PHYSICAL

ADSORPTION
ACTIVATED CARBON

NOOR NADHIHAH BINTI JAAFAR

HASNATUL AZWANI BINTI HASHIM
MUHAMMAD FARHAN BIN MOKHTAR
MUHYUDDIN ARSHAD BIN SULTAN ASKIN
ALEX DANIAL A/L KRISHNAN
 CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION APPLICATION CASE STUDY

PROCESS & PROS AND

MAINTENANCE CONS
 INTRODUCTION

phenomenon of accumulation of
large number of molecular species
Adsorption
at the surface of liquid or solid
phase in comparison to the bulk

Figure 1 & 2: difference adsorption and absorption

 TYPE OF ADSORPTION
PHYSICAL ADSORPTION CHEMISORPTIONS
forces operating are weak Van Der Waals forces. forces operating are chemical bond.

Low heat adsorption about 20 40 kJ mol-1 High heat adsorption about 40 400 kJ mol-1

No compound formation Surface compounds are formed.

The process is reversible The process is irreversible..

It not require activation energy. It requires activation energy.

This type of adsorption decreases with increase of This type of adsorption first increases with increase of
temperature. temperature. The effect is called activated adsorption.

It is not specific in nature i.e. all gases are adsorbed on all It is specific in nature and occurs only when there is some
solids to some extent. possibility of compound formation between the gas being
adsorbed and the solid adsorbent.

The amount of the gas adsorbed is related to the ease of There is no such correlation exists.
liquefaction of the gas.

It forms multimolecular layer. It forms unimolecular layer.

APPLICATION OF ADSORPTION

Figure 3: Adsorption application

 EXAMPLE OF APPLICATION

Atmospheric Pollution Control

Acid gas
Organic gases such as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
and Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAP)
Inorganic gases (Nitrogen Oxides, Sulphur Oxides)

Wastewater

Treatment of heavy metal

Water Filtration system
Color removal treatment
 MECHANISM OF ADSORPTION

Type of filter
Filter Aid
aid

Activated
Carbon
VOC

Lime
Figure 4: Adsorption mechanism
Acid gas
 ACTIVATED CARBON
2 3

Activated carbon is a Filtration through activated

material prepared in carbon, contaminants adhere
such a way that it to the surface of these carbon
granules or become trapped in
exhibits a high degree of
the small pores of the activated
porosity and extended carbon (Amirault et al. 2003).
surface area.

4
1
This process is
The medium for an called adsorption
activated carbon filter
is typically petroleum
coke, bituminous coal,
lignite, wood products,
coconut shell or
peanut shell. Figure 5: AC structured. A typical
carbon particle has numerous pores
that provide a large surface area for
water treatment. Source: LEMLEY et al.
(1995)
 TYPES OF ACTIVATED CARBON
Granular AC (GAC)
Long lasting features, hard in
nature, produced in large volume
and easy to handle

Powdered AC (PAC)
Low processing cost,
flexible operations,
excellent quality
parameters.

Extruded AC
Heavy duty Figure 6: types of activated carbon
application & high
stock resistance
The carbon sucks up
VOCs in a process
called adsorption. The high surface area of
active carbon has lots of
spaces for the carbon-
containing organic rings in
VOCs to get trapped.

Grains of active carbon are a kind of fractal.

Grains that are 0.1 mm have a surface area of
over 1 square meter.

Figure 7 and 8: Activated carbon structure

 PROPERTIES OF ACTIVATED CARBON
Density The higher the density of a sample of activated
carbon, the greater the volume of activity or
adsorption possible. This is also an indicator of
quality.
Particle Size Distribution The greater the particle size of an activated carbon,
the greater the access to surface area, and the
faster the rate of adsorption by the material.
Mesh Size The physical size or mesh size of the carbon can
significantly impact its resistance to flow within a
system. The smaller the mesh, the greater the
resistance to flow, and the greater the adsorption.
Molasses Number The molasses number is the measure of the
mesopore content of the activated carbon, and the
degree of decolourisation. A high molasses umber
indicates a high adsorption of big molecules.
Ash Level The ash level is a measure of the purity of a sample
of activated carbon. This is important when the
carbon is used as a catalyst in an industrial process.
BENEFITS OF ACTIVATED CARBON

Applicable to a wide variety of organic compounds

Effective at removing low levels (ppb range) of inorganic pollutants.

Thermal regeneration of the carbon destroys the adsorbed waste

solute.

Very flexible system allows rapid start-up and shut down as needed.

System can be designed so that it is portable, to be taken to waste sites.

LIMITATIONS OF ACTIVATED CARBON
TREATMENT

Limited to wastes with low organic concentrations (< 5%).

Limited to wastes with very low inorganic concentrations (< 1%).

Unable to remove highly soluble organics, or those with low

molecular weights.

Adsorption efficiency is related to residence time and condition of

carbon bed.

Systems can not tolerate suspended solids in the influent stream (due to
clogging).
CASE STUDY : REMOVAL OF VOC

VOCs emission

Identified in coal- fired power

plants & Municipal Solid Waste
Incineration

Can effect human central

nervous system.
 PROCESS FLOW

FILTER FILTER AIDS:

BAGHOUSE
BAGS OR
FABRIC ACTIVATED
CARBON (AC)
FILTER
 BAGHOUSE

Figure 9: Baghouse Figure 10: Schematic

Using Activated Diagram of Baghouse
Carbon Filter
 ACTIVATED CARBON CARTRIDGE

Figure 11: Fabric Filter Cartridge Figure 12: Activated Carbon

 PROCESS FLOW DESCRIPTION
VOC adsorbed on the
injected Activated
Carbon
Filter is cleaned using
pulse jet
New AC is injected onto
fabric filter
VOC channeled in an
enclosed system
Regenerated activated
carbon can be
Figure 13: Schematic Flow recycled
Diagram of Pulse Jet
Baghouse
 MAINTENANCE

Ensuring a Proper Filter

Timely Cage
Proper Bag- Bag
Inspections
to-Cage Fit Selection

Checking Check
Pressure Cleaning
Drops Systems
 ADVANTAGES

Easy to install and maintain

Removal of hazardous gas

Regenerate and recycle

High efficiency in adsorbing particle

 DISADVANTAGES

Filter need to replaced regularly

Skilled labour required, at least occasionally

Gas analysis is required to choose the most adapted type

of activated carbon

Contaminants are separated from Gas but not destroyed

 CONCLUSION

The activated carbon is

suitable as VOC removal agent
due to its characteristic as a
adsorption.

VOC will adhere to the surface

of these carbon granules or
become trapped in the small
pores of the activated carbon.
REFERENCES
 JOB DESCRIPTION

Introduction Introduction Case

to of Activated study: VOC
Adsorption Carbon removal
(Hasnatul) (Farhan) (Alex)

Maintenance
Pros and Cons of treatment
(Nadhihah) (Arshad)