In recent years, with the enhancement of environmental awareness and the advancement of science and technology, activated carbon, as an important adsorption material, has been continuously expanded in its application field. Activated carbon is widely used in water treatment, air purification, food processing and medicine due to its porous structure and excellent adsorption performance. However, there are many types of activated carbon on the market, each with its own characteristics. This article will introduce several main types of activated carbon and their application fields in detail.
1. Wood activated carbon
Wood activated carbon is made by high-temperature carbonization and activation of hardwood or softwood. It is characterized by a well-developed pore structure and strong adsorption capacity, and is often used in water treatment and air purification. Wood activated carbon is also widely used in the food and beverage industry for decolorization and removal of impurities to ensure the purity and quality of the product.
2. Coal-based activated carbon
Coal-based activated carbon is made by carbonization and activation of high-quality coal. According to its form, it can be divided into granular, columnar and powdered forms. Coal-based activated carbon has high mechanical strength and wear resistance, and is often used in industrial wastewater treatment, solvent recovery and catalyst carriers. Its columnar structure is particularly suitable for applications such as gas phase adsorption and desulfurization and denitrification.
3. Coconut shell activated carbon
Coconut shell activated carbon is made from coconut shells through carbonization and activation. It is characterized by large specific surface area, uniform pore size distribution and strong adsorption capacity. Coconut shell activated carbon is mainly used in high-end water treatment equipment, air purifiers and gold extraction. In the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, coconut shell activated carbon is also used to prepare high-purity activated carbon products.
4. Fruit shell activated carbon
Fruit shell activated carbon is made from fruit shells such as apricot shells, peach kernels and olive kernels through special processing. Its main characteristics are well-developed pores and large adsorption capacity. It is often used in drinking water treatment, industrial waste gas treatment and chemical product refining. Fruit shell activated carbon is also widely used in the tobacco industry to filter harmful substances in flue gas and improve taste.
5. Regenerated activated carbon
Regenerated activated carbon is to restore the adsorption capacity of used activated carbon by regenerating it. The advantages of regenerated activated carbon are low cost and high resource utilization, and it is often used in large-scale industrial applications such as sewage treatment plants and large air purification equipment. The regeneration process includes a variety of methods such as high temperature regeneration, chemical regeneration and microwave regeneration to ensure the regeneration effect and service life of activated carbon.
6. Catalytic activated carbon
Catalytic activated carbon is a catalyst loaded on the surface of activated carbon to give it catalytic function. Catalytic activated carbon is widely used in gas purification, waste gas treatment and chemical reactions. For example, in the process of automobile exhaust treatment and industrial waste gas denitrification, catalytic activated carbon can effectively remove harmful gases and reduce pollutant emissions.
From the above, it can be seen that the diversification of activated carbon types has made it play an increasingly important role in environmental protection and industrial fields. Different types of activated carbon are suitable for different application scenarios due to their unique structure and properties. With the continuous innovation of technology and the expansion of application fields, activated carbon will continue to contribute important forces in future environmental protection and industrial development. Understanding and selecting the right type of activated carbon is of great significance to improving process efficiency and environmental protection.
