FORM-2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
AND
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10; Rule 13) 1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
"A new Caustic purification process for the bottling plants."
2. APPLICANT:
(a) NAME: ION EXCHAGE (INDIA) LIMITED.
(b) NATIONALITY: AN INDIAN COMPANY INCORPORATED
UNDER
THE COMPANIES ACT, 1956.
(c) ADDRESS: TIECICON HOUSE,
DR. E. MOSES ROAD, MAHALAXMI, MUMBAI-400 011, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA.
The following specification describes the nature of the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed: -
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A NEW CAUSTIC PURIFICATION PROCESS FOR THE
BOTTLING PLANTS
3. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a new process of caustic purification for the bottling plants.
The glass bottles are reused in all the breweries and soft drink bottling plants. These bottles are required to be sterilized prior to be used for re-filling with respective products. The Caustic at 80 degree Celsius is used for sterilization process. Due to repeated use of Caustic over a period of time, it gets contaminated with Soda Ash, Sodium Aluminate and Iron. When the levels of impurities reach to an unacceptable limit, the Caustic is neutralized and disposed as waste water.
In the invention under consideration, the impurities are removed by using chemical treatment and a specific resin.
Background of the Invention & the Related Art
Currently, there is no method available for the purification of Caustic used in the bottling plants . Hence, it becomes necessary to discard the caustic after certain period of time, when the impurities affect the sterilization process.
The Caustic is neutralized with acid and then discarded.

Normally, 2% caustic is utilized at 80 degree Celsius for the cleaning and the sterilization process. Over a period, it gets contaminated with Soda Ash, Sodium Aluminate and iron.
The contaminated caustic and specification of required caustic are as follows:

Contaminated Caustic Requirement of Caustic.
Temperature : 80 d. c. Concentration : 2 % Na2C03 : 1 % NaA102 : 0.12 % 2%0.3 % (max)0.1 % (max.)
4. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention under consideration, treats the contaminated caustic with number of chemicals such as Lime, Alum, Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Chloride and Sulphate in the reaction tank. Then it is allowed to settle for some time. Subsequently the same is removed by using filtration process.
The chemical reaction taking place in the above is as follows:
Na2C03 +CaC12 -—-» CaCO3 + 2 NaCl

In second step, the filtered caustic is pumped through Strong Base Anion resin (SBA) in a regenerated form. The Strong Base Anion resin (SBA) removes Chloride ions shown in the above reaction.
With the ion exchange reaction takes place as per following equation.
R. OH + NaCl -> R. CI + NaOH
Where R stands for the resin matrix.
The ion exchange resins are regenerated with Alkali solutions as per the following equation:
R. CI + NaOH -> R. OH + NaCl
Where R stands for the resin matrix.
The ion exchange unit operation is performed at ambient temperature.
The Strong Base Anion resin (SBA) used for the treatment is well known established treatment for a long period and is used in the large installation in the industry.
Experimental Results
When the above contaminated caustic was treated with above said chemicals from ambient to 80 degree Celsius and then, it was filtered and passed through the

strong base anion unit at ambient temperature and in Hydroxide form, the caustic had the following analysis:
Treated Caustic
Caustic :1.9%
Na2C03 : 0.27 %
NaA102 : 0 %.
Colour : Colourless
The above caustic is acceptable as far as the specifications laid down by the technical grade required for cleaning and sterilization of caustic.
A good number of experiments were conducted by using the contaminated caustic and all the time results showed acceptability of the product.

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5. We claim:
1. A new process of caustic purification for the bottling plants.
2. A new process of caustic purification for the bottling plants as claimed in claim 1, the impurities in the contaminated caustic used for the cleaning and sterilization of bottles in the bottling plant being removed by using an appropriate concentration of chemicals such as Magnesium Chloride, Lime, Alum and Magnesium Sulphate in the reaction tank and allowing the impurities in the contaminated caustic used for the cleaning and sterilization of bottles in the bottling plant to settle down in the reaction tank and further the impurities settled down being removed by using the filtration process and the chemical reaction being shown as the following equation:
Na2C03 +CaC12 CaCO3 + 2 NaCl
3. A new process of caustic purification for the bottling plants as claimed in
claim 1 & 2 above, having under the second step, the caustic containing a
lot of Chlorides and other ionic impurities other than Hydroxide which can
be eliminated by using anion ion exchanger in a Hydroxide form the
impurities in the caustic being used for the cleaning and sterilization of
bottles in the bottling plant being removed by using an appropriate
concentration of chemicals such as Magnesium Chloride, Lime, Alum and
Magnesium Sulphate and the ion exchange reaction taking place as per the
following equation:

R..OH + NaCl

R. CI +NaOH

(R is referred as Resin Matrix.) and
the ion exchange resins being regenerated with Alkali solutions as per the following equation
R. CI + NaOH R. OH + NaCl
(R is referred as Resin Matrix.)
4. A new process of caustic purification for the bottling plants as claimed in claim 1, 2 & 3 above, being the processes that can be operated from an ambient temperature to 80 degree Celsius and the ion exchange process working at concentrations from 1% to 15 % only.
5. A new process of caustic purification for the bottling plants as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3 & 4 above, being the process able to remove the impurities upto desired level so that the product can be used or recycled again and again over number of times.
6. Dated this 9th day of July, 2007.

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Abstract
A new process of purification of contaminated caustic in the bottling plants used for sterilization, removes the impurities by chemical treatment and use of anion resin.