| abstract |
Disclosed is a process for the production of partially dehydrated or anhydrous salts from higher hydrates of the same salt, utilizing solar energy. Hydrated salts which have an increasing solubility with an increase of temperature, possessing a transition temperature from the existing high hydrated form to the desired one in the range of between about 30° C. to about 100° C. are partially or completely dehydrated in a solar pond having a non-convecting characteristic. Examples of salts produced according to the present invention are: anhydrous sodium sulfate from sodium sulfate decahydrate, magnesium sulfate monohydrate from magnesium sulfate heptahydrate, sodium carbonate monohydrate from sodium carbonate decahydrate and sodium borate pentahydrate from sodium borate decahydrate. |