Ferric Chloride
Quick Specs
- High-Efficiency Coagulation & Flocculation；
- Removal of Various Pollutants；
- Sludge Conditioning & Volume Reduction.
Product Details
Ferric Chloride
1. Product Overview
Ferric Chloride (\(\boldsymbol{FeCl_3}\)) is a high-efficiency inorganic iron-based flocculant. It is available in solid crystal and liquid forms, featuring good water solubility, strong coagulation capacity and wide pH adaptability. It can effectively remove suspended solids, organic matter, phosphorus and heavy metals in water, and also improves sludge dewatering performance. Widely applied in municipal sewage, industrial wastewater treatment and multiple industrial fields.
2. Appearance & Basic Properties
|
Item |
Specification |
|
Product Name |
Ferric Chloride |
|
Appearance |
Orange yellow crystal or homogeneous liquid |
|
Characteristics |
Aqueous solution is strongly acidic, with oxidability and corrosiveness |
|
Main Function |
Coagulation, flocculation, dephosphorization, sludge conditioning |
3. Core Technical Parameters
|
Project |
Index |
|
Ferric ion (\(Fe^{3+}\)) content, % |
≥ 8.0 |
|
Ferrous ion (\(Fe^{2+}\)) content, % |
≤ 0.2 |
|
Basicity, % |
5.0–30.0 |
|
Insoluble matter, % |
≤ 0.3 |
|
Density (20℃), g/cm³ |
≥ 1.20 |
|
Ammonia nitrogen (as N), % |
≤ 0.05 |
|
Zinc (Zn) content, % |
≤ 0.05 |
|
Arsenic (As) content, % |
≤ 0.0005 |
|
Lead (Pb) content, % |
≤ 0.002 |
|
Cadmium (Cd) content, % |
≤ 0.00005 |
|
Mercury (Hg) content, % |
≤ 0.0005 |
|
Chromium (Cr) content, % |
≤ 0.005 |
|
Total Organic Carbon (TOC), mg/L |
≤ 400 |
4. Core Functions
4.1 High-Efficiency Coagulation & Flocculation
Ferric ions hydrolyze to form ferric hydroxide flocs, which rapidly adsorb colloids and suspended particles in water. Compact flocs settle quickly to achieve effective water clarification.
4.2 Removal of Various Pollutants
It efficiently removes suspended solids, organic substances, phosphorus compounds and heavy metal ions. It performs excellently for high-turbidity water and phosphorus-containing wastewater.
4.3 Sludge Conditioning & Volume Reduction
Optimizes sludge structure, improves dewatering efficiency and reduces total sludge output, cutting down subsequent disposal costs.
5. Product Application
· Municipal sewage and various industrial wastewater treatment
· Phosphorus removal, turbidity reduction and heavy metal removal for different water bodies
· Sludge conditioning and dewatering treatment
· Metal etching, chemical catalyst, mordant and other industrial uses
6. Product Advantages
✅ Wide AdaptabilityStable performance for different water qualities and various treatment processes.
✅ Excellent Flocculation EffectFlocs are dense and settle fast, with reliable and stable treatment results.
✅ Good CompatibilityWell compatible with other water treatment chemicals for combined use.
✅ Economical & Easy OperationLow dosage, low comprehensive cost, easy dissolution and simple operation.
7. Packaging Specification
· Solid: 25 kg per bag with triple-layer composite moisture-proof kraft paper bags.
· Liquid: 1000 kg IBC tanks, 200 kg or 25 kg plastic drums.
· Custom packaging is available as required. Handle carefully during transportation and avoid inversion.
8. Storage & Transportation
Store in dry, cool and ventilated areas. Keep away from high temperature, fire sources and acidic substances. Prevent moisture during storage and transit.
9. Disclaimer & Technical Support
All specifications and descriptions herein are for reference only. Please select and use the product according to actual working conditions. Customized solutions and technical support are available on request.
Ferric Chloride (FeCl₃) Real-World Application Case Studies
General Product Overview
Ferric chloride (Iron(III) Chloride, CAS:7705-08-0) is a high-performance inorganic coagulant, flocculant and precipitant, supplied as anhydrous solid powder (96%–98% purity) or 40% liquid solution. It is widely applied in municipal water purification, industrial wastewater treatment, sludge conditioning, PCB etching and chemical synthesis, featuring strong flocculation, low sludge output, efficient phosphorus & heavy metal removal, and stable performance under low temperature conditions.
Case 1: Municipal Domestic Wastewater & Advanced Phosphorus Removal
Project Profile
New York City Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant, USA
Daily wastewater handling capacity: 1,200,000 m³/d
Core problem: Excessive total phosphorus (TP) in secondary biochemical effluent leads to river eutrophication; aluminum coagulants produce massive sludge with high disposal cost.
Treatment Scheme
Liquid ferric chloride (40% concentration) is continuously dosed at the secondary sedimentation tank outlet, with dosing dosage controlled at 60–180 ppm based on online TP monitoring. Ferric ions react with phosphate radicals to form insoluble ferric phosphate precipitates, while generating dense ferric hydroxide flocs to trap residual suspended solids and organic pollutants.
