Target 5–10% solution
Dissolve to a 5–10% working solution. Above 10% the solution gets viscous and dosing accuracy suffers.
Solid PAC
PAC powder in 25 kg bags
Spray-dried polyaluminium chloride at 28–30% Al2O3 — the standard format for export, for high-consumption plants, and for anywhere freight cost matters.
Solid PAC specification
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Al2O3 content | 28–30% |
| Basicity | 40–90% (specify at order) |
| Appearance | Yellow to pale-yellow free-flowing powder |
| Water insolubles | ≤ 0.5% |
| pH (1% solution) | 3.5–5.0 |
| Bulk density | 0.8–1.0 g/cm³ |
| Packaging | 25 kg PP/PE laminated bags; 1000 kg jumbo bags |
| Loading | 27 MT per 20ft container, palletised or floor-loaded |
| Shelf life | 12 months in sealed bags, dry storage |
PAC powder is hygroscopic. Keep bags sealed, off the floor on pallets, and out of humid open-air storage — caking is almost always a storage problem, not a product problem.
On-site handling
Preparing solution from powder
Add powder to water
Always add powder into water while stirring — never water onto powder. Use clean water, not treated effluent.
Mix 15–30 minutes
Stir until fully dissolved, typically 15 to 30 minutes with mechanical agitation. Let it stand briefly before dosing.
Use within 7 days
Prepared solution is best used within a week. Longer standing allows gradual hydrolysis and settling.
Correct materials
HDPE, FRP, PVC or rubber-lined tanks. Bare mild steel and aluminium will corrode.
PPE at the bag
Dust mask, goggles and gloves during bag handling and mixing. PAC dust is an irritant.
Why exporters choose powder
A 20-foot container carries roughly 27 tonnes of solid PAC, delivering around 8 tonnes of active Al2O3. The same container of liquid PAC at 11% Al2O3 carries about 22 tonnes of product but only about 2.4 tonnes of active alumina. On any route where freight is a real cost — and from Jebel Ali to East or West Africa it certainly is — powder wins decisively.
Powder also handles heat and time better. A container sitting on a quay in Mombasa or Lagos for three weeks in the sun does far less to sealed bags of powder than it does to IBCs of solution.
The trade-off is on-site work: you need a mixing tank, an agitator, water, and an operator who follows the procedure. For plants running a make-up system anyway, that cost is already sunk.
FAQ
Common questions
Approximately 27 tonnes, which is 1080 bags of 25 kg. Jumbo bag loading is typically 24 to 26 tonnes depending on bag dimensions and stuffing method.
Around 12 months in sealed bags kept in dry, covered storage. Humidity is the main enemy — opened or damaged bags absorb moisture and cake.
Usually yes. Caking from moisture absorption affects handling rather than chemistry. Break up the lumps and check dissolution in a small batch first, and review your storage conditions.
Lower basicity (40–55%) suits high-turbidity and industrial effluent. Higher basicity (70–90%) suits low-turbidity and low-alkalinity water where you want minimal pH depression. If you are unsure, send us your raw water analysis.
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