pigments, and is used as a grinding agent. Salt is used in the production of glass and polyester.
Solar power: Industrial salt acts as a catalyst for many ionic reactions in the production of solar energy.
Tanning: Salt reduces moisture and bacteria in the leather working process.
Bell Chem is a food ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including industrial salt. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.
Sodium Chloride – It’s Not Just for Food
You may know sodium chloride by its common name: table salt. Derived from the evaporation of saltwater, more than 270 million tons of sodium chloride becomes the basis of thousands of industrial uses. Sodium chloride (NaCl) is most recognized for its use in the food industry as a condiment and preservative. A plethora of other manufacturing areas utilize salt as well. Jacksonville chemical supplier, Bell Chem, explains.
Sodium chloride is used in de-icing roadways during winter storms; it interferes with the snow and ice bonding with the road surface.
NaCl is used as a major feedstock for chemical synthesis of sodium and chlorine compounds.
In these first two uses – de-icing and chemical synthesis –250 megatons of sodium chloride are usurped annually.
Processing sodium chloride creates sodium carbonate and calcium chloride. Sodium carbonate is the component in manufacturing glass, dyes, and sodium bicarbonate.
The exploration of gas and oil relies on sodium chloride as a drilling fluid component as well as a flocculant.
Sodium chloride increases concrete curing in cemented casings.
Many highways are constructed on a foundation of sodium chloride and soil since NaCl secures the soil and provides firmness to the foundation.
Sodium chloride standardizes dyes by blending with concentrated dyes and is also used as a brine rinse to separate organic contaminants.
Chlorine dioxide, which is chemically derived from sodium chlorate and sulfuric acid, is a chlorine alternative for bleaching that is gaining popularity because it is more environmentally friendly.
Sodium chloride bleaches wood pulp.
Many metals, including aluminum, beryllium, copper, steel, and vanadium, use NaCl in processing.
NaCl inhibits microbial activity while treating and tanning leather and pulls moisture into the animal hide.
Sodium chloride acts as a coagulant in the manufacture of rubber.
In water softening, sodium chloride inhibits saponification by acting as an ion exchange resin to remove calcium and magnesium ions.
Foods can be preserved with sodium chloride because microorganisms cannot live in its extreme saline environment.
Sodium chloride has uses well beyond the food industry. Find out more about NaCl and other chemicals by browsing our website or call 407-339-BELL (2355) to speak with one of our knowledgeable Jacksonville chemical supplier professionals.
Everyday Uses of Sodium Chloride (Salt)
What occurs in nature as a mineral, is produced from brine, can be mined, used as a flavoring for food, and can also be found in great abundance in sea water? The answer is sodium chloride, or more commonly referred to as salt. Salt is much more than just a flavoring for your food. Did you know that salt reduced human dependence on the seasonal availability of food (because of its ability to preserve) and allowed humans to travel over long distances? It allowed for the migration and survival of civilization. In fact, sodium chloride serves as one of the most important substances used by the human race. Throughout history, salt was used for trading purposes and often resulted in national economies and wars. Although times have changed, the world still consumes and uses quite a bit of sodium chloride each year. The world's annual consumption of salt exceeds 150 million tons!
So, what is everyone using sodium chloride for? What are some of its everyday uses?
Sodium Chloride for the Human Body:
Minor Sore Throat - Have a sore throat? Relieve it by mixing a small amount of salt in some warm water and gargle. It is still recommended by doctors today.
Tired Aching Feet - Soak your feet in some warm salt water and it will ease the soreness and ache in your muscles. Epsom salt will work as well.
Sprains, Strains and Bee Stings- Warmly dampen a towel, sprinkle some sodium chloride on it, fold it and then place it on the affected area. Even if it's only temporary, it will bring some relief.
Poison Ivy - Although a salt bath won't cure poison ivy, it will sooth the irritation.
Everyday Household Uses for Sodium Chloride:
Cleaning Vegetables - Cleaning your vegetables in salt water can remove any dirt or grit that may be trapped on and in between them.
Remove Coffee and Tea Stains from Cups - You can remove any coffee or tea stains by rubbing the stained area with a damp sponge or cloth dipped in salt. You can even clean your coffee maker for that next fresh cup of coffee! Fill it with water, salt and boil.
Grease Fire - Never, and I mean never, pour water on a grease fire. Use salt instead.
Reduce Grease Build Up - Pouring some warm salt water down the drain can help reduce grease build up.
Kills Weeds - Sprinkling salt on unwanted plants will kill them.
Kills Fleas and Deters Ants - If you are having a flea problem, or an ant problem, sprinkle some salt around your home and lightly on your carpet.
As a top chemical supplier in Orlando, Bell Chem offers fast delivery of any of our hundreds of chemical products including sodium chloride. Our Florida chemical supply company is positioned as the “go to” supplier on a national, as well as international level. Give us a call today at 407-339-BELL (2355) to place an order for chemical products!
Salt (Sodium Chloride) and Its Uses
Salt, also known as Sodium Chloride, is a chemical product used in many industries such as medicine, agriculture and food. For centuries, people have used salt as a cleaning agent for household surfaces. It can also cleanse and disinfect a wound. Salt is used in many brands of shampoo, toothpaste, and mouthwash. On the skin, salt can be extremely helpful as a massage element to improve skin complexion. Salt is added to most foods as a preservative, flavor enhancer, fermentation-control additive, texture-control agent, and/or color developer. As a preservative, salt inhibits the growth of bacteria because many micro organisms cannot live in an overly salty environment. Salt is added to promote color development in bacon, ham and many other processed meat products.
Salt is even used to de-ice driveways and patches of ice on roads. When temperatures are above 0 degrees Fahrenheit, roads are commonly de-iced with salt, spread over the roads by snowplows or dump trucks. On particularly slippery roads, salt is often mixed with sand and gravel. Sodium chloride (rock salt) is normally used because it is inexpensive and easy to get in large quantities.
As a top quality chemical supplier in Orlando, we look forward to the opportunity to provide your business with quality chemical products like sodium chloride. We have a full-time document coordinator as well as quality inspectors to ensure the accuracy and quality of our chemical orders. Give us a call today at 407-339-BELL (2355).