Industrial Activated Carbon Filters or filtration of water is a process used to remove chlorine, foul taste; odor and color by using an activated carbon media bed either from select grades of bituminous coal or coconut-shell coal and produced into high density granular form.

Activated Carbon Filtration (ACF)

A form of filtering technology called an activated carbon filter (ACF) employs activated carbon to adsorb and remove color, odor, chlorine, and total organic carbon (TOC) from a fluid. Organic compounds and chloramines (a mixture of chlorine and ammonia) are absent from the treated water. The media offers a large surface area for capturing the contaminants because the carbon granules are highly porous.

Different Forms of Activated Carbon

There are several kinds of activated carbon, each designed to meet particular filtration requirements and purposes. Selecting the best activated carbon filter solution for water treatment procedures requires an understanding of the many types.

Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)

One of the most widely utilized types of activated carbon in water treatment is granular activated carbon (GAC). Its wide surface area and unevenly formed granules offer superior adsorption capabilities. In fixed-bed filtration systems, where water flows through a column filled with GAC granules, GAC is commonly utilized. This type of activated carbon works well to eliminate a variety of impurities, such as organic compounds, chlorine, and substances that cause taste and odor.

Powdered Activated Carbon (PAC)

The finely ground activated carbon particles that make up powdered activated carbon (PAC) have a high surface area-to-volume ratio. When quick adsorption kinetics are needed in water treatment procedures, PAC is frequently utilized. To improve the removal of contaminants, it is frequently added straight to water or combined with other filtration media. Because of its tiny particle size and larger surface area, PAC is especially good at eliminating dissolved organic substances, including industrial chemicals, medicines, and pesticides.

Activated Carbon Fibre (ACF)

One special type of activated carbon is called activated carbon fiber (ACF), which is made up of interwoven carbon fibers with a very porous structure. Compared to conventional activated carbon, ACF has a number of benefits, including as greater mechanical strength, quicker kinetics, and a larger adsorption capacity. Because of these characteristics, ACF is perfect for devices that need high-efficiency filtration, like medical equipment, respirators, and point-of-use water purifiers.

Catalytic Carbon

A specialized type of activated carbon, catalytic carbon uses catalytic additions to improve its oxidation and adsorption properties. Catalytic carbon has the ability to chemically change some pollutants into less dangerous forms, in contrast to conventional activated carbon, which mostly depends on physical adsorption. Because of this, it is very effective at eliminating hydrogen sulfide, chloramines, and other challenging-to-treat pollutants from water. Residential water filtration systems, swimming pools, and municipal water treatment facilities frequently use catalytic activated carbon filters.

Methods of Activated Carbon Activation

Activated carbon, a critical component in water treatment, is produced through two main activation methods:

Steam Activation Method

Chemical Activation Method

How to Choose the Correct Activated Carbon for Your Water Treatment Application

To guarantee the effective removal of impurities and the best possible performance of filtration systems, selecting the appropriate activated carbon filter for water treatment is crucial. When choosing activated carbon for a particular application, a number of criteria should be taken into account.

Type of Contaminants
Pore Structure
Surface Area
Contact Time
Regeneration Potentia
System Compatibility

Working Principle of Activated Carbon

Adsorption is how activated carbon functions; impurities in the water are drawn to and held on the surface of the carbon particles. Activated carbon efficiently eliminates a variety of contaminants from water filtration systems, such as organic compounds, chlorine, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and disinfection byproducts.

Contaminants in the water come into contact with the porous surface of the carbon particles when it flows through an activated carbon filter. Through physical and chemical interactions, activated carbon with pores can capture and retain pollutants because it has a greater surface area for adsorption.
The surface area, water-carbon contact time, and pore size distribution are some of the variables that affect how well activated carbon filters. Because of its tiny pore size, microporous activated carbon is especially good in adsorbing organic chemicals and tiny molecules. Longer contact periods also enable more complete adsorption of impurities, improving the effectiveness of filtering.

Types of contaminants can activated carbon filters remove from water

Activated carbon filters are highly successful at eliminating a broad variety of pollutants from water, including:

Organic compounds
Chlorine
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Pesticides
Herbicides
Disinfection by-products
Asbestos
Cysts
Lead
Trihalomethanes
Taste and odour-causing substances

Is an activated carbon filter suitable for industrial water treatment?

Yes, an activated carbon filter is widely used in industrial water treatment systems to remove chlorine, organic compounds, and VOCs that can interfere with manufacturing processes or damage equipment. Its ability to handle large volumes of water efficiently makes it a valuable component in industries like pharmaceuticals, food processing, and electronics, where water purity is critical.

Water purification process with activated carbon

Adsorption of contaminants

Adsorption is the main process by which activated carbon purifies water. Water contaminants, such as organic solvents, insecticides, and other volatile organic chemicals, stick to the carbon’s surface. The carbon’s vast surface area, which offers many of locations for pollutant capture, facilitates this process.

Conclusion

Industrial Activated Carbon Filters play a crucial role in ensuring water purity across various applications. Their ability to effectively adsorb a wide range of contaminants, including chlorine, organic compounds, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), makes them indispensable in industries such as pharmaceuticals, food processing, and electronics. By selecting the appropriate type of activated carbon and optimizing the filtration process, industries can achieve high standards of water quality essential for their operations.

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