We’re proud to be experts on mankind’s most versatile chemical: Lime. Below are answers to some of the most common questions we receive here at Lime Association of Texas.
What is lime and how is it made?
Lime is the chemical Calcium Oxide (CaO) and is often referred to as quicklime. Lime is made by heating high purity limestone rock which is made up of Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) in a kiln at a temperature around 2,000F.
What is Hydrated Lime?
When water (H2O) is added to lime CaO, the resulting product is calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2 and is often just referred to as hydrated lime. Hydrated lime is dry powdery looking material, but it is actually lime that is chemically bonded with approximately 22% water by weight. The water chemically bonds with the lime through an exothermic reaction.
What is lime slurry and how is it made?
Lime slurry is a combination of lime and water mixed in a slaker tank. The end product is designed to be pumpable or flowable with a consistency similar to a milk shake. For soil stabilization, the combination is roughly 40% solids by weight and 60% water. It is typically made by combining quicklime and water in a slaker tank. Technically, the solids portion is quicklime that became hydrated lime in the mixing process.
Are there different types of lime slurry used for soil stabilization?
Ultimately all lime slurry for soil stabilization is essentially the same product if it meets the required specification; however, when it is produced at a permanent production facility or terminal, it is referred to as commercial lime slurry. If it is produced in the field on the project construction site, it is referred to as quicklime slurry although both types are made through the same process of combining quicklime with water. When it is done in the field, it is mixed in portable tanks referred to as portabatch tanks. The most significant difference in these two lime slurry types is where it is being produced (at the terminal or in the field).
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