Sodium hydride winning by means of carbon:

 

C + 3 NaOH  à  Na2CO3 + NaH + H2                                                                       (1)

 

With an input of  250 kg of carbon and 2,500 kg of sodium hydroxide, NaOH, the following quantities of the products shown in equation ( 1 ) are formed:

  1. Sodium carbonate, Na2CO3,  2,208 kg out of which 916 kg carbon dioxide, CO2, can be won per hour. The remaining sodium hydroxide is used again in the reactor.

  2. Sodium hydride, NaH, 500 kg. Out of this 41,7 kg hydrogen per hour is released. By oxidation in a fuel cell an energy of 984 kWh and an amount of 375 kg water is produced. The efficiency of this process is assumed to be 60 percent. The remaining sodium hydroxide is led back to the process too.

  3. Hydrogen, H2, 41,7 kg. It can be used for the water production on the one hand but also for the winning of 1.324 kg of copper on the other. The actual copper price is about EUR 1,60 to 1.90 per kg.

 

 

Sodium hydride winning by means of methane or natural gas:

 

CH4  + 3 NaOH  à  Na2CO3 + NaH + 3 H2                                                                (2)

 

Input: 250 kg of methane, CH4, and 1.875 kg sodium hydroxide per hour.

Product quantities:    

  1. Sodium carbonate 1.656 kg gives 687 kg carbon dioxide.

  2. Sodium hydride 375 kg gives 31,25 kg hydrogen out of this 281 kg water and an energy of 738 kWh.

  3. Hydrogen 93,75 kg gives either 843 kg of water or 2.978 kg of copper.

 

 

Sodium hydride winning by means of rubber waste:

 

C5H8  +  15 NaOH  à  5 Na2CO3  +  5 NaH  +  9 H2                                                   (3)

 

Input: 250 kg of rubber or isoprene, C5H8, and 2.205 kg sodium hydroxide per hour.

Product quantities:

  1. Sodium carbonate 1.948 kg gives 808 kg carbon dioxide.

  2. Sodium hydride 441 kg gives 36,75 kg hydrogen, out of this 330 kg water and an energy  of 868 kWh.

  3. Hydrogen 66 kg gives either 594 kg of water or 2.096 kg of copper.

 

 

Sodium hydride  winning by means of waste oil or oil sludge:

 

C12H26   +  36 NaOH  à  12 Na2CO3  + 12 NaH  +  25 H2                                        (4)

 

Input:  250 kg of waste oil or oil sludge and 3.673 kg sodium hydroxide per hour.

Product quantities:

  1. Sodium carbonate 3.244 kg gives 1.346 carbon dioxide.

  2. Sodium hydride 734 kg gives 61 kg hydrogen, out of this 549 kg of water and an energy of 1.441 kWh.

  3. Hydrogen 127 kg gives either 1.143 kg of water or 4.034 kg of copper.

 

In all cases the sodium hydroxide is returned with a loss of about five percent.

 

In addition to the winning of copper further metals like nickel, cobalt, manganese, molybdenum etc. can be produced with a still higher profit.