Dense Soda Ash is widely used in industry and people's livelihood due to its high particle density and strong stability. First, it is the core raw material in glass manufacturing, used to produce flat glass, bottle glass, etc., and can be melted with quartz sand and limestone to reduce the melting point, improve the transparency and strength of glass, accounting for 30%-50% of the soda ash usage. Second, it is used as a basic raw material in chemical production to manufacture compounds such as caustic soda, baking soda, sodium silicate, etc. It is also a color fixative in the printing and dyeing industry and a pulping aid in the papermaking industry. It can remove lignin and adjust the pH value. Third, it is used as a flux in the metallurgical field to help remove impurities such as silicon dioxide in ores, adjust the alkalinity of slag in steelmaking, and can also be used for electroplating liquid purification and metal surface treatment. Fourth, it is used as an acidity regulator and leavening agent in food processing, used to prevent noodles from sticking, ferment bread, or adjust the flavor when making soy sauce and monosodium glutamate, and must comply with food additive standards (such as GB 1886.1-2015). In addition, Dense Soda Ash can be used as a filler in detergent production due to its high bulk density (1.0-1.2g/cm³) to enhance its decontamination ability. It is also used in water treatment to soften hard water and remove calcium and magnesium ions. It can also be used in the leather industry to dehair and soften leather. It is a key basic chemical raw material connecting multiple industries such as chemicals, building materials, and food.

The production process of Dense Soda Ash is mainly divided into different paths based on the difference of raw materials. Ammonia-soda method (Solvay process): using salt, limestone and ammonia as raw materials, first prepare salt into a saturated solution, absorb ammonia to make ammonia brine, then introduce carbon dioxide to generate sodium bicarbonate precipitation, filter and calcine to obtain light soda ash (Na₂CO₃). Light soda ash is converted into Dense Soda Ash through heavy treatment, including: Hydration method: Mix light soda ash and water in proportion to generate sodium carbonate monohydrate (Na₂CO₃・H₂O) crystals, and form dense particles of Dense Soda Ash after drying and dehydration, with a bulk density of 1.0-1.2g/cm³. Extrusion method: Use mechanical pressure to extrude light soda ash particles, increase density through crystallization and reorganization, no water is needed, suitable for large-scale production. Combined alkali process (Hou's alkali process): Combined with the synthetic ammonia process, while ammonia water and brine are passing carbon dioxide to generate sodium bicarbonate, ammonium chloride is produced as a by-product, sodium bicarbonate is calcined to obtain light soda ash, and then hydrated or extruded to make it heavy. This method has high raw material utilization and no calcium slag is discharged. Natural alkali process: Using natural alkali ore (including sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, etc.) as raw materials, dissolving and filtering to remove impurities, evaporating and crystallizing to obtain sodium bicarbonate, calcining to obtain light soda ash, and then hydrating and crystallizing or physically processing to obtain Dense Soda Ash. The process has low energy consumption and significant cost advantages. The heavy-weighting links of different processes are all aimed at increasing density and improving particle performance to meet the specific needs of glass, chemical and other industries for the physical properties of soda ash.

The core differences between Dense Soda Ash and light soda ash are reflected in physical properties, production processes and application scenarios. In terms of physical form and density, light soda ash is a white powder with a bulk density of about 0.4-0.6g/cm³, fine particles and a large specific surface area; Dense Soda Ash is granular or small crystals with a bulk density of 1.0-1.2g/cm³, compact particles and better fluidity. The difference in production process is that light soda ash is mostly directly produced by ammonia-soda method, combined soda method or natural soda calcination, while Dense Soda Ash requires heavy treatment of light soda ash, such as hydration method (reacting with water to form sodium carbonate monohydrate and then drying) or extrusion method (mechanical pressing and molding), and the density is increased by crystallization reorganization or physical extrusion. Application scenarios vary according to their characteristics: light soda ash is fine in powder and suitable for chemical raw materials (such as baking soda, sodium silicate), food additives (acidity adjustment) and metallurgical flux, etc.;Dense Soda Ash is easier to feed and reduces dust in glass manufacturing due to its high density and uniform particles. It is the preferred raw material for flat glass and bottle glass production, and is also used for detergent filling, water treatment and industrial scenarios that require high stacking density. Both have the same chemical composition of Na₂CO₃, but the difference in physical properties makes them complementary in downstream industries.

