CaCl2: An Overview

CaCl2, or calcium chloride, is used in many consumer and indistrial products. It comes in a variety of forms in various concentrations. Some of the forms of CaCl2 are flakes, pellets, powders and pebbles. Each form has a preferred use.

cacl2 calcium chloride

For example, CaCl2 flakes and pellets are used to deice roads and highways during winter months. They are effective for this purpose because they have more water and less calcium. This melts ice at a more rapid rate than other de-icers.

CaCl2 pellets are particularly useful in melting quickly melting ice and snow. They are commonly used by shopkeepers on city sidewalks in the front of their establishments. Individual homeowners prefer it for melting ice and snow because it is relatively harmless to plant life and soil. It also works better in colder temperatures than another common de-icer, rock salt.

Why are CaCl2 pellets so effective in melting ice? They radiate heat the second they make contact with ice and/or snow. The spherical shape rapidly cuts through ice, at temperatues as low as 25 degrees below zero. Because of the rapidity with which they bore they ice, users can dispense up to 75% less per application compared to other snow and ice-melting products. One advantage particularly appreciated by users is that there is no residual powdery residue left behind.

Other Uses of CaCl2

Oil Drilling: When drilling for oil, it's important to remove water from oil-based mud to obtain borehole stablity. Calcium chloride promotes balanced activity, eg, the equality of the water in the oil-based mud to that of the shale.

It is common while drilling for oil to encounter water in the formations. Drilling engineers like using chemicals like CaCl2 for this because it gives them more flexiblity in the formulation of the mud in relation to a given type of shale. Furthermore, eliminating water during this internal phase means that the ionic makeup of it absorbed by the system will be the same as that of the mud formation.

CaCl2 as a Food Substance: Calcium chloride is regarded as safe by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration, among other governmental agencies, as a food substance. Some common uses in food are in pickled foods and in canned vegetables.

Because CaCl2 has an extremely salty taste, it is ideal for pickling. An added benefit of using it in this manner is that it doesn’t increase the food’s sodium levels. In the case of canning, it helps vegetables stay firm.

Road and Highway Construction: CaCl2 is used for dust control in highway and roadway construction. It is really effective for this because the hygroscopic makeup of it ensures that the roadway will always have a liquid layer on it. This helps to immensely control the dust.

Another use for CaCl2 in road and highway construction is in concrete mixing. Adding it helps to speed up the initial setting of the concrete mixture. Experts warn that chloride ions can corrode steel, so CaCl2 should not be used in reinforced concrete.