Abstract

A process and a system for converting materials comprising sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate, such as dry-mined or subterranean deposits of trona, into a liquid comprising sodium carbonate substantially free of sodium bicarbonate. The process and the system incorporate the features of: (a) forming an aqueous solution comprising sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate; (b) removing a portion of said sodium bicarbonate from said solution to form a mother liquor comprising sodium carbonate and a reduced amount of sodium bicarbonate; (c) subjecting the mother liquor to electrodialytic water splitting by circulating the water liquor through an electrodialytic water splitter to produce a liquid reaction product comprising sodium carbonate substantially free of sodium bicarbonate; and (d) withdrawing the liquid reaction product comprising sodium carbonate substantially free of sodium bicarbonate from the electordialytic water splitter. The sodium carbonate solutions removed from the water splitter may be used as is, or subjected to further processing to produce a more concentrated final product. Two or three compartment electrodialytic water splitters can be used. The invention also details an effective method and system for isolating sodium carbonate by an electrodialysis process which eliminates the generation of CO2 gas in the water splitter.