Calcium Chloride

Product Overview

Calcium Chloride (CAS: 10043‑52‑4) is an inorganic halide composed of calcium and chlorine elements. Main commercial solid products fall into two categories: anhydrous calcium chloride and dihydrate calcium chloride, alongside aqueous liquid‑form calcium chloride. Anhydrous calcium chloride appears as white porous granules or powder. Dihydrate calcium chloride mostly exists as white flakes, granules or block‑shaped crystals. It is odourless and bitter‑tasting, with extremely strong moisture‑absorbing and deliquescent properties. When exposed to ambient air, it rapidly absorbs moisture and deliquesces.

Calcium chloride dissolves readily in water with substantial heat release. It is soluble in ethanol and other organic solvents, yet nearly insoluble in ether. It delivers excellent performance in moisture absorption & dehumidification, ice‑melting & snow removal, mortar accelerating setting, ionic chelation, dust suppression and stabilisation. It is classified into industrial grade, food grade and other standard grades according to purity, impurity specifications and application scenarios. With complete forms and particle‑size options, it is a highly versatile basic calcium‑salt functional raw material in the inorganic salt chemical industry.

Basic Parameters

Production Processes

Two mainstream industrial mass‑production routes are adopted for calcium chloride: the hydrochloric acid‑limestone neutralisation process, and the by‑product mother liquor recycling process from soda‑ash manufacturing. The integrated workflow includes neutralisation reaction, impurity removal & purification, multi‑effect evaporative concentration, forming & drying, precision screening and encapsulation. Liquid, dihydrate and anhydrous finished products can be stably manufactured to satisfy differentiated application requirements across industries.

Neutralisation Reaction: High‑purity limestone (calcium carbonate) and industrial hydrochloric acid serve as core feedstocks. Acid‑base neutralisation proceeds inside sealed reactors to generate crude calcium‑chloride liquor. The pH value is precisely adjusted to induce preliminary sedimentation and separation of metallic impurity ions. For the by‑product route, compliant calcium‑chloride mother liquor from soda‑ash production is utilised as starting material to realise resource recycling.

Impurity Removal and Refining: Crude liquor undergoes natural sedimentation and mechanical filtration to remove insoluble sand, residues and other contaminants. Subsequent precise chemical precipitation and high‑pressure filter press procedures deeply eliminate harmful metallic impurities such as iron and magnesium, yielding clear, high‑purity refined calcium‑chloride mother liquor. For food‑grade products, additional multi‑stage deep heavy‑metal removal and purification steps are implemented to strictly control hazardous impurities and meet food‑safety compliance standards.

Evaporative Concentration: Refined mother liquor is fed into multi‑effect vacuum evaporators for low‑temperature concentration, with the concentration endpoint accurately controlled according to finished‑product specifications. Low‑concentration clear liquor can be directly processed into liquid calcium‑chloride finished goods. Further concentration yields high‑strength dihydrate calcium‑chloride slurry for subsequent solid forming.

Forming and Drying: Dihydrate calcium‑chloride slurry is mechanically flaked or granulated, followed by low‑temperature isothermal drying to produce flaky and granular dihydrate calcium‑chloride. Anhydrous calcium chloride is produced by thorough crystallisation‑water removal via high‑temperature calcination of dihydrate feedstock, then cooling, shaping and precision granulation to obtain anhydrous granular or powdered finished products.

Screening and Sealed Encapsulation: Cooled solid materials are classified by particle size through multi‑stage precision screening. All operations run under sealed negative‑pressure conditions to prevent dust pollution and moisture‑induced deterioration. Automated encapsulation and warehousing follow. This mature, stable production technology features controllable energy consumption and high purity, enabling mass production of full‑range industrial‑grade and food‑grade products.

Safety, Storage and Transportation

Calcium chloride is a common inorganic‑salt crystal / powder raw material. It is non‑flammable, non‑explosive and non‑corrosive, and is not categorised as hazardous chemical. It shall be stored and transported as ordinary general chemical cargo. Owing to its strong hygroscopicity, its dust and aqueous solution exert mild irritation to human skin, respiratory tract and ocular mucosa. Standard personal protective measures against dust shall be adopted during handling.

Storage Requirements: Store in dry, cool, well‑ventilated and dedicated clean chemical warehouses. Keep containers fully sealed to isolate humid air and water vapour and avoid moisture absorption, caking and deterioration. Store in separate zones. Do not co‑store with carbonates, phosphates or acidic materials to prevent chemical reactions and performance failure. Keep away from odorous and oxidising substances to avoid cross‑contamination.

Transportation Requirements: Comply with general chemical‑cargo transportation standards. Implement full protection against rain, moisture, direct sunlight and package rupture & leakage during transit. Packages shall remain intact and sealed to prevent moisture ingress. Do not co‑transport with water‑containing materials, acidic materials, carbonates or toxic odorous goods to guarantee stable product quality without cross‑contamination.

Safety Characteristics: Physicochemically stable under normal temperature and pressure; no fire or explosion hazard. Dust and aqueous calcium‑chloride solution may mildly irritate skin, eyes and respiratory tract. Wear dust‑proof respirators, safety goggles and labour‑protection gloves for routine operations and avoid direct contact. In case of accidental mucosal exposure, rinse immediately with abundant flowing water. No major safety risks exist under proper storage, handling and usage.

Industrial Advantages of China

China ranks first globally in calcium‑chloride production capacity, output, domestic consumption and export volume. Supported by abundant local limestone mineral resources and complete soda‑salt chemical supporting systems, large‑scale integrated inorganic‑salt deep‑processing industrial clusters have been established. It boasts complete supply chains and prominent cost competitiveness, holding a core position in the global calcium‑salt raw‑material market.

