How is activated carbon made?
Activated carbon is commercially manufactured from coal, wood, fruit stones (mainly coconut but also walnut, peach) and derivatives of other processes (gas raffinates). Of these coal, wood and coconut are the most widely available.
The product is manufactured by a thermal process, but in the case of raw materials such as wood, a promoter (such as an acid) is also used to develop the required porosity.
Downstream processes crush, screen, wash and/or grind the multitude of products to the client’s requirements.
How can activated carbon be used?
How an activated carbon is used depends very much on the application duty, and its form. For example, powdered activated carbon (PAC) is used to treat drinking water, by simply adding the required amount directly to the water and then separating the resulting coagulation matter (as well as other solids) before sending the treated water to the network. The contact with the organics present results in adsorption of them and the purification of the water.
Granular carbons (or extruded pellets) are used in fixed filter beds, with the air, gas or liquid passing through it with a determined residence (or contact) time. During this contact the unwanted organics are removed and the treated effluent is purified.
What are the main uses of activated carbon?
There are hundreds of different applications for activated carbon ranging from odor control of cat litter to the preparation of the most modern pharmaceuticals.
Around the home, activated carbon may be present in domestic appliances; will most likely have treated the municipal water supply, purified the soft drinks in the refrigerator, and been used in the production of chemicals, in turn used to manufacture electronics, furniture and construction materials.
And more; our waste is burned to generate electricity, the gases from which are purified by activated carbon. Odor control again at sewage processing facilities, uses activated carbon, and the reclamation of precious metals from mining spoils is big business.
Post time: Mar-03-2022