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Calcium chloride (CaCl2) is a salt, appearing as a white crystal. It is commercially available as anhydrous and dihydrate flakes, pellets and powder, or as a 30–45% solution. Calcium chloride is produced by refining naturally occurring brine, by neutralizing hydrochloric acid with limestone or as a by-product in the Solvay process of synthetic sodium carbonate (soda ash) production. The major applications for calcium chloride include road deicing, dust control, and in oil extraction and completion fluids.
The following pie chart shows world consumption of calcium chloride:
Total consumption of calcium chloride is expected to slightly increase in the 2008–2013 period, mostly as a result of expected increases in the oil recovery segment, as well as increasing use in dust control and other industrial applications in Asia.
With current high energy prices continuing for the foreseeable future, it is most economical to produce calcium chloride using starting material from brine wells. Production through HCl neutralization of limestone bears the risk of an insecure supply of HCl and its rising price level, whereas by-product CaCl2 from the Solvay process needs purification steps as well as comparably high levels of heat to concentrate the solution to useful levels.
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