.... Activated Carbon Technical Design Considerations

Activated carbon can be made from various raw material such as coconut, coal, coal pitch, wood, and synthetic resin etc.  During activation, various techniques are employed to control pore size, pore volume and the pore wall structure. Additionally, activated carbon can be treated in various solutions to enhance its performance and finally place it in appropriate shape and sizes. 

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..........If material safety data sheets are needed, please proceed below.                 If further explanation of terminology is needed, please proceed below.           

•   MSDS                                                                                        Terminology and Parameters Explanations

In order to select appropriate activated carbon for your use, many factors needed to be considered. Some parameters are not so obvious such as raw material used and some parameters are obvious such as the final shapes desired. Other parameters are not readily visible such as the surface area characteristics and pore size distributions, yet these parameters have significant impact on the performance you wish to achieve. 

Classified by Raw material used                                                                Classified by final shapes and states

•  * Coal Based                                                                                                          * Powder                                 * Suspended in liquid         

•  * Coconut Based                                                                                                   * Granular                               * Paste

•  * Wood Based                                                                                                       * Pallets                                  * Adhered to Non-woven fiber

•  * Oil Based                                                                                                             * Bonded & Shaped

•  * Phenol Resin Based                                                                                           * Fiber

•  * Rayon Based                                                                                                      * Woven Cloth

•  * Coal Pitch Based   

• * Wood Based                                                                                                                     

Classified by pore size volume    .......                                                        Classified by pore size distribution

If micro pore sizes are too small compared to the target gas molecule size you wish to capture, little adsorption will take place. If pore sizes are too large for the gas, again it is difficult to capture the target gas at low concentration. If pore sizes are matching to the target gas molecular size, adsorption will take place at relatively low concentration level. Activated carbon regularly contains micro pores smaller than 20 angstroms. The pore size distribution is represented by pore size distribution curve as an example is shown above.  

Activated carbon performance can be further enhanced by use of catalyst as well as treating the carbon by various chemical solutions to fine tune the adsorption characteristics of certain gases and liquids. For catalytic use in activated carbon, Pt, Pd, Rh often used. 

Activated carbon performance can be enhanced  by additives as in the case of lead removal property of APG/ARG in liquid.  

For more information on  liquid phase, please refer to  LIQUID PHASE  TECHNICAL  INFORMATION .

For odor gas removal design calculations, please visit: ODOR GAS DESIGN  - PDF File (486K)

For specialized gas separations (molecular sieving) , please visit:  N2 Gas Separation   GN

For technical information on high surface area activated carbon for super capacitor design,  please  refer to RP-20, RP-15, YP17 carbon.