Finding the Right Anticake Reagent

This paper briefly covers theories behind caking of crystalline salt particles, and methods of its prevention. The main factors that influence the extent of caking are humidity, storage pressure, temperature variations, and length of storage time. Careful adherence to control- ling these variables are more critical than the addition of even the most efficient anticaking reagent. The principle characteristics that a successful anticaking reagent must possess are: high retention at the temperature of application, good coating of reagent on the particle surface, capability of in- creasing the hydrophobicity of the particle, reducing the surface tension of liquids, and/or creating of a barrier between particles that prevent contact between particles, and modifying the crystal structure of the salt between the particles. Methods to evaluate the reduction of caking tenacity with the application of various anticaking reagents, reagent volatility and reagent degradation in plant and laboratory scales are discussed. Various types of anticake reagents used today in industry are organic active and inactive reagents, inorganic inert and inorganic salt crystal modifying re- agents.