Large‑scale Production‑Capacity Advantages: Chinese calcium‑chloride manufacturers are geographically concentrated. Both the hydrochloric‑acid‑limestone synthetic route and soda‑ash by‑product recovery route are widely deployed. Complete automated equipment including multi‑effect evaporation, intelligent granulation and high‑temperature dehydration is extensively applied. Full‑range liquid‑form, dihydrate‑solid and anhydrous‑solid products with diverse particle‑size options (flakes, granules, powder) can be stably supplied. Enterprises are capable of long‑term acceptance of large‑volume global contractual orders with leading mass‑delivery and emergency‑supply performance.

Whole‑chain Cost Advantages: China possesses abundant high‑grade limestone reserves, massive production capacity for basic chemicals such as hydrochloric acid and soda ash, and sufficient by‑product mother‑liquor resources. Integrated chemical‑park‑based production realises self‑sufficient raw‑material supply, comprehensively cutting costs for raw‑material procurement, production energy consumption and equipment operation & maintenance. Chinese products deliver outstanding cost‑performance compared with overseas equivalents.

Process‑technology Iteration Advantages: Domestic manufacturers keep optimising core technologies including low‑temperature evaporative concentration, deep impurity‑removal purification, high‑temperature dehydration modification and precision granulation. Mature manufacturing processes are available for high‑purity food‑grade calcium chloride. Finished‑product indicators including purity, particle‑size uniformity, anti‑deliquescence performance and impurity‑control precision meet top‑tier international standards with good batch‑to‑batch consistency, enabling full import substitution.

Closed‑loop Industrial‑chain Advantages: China has built a complete closed‑loop industrial chain covering ore mining, basic chemical synthesis, deep purification, evaporation & forming, particle‑size screening, quality‑inspection certification, warehousing and cross‑border logistics. Self‑sufficiency reaches 100 %. It can satisfy domestic industrial demands, food‑processing requirements and large‑scale global export trade simultaneously.

Multi‑system Compliant Export Advantages: Comprehensive testing systems and complete qualifications are available for Chinese calcium‑chloride products. Industrial‑grade and food‑grade goods comply with Chinese national standards as well as FCC international specifications, matching import‑access requirements for most countries and regions worldwide with broad market coverage for cross‑border trade.

Upstream and Downstream Industrial Chain

Calcium chloride is a functional calcium‑salt raw material from inorganic‑salt deep processing, featuring a clear‑structured, well‑segmented and closed‑loop industrial chain. Upstream core feedstocks include limestone, industrial hydrochloric acid, soda‑ash by‑product mother liquor, purified water, plus various pH‑regulating and impurity‑removal auxiliary chemicals. Downstream applications span multiple key sectors: basic chemical industry, environmental governance, construction engineering, food processing, refrigeration and dehumidification.

Upstream Raw Materials: Limestone, industrial hydrochloric acid, soda‑ash by‑product mother liquor, purified water, pH‑regulating reagents, sedimentation & impurity‑removal auxiliaries

Downstream Application Fields: Dehumidification & moisture‑absorption auxiliary materials, ice‑melting & snow‑removal raw materials, concrete setting‑accelerating substrates, calcium‑source agents for wastewater treatment, food‑processing additives, chemical precipitation feedstocks, refrigerant‑system supporting raw materials

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What are the major production regions and supply characteristics for calcium chloride in China?

A: Core calcium‑chloride production capacities in China are located in limestone‑rich zones and soda‑salt chemical industrial clusters. Leading manufacturers are equipped with integrated automatic production lines for synthesis, evaporative concentration, dehydration‑granulation, screening and encapsulation with standardised and refined quality‑control systems. Full‑range products in liquid, dihydrate‑solid and anhydrous‑solid forms with diverse particle‑size specifications can be stably supplied. Complete export qualifications and sufficient production reserves support long‑term large‑volume global long‑term contracts. China delivers world‑leading supply stability and delivery capacity and acts as the core global source for calcium‑chloride supply.

Q: What are the main components of calcium‑chloride manufacturing costs?

A: Total manufacturing costs fall into four major categories: (1) Costs of basic raw materials such as limestone, industrial hydrochloric acid and soda‑ash by‑product mother liquor (the dominant cost component); (2) Energy consumption across neutralisation, impurity‑removal refining, evaporative concentration, dehydration‑forming and screening workflows; (3) Expenses for process auxiliaries, equipment operation‑maintenance, labour and consumables; (4) Costs for finished‑product quality inspection, moisture‑proof sealed warehousing and bulk‑goods logistics. Supported by China's complete closed‑loop inorganic‑salt deep‑processing industrial chain, the product enjoys prominent comprehensive cost advantages.

Q: What are the key differences between anhydrous calcium chloride and dihydrate calcium chloride, and what are the basis for product selection?

A: Anhydrous and dihydrate calcium chloride share identical core chemical composition with no inherent quality gap. Their major distinctions lie in crystal‑water content, effective‑calcium content and hygroscopic performance, making them suitable for different working conditions. Anhydrous calcium chloride features high effective‑calcium content and extremely strong hygroscopicity, suited for high‑standard scenarios such as deep‑industrial dehumidification and precision drying. Dihydrate calcium chloride presents moderate moisture‑absorption rate and superior cost‑performance, applicable to general‑purpose scenarios including ice‑melting & snow‑removal, concrete setting acceleration and conventional wastewater treatment. Purchasers shall select products according to required moisture‑absorption intensity, product‑specification standards and storage conditions.