Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, USA, April 7th, 2022 – Bridgestone Associates, Ltd. (https://brdgstn.com) today signed an agreement with Buckman’s Inc. (https://www.buckmansinc.com), a Pottstown, Pennsylvania manufacturer of Sodium Hypochlorite (NaClO) commonly called bleach. Under this agreement Bridgestone will test and evaluate alternative lower cost supplies of raw salt and develop a preliminary design and budget for a chemical pre-treatment plant to remove contaminants and impurities that arise in the feedstock brine made from the chosen salt.
Salt (NaCl) or Sodium Chloride as a brine or aqueous solution is used in the production of Sodium Hypochlorite or bleach using electrolysis. The delivered cost of the raw salt used can vary significantly depending on its source, how it is produced (e.g., evaluated salt, solar salt, mined salt, etc.), and how much pre-treatment has been done before it is sold. Buckman’s has traditionally been purchasing high purity salt from Europe, but this supply has become scarce and expensive. Alternative sources are available at a lower cost, but they may contain impurities detrimental to Buckman’s hypochlorite production process. The purpose of Bridgestone’s study is to identify and evaluate potential impurities in each alternative supply and then develop a preliminary process design and cost estimate to allow reasonable comparison between alternative salt supplies.
“The production of Sodium Hypochlorite using electrolysis is a simple chemical process with two primary cost drivers, the cost of the raw salt and the cost of electricity,” said Frank Miller, Senior Project Manager, Bridgestone Associates, Ltd. “If we can design a simple chemical pre-treatment process that will remove all the unwanted contaminants that are in a lower cost alternative salt, then Buckman’s can use this as a new and more profitable feedstock,” continued Mr. Miller. “As a chemical engineer this is an interesting challenge as we determine what contaminants must be removed, develop a step-by-step chemical process to remove them, and then design a plant to do this on a day-to-day economic basis.”
About Bridgestone Associates, Ltd.
Bridgestone Associates, Ltd. is a 30-year-old Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, USA based energy consulting and development company focused on the evaluation, development, financing, design, construction, and operations of Renewable, Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and Independent Power (IPP) energy production facilities, on the efficient use and utilization of energy, and on the evaluation and design of infrastructure projects. The Company provides these services to developers and owners of power generating and other energy and infrastructure related projects worldwide, as well as commercial and industrial energy users.
About Buckman’s Inc.
Buckman’s is a more than 45-year-old family owned and operated business based in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, USA. Founded in 1965 by Leon Buckman as a pool construction and service company, Buckman’s Inc. has grown into one of the largest suppliers and distributors of swimming pool chemicals, water treatment chemicals, and ice melt products in the Eastern US, serving customers in 40 states and Canada. The company is one of the largest East Coast suppliers and distributors of Sodium Hypochlorite, Muriatic Acid, Diatomaceous Earth, Calcium, Magnesium, Rock Salt and other chemicals. In addition to distributing Sodium Hypochlorite, the company manufactures Sodium Hypochlorite (a.k.a. bleach) in their state-of-the-art Sodium Hypochlorite Manufacturing Plant in Pottstown.
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