Salt and Marine Chemicals

Electro Membrane Process

Discipline of Inorganic Materials and Catalysis

Discipline of Marine Biotechnology and Ecology

Salt & Marine Chemicals

Analytical Sciences

Phytosalnity

Reverse Osmosis Engineering

This discipline is the parent discipline of the Institute. The activities of this discipline is centered around the improvement in quality and yield of salt recovered from marine, sub-soil and Inland brines and development of processes for the recovery of valuable marine chemicals like potash and magnesium chemicals by the down stream processing of bittern.

• Design and layout of solar salt works suiting to any type of brine viz. Sea/sub-soil or Lake brine.
• Establishing Model Salt Works at various parts of the country to demonstrate the best practices of salt manufacture.
• Recovery of world's best quality solar salt in the field from sea/sub soil and lake brine.
• Salt iodization and salt up gradation.
• Recovery of value added bittern based products like low sodium salt, Potassic fertilizers (MOP and SOP) and Magnesium chemicals of improved quality integrated with salt production.
• Exploitation of natural resources at GRK.
• Societal missions on salt & marine chemicals with Governmental and Non-Governmental agencies like SEWA, ANANDI etc.
• Experience of working with personnel at the grass root level.
• Conducting training programs for salt manufacturers and industrial personnel of various levels

The discipline has a dedicated team of scientists having expertise in diversified fields like Inorganic/ Physical Chemistry, Phase equilibrium of Inorganic salt systems, Salt & Marine chemicals technology, Design and Lay out of Solar salt works, Salt Engineering etc.

A number of innovative routes have been developed and patented for the recovery of different types of salt for its varied applications. The discipline is in a position to offer competitive technologies for the production of world-class salt integrated with the recovery of valuable marine chemicals like Bromine, Low sodium salt, Muriate of Potash (MOP), Sulphate of Potash (SOP), and high purity Magnesium chemicals.

The Institute has been granted various National and International patents in the area of Salt & Marine Chemicals.

The recent innovations have accredited the following US patents to the institute.

• A Process for Recovery of Common Salt and Marine Chemicals from Brine in Integrated Manner", US Patent No. 6,776,972 dated 17-08-2004
• Process for the recovery of low sodium salt from bittern US Patent No. 6,890,509 dated May 10,2005.
• A novel device for estimation of brine density in solar salt works from afar. US Patent No 6,865,942, DT. 15/03/2005
• Improved Process for Simultaneous Recovery of Industrial Grade Potassium Chloride Edible Salt Enriched with KCl (Low Sodium Salt) from Bitter. US Patent Application No. 10/ 814,779 dated 30-03-2004
• Novel Integrated Process for the Recovery of  Sulphate of Potash (SOP) from Sulphate Rich Bittern US Patent Application No. 10/814,778 dated.30-03-2004
• A cost-effective process for preparation of solar salt having high purity whiteness  (PCT Application Filed-313NF2005)

The discipline has a number of Publications in reputed International journals with a good impact factor.

We take up projects related to Salt, Marine & Inorganic chemicals on Sponsored/ Consultancy basis as per CSIR guidelines.

The Discipline has offered consultancy services to a number of reputed firms like TATA, HLL, GHCL, GACL, IPCL, HSL, Navin Flourine, Chemfab alkalies etc. Two overseas projects on setting up a solar salt works at Quatar in Doha and designing and commissioning a plant for production of refined free flow salt at Mauritius have been success fully completed. The discipline has taken up collaborative projects with Salt Department, Govt. of India; Industries Department, Govt. of Rajasthan; Department of Handicrafts & cottage Industries, Govt. Of Orissa , Industries Commissionerate, Govt. of Gujarat, Rural Technology Institute, Govt. of Gujarat and NGOs like SEWA, ANANDI etc.