Efficient water purification—Aluminum chloride

In modern industry and environmental protection, a seemingly ordinary but vital chemical is playing a huge role - it is aluminum chloride (AlCl₃). Whether it is water treatment, chemical synthesis, pharmaceuticals, papermaking, or other industries, aluminum chloride plays an indispensable role. Today, let me introduce how aluminum chloride products can help the efficient development of various industries.

Product Introduction

Aluminum chloride ：Molecular formula AlCl₃. Industrial products are light yellow,reddish-brown because they contain impurities such as iron and free chlorine. Molecular weight 133.34. Density 2.44 (25℃). It has a strong smell of hydrochloric acid. It is easily soluble in water and releases heat at the same time. It is soluble in organic solvents such as ethanol, ether, and carbon tetrachloride. It has strong water absorption and is very easy to deliquesce to generate hydrogen chloride smoke. It is highly corrosive. It is used as a catalyst for organic synthesis. It is made by reacting metallic aluminum with chlorine or by roasting alumina and petroleum coke and then passing chlorine through the reaction.

Aluminum chloride hexahydrate, with the molecular formula of AlCl₃·6H₂O. Also known as crystalline aluminum chloride, with a molecular weight of 241.43, it has an appearance of orange-yellow or light yellow crystals. Crystalline aluminum chloride is also a kind of inorganic flocculant, which can be used for the treatment of drinking water and industrial water.

Product grades include industrial grade and food grade.

Water treatment industry—the "behind-the-scenes hero" of efficient water purification

Water is the source of life, but polluted water resources need to be scientifically treated before they can be used safely. As a high-efficiency flocculant, aluminum chloride has excellent performance in the purification of industrial wastewater, urban sewage, and drinking water:

1. Rapid precipitation of impurities:

It can effectively adsorb suspended particles, colloids, and organic matter in water, causing them to condense and settle quickly.

2. Wide adaptability:

It is suitable for different water quality conditions and can maintain good results even in low-temperature and low-turbidity water.

3. Reduce residues:

Compared with traditional aluminum sulfate, aluminum chloride has a better flocculation effect, less aluminum ion residue, and is more friendly to the human body and the environment.

How to use in water treatment

1. Time of injection: Water treatment plants usually determine the time of injection according to the nature of the water and the treatment requirements. Generally, it is recommended to inject aluminum chloride into the water before the water enters the coagulation tank.

2. Method of injection: Depending on the type of coagulation tank and the coagulation method, the injection method of aluminum chloride is also different. The coagulation tank can be a mechanical stirring tank or a gas-liquid mixing tank. The injection method of the mechanical stirring tank can be solid injection or solution injection, and the injection method of the gas-liquid mixing tank can be spraying or liquid-gas injection. The injection rate and concentration of aluminum chloride should be adjusted according to the actual situation to achieve the best coagulation effect.

Role in water treatment

‌The role of aluminum chloride in water treatment mainly includes coagulation, flocculation, precipitation of harmful substances, pH adjustment, and disinfection‌.

1. Coagulation and flocculation

As a coagulant, aluminum chloride can react chemically with anions and colloids in water to form small clusters and gradually aggregate to form large floccules. These floccules can effectively adsorb and condense impurities such as suspended solids, particles, colloids, and organic matter in water, causing them to settle to the bottom or float to the surface of the water, thereby achieving the effect of purifying water quality.

2. Adjusting pH value

Aluminum chloride is a strongly acidic compound. When it dissolves in water, it releases a large amount of chloride ions and hydrogen ions, causing the water to become acidic. This acidic condition helps prevent the growth and reproduction of some harmful microorganisms and also prevents the precipitation and accumulation of metal ions in water. By using aluminum chloride, the pH value of water can be adjusted, and the water quality can be kept in a suitable acid-base balance state.

3. Disinfection

During the water treatment process, aluminum chloride can react with certain organic matter in water to generate hypochlorous acid, which helps to eliminate microbial pollutants in water and reduce the occurrence of waterborne diseases.

Application examples in water treatment

1. Tap water treatment: In some areas, the water quality of the water source is poor, and the difficulty of water production is high, resulting in low tap water quality and problems such as suspended particles and colloids that are difficult to remove. By adding an aluminum chloride treatment agent, pollutants such as suspended particles and colloids can be condensed into large particles, which is convenient for subsequent precipitation and filtration and improves water quality.