The market price fluctuation of Dense Soda Ash is affected by the interaction of multiple factors. Supply and demand relationship: The glass industry accounts for 30%-50% of the demand for soda ash, and the prosperity of downstream fields such as real estate and automobiles directly affects the price. In 2024, the domestic soda ash production capacity will reach 39.7 million tons, and the total demand will be about 32 million tons. Overcapacity will lead to price pressure. The current inventory is at a historical high (for example, the inventory of the alkali plant reached 1.7559 million tons in June 2025), and the oversupply will aggravate market fluctuations. Raw materials and energy costs: The ammonia-soda method relies on raw salt, limestone and coal, the combined soda method is linked to the price of synthetic ammonia, and the natural soda method is affected by mineral prices and mining costs. For example, the fluctuation of coal prices in 2024 led to an increase in the cost of synthetic alkali, while the natural soda method formed a price competitive advantage due to the release of low-cost production capacity in Inner Mongolia (such as the Yuanxing Energy Alxa Project). The rise and fall of energy prices (such as crude oil and natural gas) directly affect the cost of calcination. The downward fluctuation of international crude oil prices at the end of 2024 briefly alleviated the cost pressure. Policy and environmental pressure: The country strictly controls new production capacity and promotes green transformation. In 2024, environmental protection policies will lead to the accelerated withdrawal of highly polluting ammonia-soda production capacity, while natural soda will be listed as an encouraged project, with the production capacity ratio increased to 17%. At the same time, export policy adjustments (such as RCEP tariff reductions) will stimulate the export of heavy soda ash to reach 2.8 million tons in 2024, alleviating domestic supply pressure. International market linkage: China's soda ash exports account for about 8%, and Southeast Asia and the Middle East are the main markets. In 2024, Turkey's ETI Soda expansion and the US anti-dumping investigation will intensify international competition, while the expansion of photovoltaic glass in Southeast Asia will drive demand and form regional price differences. Emerging demand and technology iteration: New energy industries (photovoltaic glass, lithium battery materials) have become growth poles, driving the demand for soda ash by 1.15 million tons in 2024, and it is expected to increase to 1.38 million tons in 2025. At the same time, heavy-duty process upgrades (such as hydration and extrusion) increase product density and meet high-end demands of the glass industry. Technology-leading companies (such as Zhongyuan Chemical) can achieve a gross profit margin of more than 35%. Market expectations and speculative behavior: The application of futures tools has narrowed price fluctuations from 42% in 2019 to 28% in 2024, but there are significant seasonal differences (such as the peak season price of photovoltaic installations in the third quarter is 15%-20% higher than that in the first quarter). Some companies lock in profits through hedging, exacerbating short-term price fluctuations.

The key to the storage and transportation of Dense Soda Ash is to start from its physical properties and pay attention to all kinds of details. Let's listen to the details: 1. Three things to pay attention to during storage: The warehouse should be dry and ventilated Because although the density of Dense Soda Ash is large (bulk density 800-1000 kg/m³), it is still hygroscopic and easy to clump when exposed to moisture. Therefore, the storage place needs to be high and dry, away from water sources, the roof must not leak, the ground can be covered with wooden boards or plastic film to prevent moisture, and the room temperature should be 15-30℃, and moisture should not be stagnant. The packaging must be tightly sealed Most of the packaging is a composite bag or woven bag lined with food-grade film. It is necessary to check whether the seal is tight and not leak. If the packaging is damaged, the soda ash will not only affect the purity after absorbing moisture, but also may corrode the storage facilities. In addition, different grades (industrial grade, food grade) need to be stored in piles and not mixed. Avoid mixed storage with other items Dense Soda Ash is an alkaline substance and should not be stored in the same warehouse with acids (such as sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid) and deliquescent substances (such as calcium chloride) to avoid neutralization reaction or accelerated moisture absorption. It should also not be placed next to oily, toxic and harmful items to prevent contamination. 2. Four things to pay attention to during transportation: Prevent rain and moisture intrusion The transportation vehicle needs to be covered with a tarpaulin to ensure that there is no rain or water on the way. If it encounters rainy weather, transportation should be temporarily suspended, or the goods should be tightly wrapped with waterproof cloth to prevent the soda ash from dissolving and losing when it comes into contact with water, or reacting with water to release heat. Clean vehicles and containers The compartment must be cleaned before shipment, and no acid, mud and sand or other debris should be left to avoid reaction with soda ash or contamination of the goods. If transporting food-grade soda ash, it is necessary to ensure that the container is disinfected and meets hygiene standards. Loading and unloading: Although Dense Soda Ash is granular, if it is roughly loaded and unloaded, it is easy to damage the packaging and crush the particles, which not only affects the fluidity, but also may cause dust to fly. Therefore, forklifts or manual lifting should be used during loading and unloading, and the stacking height should not exceed 2 meters to prevent damage to the bottom packaging. Avoid high temperature and fire sources During transportation, it is necessary to stay away from heat sources and open flames, such as boiler rooms and welding work areas. Although soda ash is non-flammable, if it is baked at high temperature for a long time, it may accelerate the loss of crystal water and affect the physical properties. Moreover, if it encounters water in a high temperature environment, the reaction will be more severe. In short, the core of the storage and transportation of Dense Soda Ash is "moisture-proof, impurity-proof, and breakage-proof". According to its alkalinity and moisture absorption, this principle must be strictly followed to ensure that the goods are intact and safe to use.

