Activated Carbon » Typical Applications » Granular Carbon

ACTIVATED CARBON
Activated carbon is a well-known powerful adsorbent for the removal of organic compounds from gases and liquids. Depending on the application, the most appropriate activated carbon is selected either on known characteristics of the chemicals to be removed in an adsorption process or by a series of controlled laboratory tests. As well as organic compounds some inorganic compounds can be adsorbed such as heavy metals. Activated carbon will also remove oxidising agents such as chlorine and ozone.

GRANULAR ACTIVATED CARBON
  Granular activated carbon is the irregular shaped form of carbon and is mainly used in water and liquid applications for municipal drinking water treatment (taste, odour and micropollutant removal e.g. pesticides, ...), domestic water treatment (in-line and cartridge filters), process water (dechlorination and deozonation), ground- and waste water treatment - tertiary treatment (trace organics and COD removal, deodourisation and decolourisation), raw-material-purification (purification of oils and fats, alcoholic and softdrinks, dyestuffs, ..., decolourisation of sugar and glucose, ...). Sometimes granular activated carbon is used for air-treatment applications or as catalyst. The DESOTEC activated carbon is a high quality product, produced and supplied at high standards and specifications.

ADSORPTION
Activated carbon has an excellent adsorption capacity for a wide range of organic compounds as well as for some heavy metals. Activated carbon is also used for the removal of oxidizing agents such as chlorine and ozone. The performance of activated carbon depends on many factors:

• The type of compound to be removed. Compounds with high molecular weight and low solubility in water are better adsorbed.
• The concentration of the compound to be removed. The higher the concentration, the higher the adsorption (load%)
• Presence of other organic compounds will compete with other compounds for the available adsorption sites.
• The pH of the stream.

RECYCLING BY THERMAL REACTIVATION
Once the granular activated carbon is saturated or the treatment objective is reached, it can be recycled, by thermal reactivation, for reuse. Reactivation involves treating the spent carbon in a high temperature furnace to over 800°C. During this treatment process, the adsorbed organics on the carbon are thermally destroyed. Recycling by reactivation is a highly skilled process to ensure that spent activated carbon is re-activated to a reusable quality. The DESOTEC reactivation furnace is an indirect type, based on the latest technology and meeting the highest ecological standards. Recycling activated carbon meets the environmental need to minimise waste, reducing CO₂ emissions and limiting the use of the world's resources. The return of the spent activated carbon is subject to acceptance procedures.

SERVICE
In addition to supplying activated carbon, DESOTEC ACTIVATED CARBON N.V.-S.A. acts as a consultant / contractor for a full range of applications, equipment, filters and adsorbers, also on a rental basis, and offers the service of exchange units and regeneration / treatment of the used carbon.

OVERVIEW ⁽¹⁾ of some granular types of activated carbon:

DESOTEC reserves the right to change specifications without prior notice
(1) This list is not complete and gives only the most common carbons. Other types are available on request.
(2) US-sieve-sizes n° 4= 4,75mm / 6 = 3,35mm / 8 = 2,36mm / 12 = 1,7mm / 16 = 1,18mm / 30 = 0,6mm / 40 = 0,425mm
(3) Silver-impregnated

PACKAGING
The activated carbon is packed as standard in 25kg sacks or 500 kg bigbags on pallets of 500 kg net. Alternative forms of packaging are available on request.

PRESSURE DROP
For the treatment of water and liquids, granular activated carbon is normally used. For the calculation and the prediction of this pressure drop, use the pressure drop graph. The pressure drop depends on the mesh-size/size of the granules - see chapter 4 - pressure drop GAC for water.

SAFETY MESSAGE
Wet activated carbon removes oxygen from air causing a severe hazard to workers inside carbon vessels and enclosed or confined spaces. Before entering such an area, sampling and work procedures for low oxygen levels should be taken to ensure ample oxygen availability, observing all local, state, and federal regulations.