2. Industrial wastewater treatment: Aluminum chloride is also widely used in industrial wastewater treatment. For example, in the treatment of fluoride-containing wastewater, aluminum chloride can be used in combination with other chemical reagents such as calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂) and polyacrylamide (PAM) to remove fluoride by chemical precipitation. Although this method has problems such as difficulty meeting the standards for the treated effluent and slow sedimentation of sludge, its cost is relatively low and suitable for large-scale application.

3. Sludge conditioning: In sludge treatment, aluminum chloride as a conditioning agent can destroy the colloidal structure of sludge, reduce the affinity between mud and water, and improve the dewatering performance of sludge. Experimental studies have shown that the optimal dosage is 2.5%, and the conditioning effect is related to the pH value and the nature of the sludge.

Specific application steps and effects in water treatment

1. Treatment of fluorine-containing wastewater: Through chemical precipitation, aluminum chloride is used in combination with calcium hydroxide and polyacrylamide to treat fluorine-containing wastewater. Although this method has the problem that the effluent is difficult to meet the standard, it is low in cost and suitable for large-scale application.

2. Sludge conditioning: Using aluminum chloride for conditioning before sludge dehydration can destroy the colloidal structure of sludge, reduce the affinity between mud and water, and improve the dehydration performance of sludge. Experiments show that the optimal dosage is 2.5%, and the conditioning effect is related to the pH value and the nature of sludge.

Chemical "industry—"catalytic master" of organic synthesis

In organic synthesis, aluminum chloride is a powerful Lewis acid catalyst, widely used in Friedel-Crafts reactions, to promote the alkylation and acylation process of aromatic compounds.

1. Production of fine chemicals: used to synthesize high value-added dyes, fragrances, and pharmaceutical intermediates.

2. Improve reaction efficiency: can reduce reaction temperature, improve selectivity of target products, reduce by-products, and increase yield.

Application case: A pharmaceutical company uses aluminum chloride to catalyze the synthesis of key intermediates of antidepressants, which increases yield by 15%, reduces energy consumption, and optimizes the overall process.

Papermaking industry—improving paper quality

The role of aluminum chloride in the papermaking industry cannot be ignored:

1. As a sizing agent, it can improve the water resistance of paper and make it more durable.

2. Improve the surface properties of paper, improve printing adaptability, and make printed products clearer and more durable.

Application case: A well-known paper mill uses aluminum chloride for sizing treatment, which increases paper strength by 20%, makes ink adsorption more uniform, and significantly improves customer satisfaction.

Petroleum refining—improving fuel quality

In the petroleum and refining industries, aluminum chloride is used for alkylation reactions, which helps to increase gasoline octane number and improve fuel quality.

1. Reduce engine knock, make fuel combustion more complete, and improve engine efficiency.

2. Optimize heavy oil cracking and improve the economic benefits of refined products.

Application case: A large refinery uses an aluminum chloride catalytic process in the production of high-octane gasoline, which effectively improves fuel quality and reduces pollutant emissions.

Other application areas

1. Leather industry: Aluminum chloride can be used as a tanning agent to improve the softness and durability of leather.

2. Food processing: It can be used as a coagulant in the production of some traditional foods (such as tofu) (in compliance with food safety standards).

3. Ceramics and glass manufacturing: used as a flux to reduce production energy consumption and improve product quality.

Choose high-quality aluminum chloride to help enterprises develop efficiently.

Faced with many aluminum chloride products on the market, it is particularly important to choose products with high purity, low impurities, and excellent solubility. Jinan Future Chemical Co., Ltd. focuses on the research and development and production of aluminum chloride, providing products of various specifications to meet the needs of different customers.

Our product advantages:

1. High purity, more stable reaction effect, and improved process efficiency.

2. Low residue, reduced environmental pollution, more environmentally friendly.

3. Strong solubility, easy to use, and convenient operation.

Whether in water treatment, chemical synthesis, papermaking, oil refining, or other industries, aluminum chloride has become a powerful assistant in industrial production with its excellent performance. Choosing high-quality aluminum chloride products can not only improve production efficiency but also reduce operating costs, helping enterprises move towards a greener and more efficient development path!