The environmental impact of Dense Soda Ash needs to be examined from the entire process of production and application: In the production process, the ammonia-soda process will discharge chlorine-containing waste brine. High-concentration chloride ions will penetrate into the soil, destroy the aggregate structure, make it difficult for crop roots to absorb water, and reduce production by 10%-20%; although there is no chlorine emission in the combined soda process, if the ammonia-containing wastewater is not properly treated, it will cause eutrophication of the water body, stimulate algae proliferation, reduce dissolved oxygen, and threaten the survival of fish and shrimp. On the application side, when used in glass factories, the dust-containing waste gas (mainly sodium carbonate dust) generated by high-temperature melting will cause PM10 and PM2.5 to exceed the standard around the factory area if the dust is not effectively collected. Under long-term exposure, the incidence of respiratory diseases among residents will increase; the printing and dyeing industry uses it to adjust the pH of the dye solution. The discharge of alkaline wastewater into the river will cause the pH of the river water to exceed 9.0, burn the gill tissue of fish, and destroy the balance of aquatic biological communities. However, Dense Soda Ash has better chemical stability than light soda ash. The carbonate ions leached out during landfill disposal have a complexing and fixing effect on soil heavy metals (such as cadmium and lead). Reasonable use of this property can assist in the remediation of polluted soil. The key lies in controlling production pollution and optimizing the waste resource utilization path.

The core function of Dense Soda Ash is based on alkaline dissociation and chemical reaction characteristics: in glass manufacturing, sodium carbonate decomposes into Na₂O and CO₂ (Na₂CO₃ = Na₂O + CO₂↑) at high temperature. Na₂O, as a "network modifier", can break the Si-O tetrahedral structure of quartz sand (SiO₂), reduce the melting temperature of glass (from 1700℃ to about 1500℃), promote uniform mixing of various raw materials, and CO₂ bubbles can discharge impurity gases in the glass liquid to improve transparency. In the metallurgical industry, it is used as a slag-forming agent to react with acidic gangue (such as SiO₂, Al₂O₃) in iron ore to generate low-melting-point slag (Na₂O・SiO₂, Na₂O・Al₂O₃), to separate metals from impurities, using the alkaline neutralization ability of carbonate ions. In detergent formulas, although the amount used is less than that of light soda ash, due to its dense particles and slow dissolution, it can continuously release carbonate ions and combine with calcium and magnesium ions in water to form carbonate precipitates (CaCO₃, MgCO₃), slowly softening the water quality and avoiding local excessive alkalinity that damages fabrics, reflecting the characteristic advantage of Dense Soda Ash "slow-release reaction".

