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- For the sports equipment manufacturer, see Brine, Inc..
Brine is water saturated or nearly saturated with salt. It is used (now less popular than historically) to preserve vegetables, fish, and meat. Although brine is used in preservation much like sugar or vinegar, it can be used to great effect in transportation. Brine is a common fluid used in the transport of heat from place to place. It is used because the addition of salt to water reduces the freezing temperature of the solution and a relatively great efficiency in the transport can be obtained for the low cost of the material.
At 60 °F (15.5 °C) saturated brine is 26.4% salt by weight (100 degree SAL). At 0 °C (32 °F) brine can only hold 23.3% salt.
| Water salinity based on dissolved salts in parts per thousand (‰) |
| Fresh water |
Brackish water |
Saline water |
Brine |
| < 0.5 ‰ |
0.5 - 30 ‰ |
30 - 50 ‰ |
> 50 ‰ |
[edit] Industrial use of brines
Brines are also used in the pharmaceutical industry.
The electrolysis of brine is used in chloralkali processes to make sodium hydroxide, chlorine gas and hydrogen gas on an industrial scale.
[edit] See also
- Brining
- Sea salt
- Salt pan
- Sea water
- Salinity
- Spines in Brine
- Brine lakes
- Brine pools
- Brine ponds