The equilibrium solubility studies of the NH 4 NO 3 þ NaVO 3 þ H 2 O system at (313 and 323) K have been performed. On the basis of the results, the equilibrium plots for the system in a planar projection have been obtained according to the J€ anecke method. The plots enable the determination of the optimal conditions for the conversion reaction of ammonium nitrate into sodium nitrate with the use of sodium metavanadate. The source of ammonium nitrate is the postfiltration lye from the soda production with the sodaÀchlorineÀsaltpeter (SCS) method. The conversion of NH 4 NO 3 from the postfiltration lye into NaNO 3 cancels the risk of explosion during the process of production of ammoniumÀsodium saltpeter.
' INTRODUCTIONSodium carbonate is one of the basic products of the inorganic industry. That compound is used among others as a flux agent in a process of glass production or as a substrate for production of water glass. 1,2 The production of sodium carbonate reaches ca. 50 million ton per year, and about 50 % of that is produced with the Solvay method. That method is based on the easily available raw materials such as halite, limestone, carbon, and ammonia. 3,4 That technology is characterized by the significant noxiousness for the natural environment, mainly due to the emission of large amounts of the liquid waste (CaCl 2 and NaCl solution) and solid waste (CaCO 3 , Ca(OH) 2 , ashes). 3,4 An alternative method of sodium carbonate production which relies on the same raw materials is the wasteless sodaÀchlorineÀ saltpeter (SCS) method. The difference between SCS and the Solvay method is that during the carbonization process (eq 1) the sodium nitrate brine is used instead of sodium chloride. Sodium nitrate is obtained in the process of oxidation of solid sodium chloride with the nitric acid in the presence of air. The second valuable product in that process is chlorine. 4,5The solution obtained after filtration of sodium bicarbonate contains mainly ammonium nitrate, unreacted sodium nitrate, and a small amount of sodium chloride. The obtained lye is used in the production of mixed ammoniumÀsodium saltpeter, which is further used as a fertilizer. The transformation of that saltpeter into the nitrogenous fertilizer is difficult because of the presence of chloride ions and explosive properties of ammonium nitrate. Chloride ions catalyze the decomposition of ammonium nitrate, which causes the loss of nitrogen during the production and real risk of explosion during the processes of concentration, crystallization, and storage of the produced ammoniumÀsodium saltpeter. 5À7 This phenomenon can be eliminated by modification of the SCS method based on the conversion of ammonium nitrate into sodium nitrate with sodium metavanadate (eq 2). The solution of sodium nitrate obtained in that process does not cause any risk of explosion during the production of sodium saltpeter. 8,9 NH 4 The precipitated ammonium metavanadate is subjected to calcination (eq 3), to recover ammonia and vanadium(V) oxide, which in turn is used ...