Dense Soda Ash,its Quality Standard is related to many fields of chemical industry and is very important. Quality Standard of Dense Soda Ash, the first chemical purity. The content of sodium carbonate , the main component of soda ash, needs to reach a very high level, usually 99.0% and above, which is the basis for ensuring its stable effect in industrial applications. If the purity is insufficient, it will lead to reaction deviation and product quality will be damaged. Second, the particle size distribution is also a key indicator. The particle size of Dense Soda Ash should be uniform, generally controlled in a specific particle size range, such as 180-250 microns. In this way, in the production process, the material has good fluidity and more uniform mixing, which can effectively improve the reaction efficiency and product uniformity. Furthermore, the packing density cannot be ignored. Dense Soda Ash has a high packing density, generally about 0.9 - 1.1g/cm ³, which makes it take up relatively little space during storage and transportation, reducing logistics costs. The moisture content is also strictly limited. Excessive moisture can easily cause soda ash to agglomerate and affect its performance. Usually, the moisture content is not more than 0.5% to maintain its good physical form and chemical activity. In addition, the content of impurities such as iron and sodium chloride must be extremely low. Excessive iron impurities may cause discoloration of the product, affecting the appearance of downstream products; excessive sodium chloride content will also interfere with specific chemical reactions. Therefore, the iron content is often controlled below 0.003%, and the sodium chloride content is also strictly limited. All these Quality Standards are to ensure that Dense Soda Ash is used in glass manufacturing, chemical synthesis, metallurgy and many other industrial fields to exert its due effectiveness, ensure stable production process and high product quality.

Recently, the market situation of the alkali industry has been treacherous and changeable, and the price trend of Dense Soda Ash in the market has attracted everyone's attention. In the past few years, this industry has been ups and downs, and the price trend is like water in a river, rising and falling from time to time. At the beginning, the demand in the city was strong, and the demand for soda ash in various industries was quite huge. Glass manufacturing, chemical production, etc. all relied on it as an important material. Therefore, the price of soda ash skyrocketed, just like Dapeng spreading its wings and soaring into the sky. Manufacturers saw profits and expanded production, expecting to reap huge profits. However, soon, the market changed suddenly. New production capacity gradually entered the market, and the appearance of oversupply gradually appeared. Just like a torrent, the price is like a falling object from a high platform, and it has taken a sharp turn down. Manufacturers have a backlog of inventory, which is miserable, and they compete to cut prices in order to sell. Then, changes in the economic situation also affect the market price of soda ash. Trade frictions and policy controls change like the wind and rain, which affects the price. When the macro economy is good, demand recovers, and prices rebound slightly; when the economy is weak, demand is sluggish, and prices are under pressure. Looking at the current market, although there are fluctuations, there are still opportunities. Environmental protection policies have become stricter, some inefficient production capacity has been eliminated, and the supply structure has been optimized. And the rise of emerging industries, such as the field of new energy, also has new needs for soda ash. Therefore, although the market price of soda ash is still fluctuating, it is gradually increasing due to changes in the supply and demand structure and the promotion of industrial development.

Dense Soda Ash is a heavy soda ash made from light soda ash through hydration and other processes. Compared with other seemingly similar products, it has several advantages. First of all, its density. Dense Soda Ash has a high density, solid and uniform particles. This characteristic makes it easier to stack during storage and transportation, takes up less space, and reduces transportation costs. If transported by boat, the same volume can carry more goods, which is greatly convenient for transshipment in merchants.Regarding the time and rate of its dissolution. This substance has good water solubility and can be quickly dissolved in many industrial processes (such as glass making, chemical industry, etc.) to participate in the reaction, accelerate the reaction process, and improve production efficiency. Taking glass firing as an example, Dense Soda Ash can be quickly melted with other materials to make the glass texture more uniform and thus improve the quality. Furthermore, the chemical purity is quite high. The impurity content is very small, which can ensure the stability of product quality. In industries with strict purity requirements, such as food additives, pharmaceutical intermediates production, etc., Dense Soda Ash can meet strict standards and avoid product defects caused by the introduction of impurities. Repeat its stability. Chemical properties are stable, and under conventional storage conditions, it is not easy to deliquescent and deteriorate. It can be stored for a long time without loss of quality, reducing the difficulty of storage management, and providing guarantee for continuous supply of industrial production. In summary, Dense Soda Ash has significant advantages over other similar products in terms of density, solubility, purity, and stability, making it popular in many industrial fields and an indispensable chemical raw material. Repeat its stability. Chemical properties are stable, and under conventional storage conditions, it is not easy to deliquescent and deteriorate. It can be stored for a long time without loss of quality, reducing the difficulty of storage management, and providing guarantee for continuous supply of industrial production. In summary, Dense Soda Ash has significant advantages over other similar products in terms of density, solubility, purity, and stability, making it popular in many industrial fields and an indispensable chemical raw material.