Final Treatment Results
- Total Phosphorus (TP) outlet concentration reduced from 2.8–4.2 mg/L to below 0.3 mg/L, fully complying with national surface water discharge standards; phosphorus removal efficiency reaches over 92%.
- TSS (Total Suspended Solids) removal rate >85%, COD cut down by 35%–45%.
- Sludge volume reduced by 30% compared with polyaluminum chloride, significantly lowering sludge transport and landfill costs.
- Stable treatment effect under winter low-temperature water (5–12°C), no floc failure phenomenon.
Case 2: Textile Printing & Dyeing Wastewater Decolorization & COD Reduction
Project Profile
Large-scale integrated textile mill, Eastern China
Daily wastewater output: 4,000 m³/d
Wastewater characteristics: High chroma (350–500 times), high COD (600–900 mg/L), refractory dye macromolecules, hard to decolorize by single biochemical treatment.
Treatment Scheme
- Pre-treatment: Liquid ferric chloride added to regulating tank for coagulation-flocculation reaction; dosing amount 120–200 ppm, pH adjusted to 6.0–8.5.
- Combined process: Ferric chloride flocculation + anaerobic-aerobic biochemical system + secondary ferric chloride fine filtration.
- Mechanism: Fe³⁺ hydrolyzes to form positively charged flocs, neutralizing negative charges of dye colloids, breaking chromophoric groups, adsorbing insoluble dye particles for rapid sedimentation.
Final Treatment Results
- Wastewater chroma drops to below 40 times, decolorization efficiency >90%.
- Effluent COD stabilized below 80 mg/L, meets industrial reuse discharge standards.
- Sludge generated is compact and easy to filter, matching subsequent plate-and-frame filter press dewatering.
- Operation cost per ton of wastewater only USD 0.02, more cost-effective than traditional decolorants.
Case 3: Electroplating Industrial Wastewater Heavy Metal Precipitation
Project Profile
Electroplating industrial park wastewater centralized treatment station, Zhejiang, China
Pollutant features: Wastewater contains copper, zinc, lead, nickel heavy metal ions, sulfide pollutants, complex chelating agents.
Treatment Scheme
Ferric chloride as composite precipitant:
- First dosing: FeCl₃ breaks metal-chelate complex structures under weak acidic environment.
- pH adjustment with lime to 8–10, ferric hydroxide flocs co-precipitate heavy metal ions to form insoluble metal hydroxides.
- Secondary fine filtration to remove trace residual heavy metals.
Final Treatment Results
- Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Pb²⁺, Ni²⁺ residual concentration all <0.1 mg/L, fully compliant with electroplating pollutant discharge limits.
- Simultaneous removal of sulfide odor, reducing effluent SS and chroma synchronously.
Case 4: Sewage Sludge Deep Dewatering Conditioning
Project Profile
Urban sewage plant sludge treatment workshop
Raw sludge index: Concentrated sludge moisture content 97.5%, poor filterability, high viscosity, hard to transport.
Treatment Scheme
Combined conditioning formula: Ferric chloride + quicklime + cationic PAM
- Ferric chloride breaks sludge extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), releases bound water inside sludge flocs.
- Adjust sludge pH to weak acidity, destroy sludge colloidal stability.
- Plate-and-frame filter press deep dewatering after full mixing reaction.
Final Treatment Results
Sludge cake moisture content reduced from 97.5% to 59%–70%, sludge volume shrinks to 1/4 of original weight; dewatered mud cake can be directly transported for incineration or land resource utilization, cutting sludge disposal transportation cost by over 50%.
Case 5: Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Copper Etching Application
Project Profile
Electronics PCB manufacturing factory
Demand: Efficient copper foil etching on circuit boards, stable etching speed, easy waste liquid recycling.
Application Effect
Anhydrous ferric chloride dissolved into etching solution continuously corrodes exposed copper layers on PCB substrates with uniform etching rate, clear circuit line edge without burrs. Waste etching liquid can recover copper resources via electrolysis, realizing circular production and low chemical consumption.
Core Advantages of Ferric Chloride Reflected in All Cases
- Wide applicable pH range (pH 5–10), excellent performance in cold raw water.
- High-efficiency removal of phosphorus, heavy metals, color, turbidity and organic contaminants.
- Dense flocs, fast sedimentation speed, less sludge generation than aluminum-based coagulants.
- Multi-scenario compatibility: municipal tap water, domestic sewage, multiple types of industrial wastewater, sludge conditioning, metal etching.
- Cost-effective, low unit dosing dosage, obvious comprehensive operation cost reduction.
Factory Support Service
We supply both anhydrous solid ferric chloride and liquid ferric chloride solution, factory direct sale with stable spot supply, customizable concentration & packaging, full technical support including on-site dosing scheme design and after-sales technical guidance.
