Activated carbon supply in Turkey

Activated Carbon: Granular, Powdered and Pellet Options

LapisChem offers granular activated carbon (GAC), powdered activated carbon (PAC) and pellet / extruded activated carbon for industrial requirements. Our range includes coconut-shell, coal-based and wood-based options. Choosing the right grade starts with the substance to be removed and the conditions of the application.

Explore the forms, raw materials and applications below, including water treatment, air and gas purification, glycerin processing and gold recovery. The appropriate carbon depends on the process; no single raw material or surface-area value determines the best option for every use.

For a technical enquiry or quotation, contact LapisChem with your application, required quantity and delivery expectations. See our chemical product range for other industrial requirements.

What is Activated Carbon?

Activated carbon is a porous carbon material that retains selected substances from liquids and gases by adsorption. Activation develops its internal pore structure. Common starting materials include coconut shells, coal and wood; the raw material and manufacturing process influence the finished carbon’s properties.

Adsorption takes place at the carbon surface. The pore structure must suit the target molecules, while the product’s physical form must work with the treatment equipment. Product selection therefore combines adsorption requirements with practical operating conditions.

Surface Area and Pore Structure

Surface area is one useful characteristic of activated carbon. Selection also requires the pore-size distribution, the target substance and the conditions of use to be considered together. A higher surface-area number alone does not establish which grade will perform best in a particular process.

Unique Property of
Coconut-Based
Activated Carbon

Coconut-Shell Carbon for Application-Specific Requirements

Coconut-shell activated carbon often combines high hardness with a predominantly microporous structure. Its suitability should be evaluated against the target contaminants and the specified operating conditions.

Produced from coconut shells, a renewable biomass raw material.
Typically offers high hardness and a microporous structure.
Available properties vary by grade and activation process.
Adsorption performance depends on the target substances and operating conditions.
Confirm ash content, particle size and product analysis for the selected grade.
Environmental performance depends on production, transport, use and end-of-life management.

What is Adsorption?

Adsorption is the adhesion of molecules of a substance to the surface of activated carbon. Activated carbon is characterized by high micro and macro pores that allow adsorbates to adhere to the inner surface. There are two types of adsorption.

Physical Adsorption

Physical adsorption occurs when the material to be adsorbed adheres to the inner surface of the activated carbon through Van der Waals forces between molecules. The attractive force decreases as the distance between the pore wall and the molecule increases.

Chemisorption

It occurs through a strong bond between the adsorbate molecules and chemical complexes impregnated into the pore wall of the activated carbon.

What Materials Can be Adsorbed with Activated Carbon?

Activated carbon is generally used to adsorb organic substances. At the same time, some inorganic substances with heavy molecular weights such as iodine and mercury can also be adsorbed.

What Determines Adsorption Performance?

Carbon selection considers the target molecules, their concentration and the mixture being treated. Pore structure, contact time, temperature and other process conditions can influence performance. Where the duty is demanding, application testing can help compare suitable grades.

Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)

Granular activated carbon consists of sized granules used in fixed-bed treatment systems for liquids or gases. Particle size, hardness, adsorption characteristics and the required flow conditions all matter when selecting a grade.

Suitable spent GAC can be considered for reactivation, subject to the contaminants adsorbed and the requirements of the reactivation process. Confirm suitability for the specific application.

Powdered Activated Carbon (PAC)

Powdered activated carbon is a fine adsorbent typically introduced into a process stream and removed in a subsequent separation step. The selected grade, dosage and contact conditions should match the treatment objective and the available separation equipment.

Pellet and Extruded Activated Carbon

Pellet activated carbon is formed into cylindrical particles. It is used in applications such as air and gas purification. When comparing options, specify the target contaminants, gas conditions, pellet diameter and the requirements of the adsorption equipment.

Glycerin Processing and Gold Recovery

These applications have different performance requirements. For glycerin processing, share the feed characteristics, purification objective and filtration conditions. For gold recovery, share the recovery process and required carbon specification so that adsorption characteristics and mechanical properties can be discussed for the intended duty.

Important Information about Activated Carbon

Properties to Review Before Selecting a Grade

Surface Area

Use the reported surface area together with the application-specific adsorption data. This value is one part of the product specification.

Pore Structure

Total pore volume and pore-size distribution describe different aspects of the carbon’s structure. Assess them in relation to the substances being removed and the treatment conditions.

Physical and Analytical Requirements

Review particle-size distribution, hardness, ash content and any application-specific analytical limits. Ask for the relevant product information and confirm the requirements for your order with LapisChem.

Selection Criteria for Activated Carbon

Resistance to abrasion
Adsorption capacity
Particle size distribution for optimal flow
Adsorption and desorption rate
Suitability for the product's area of use
Some substances that may be effective or interact during carbon loading

Factors that may Affect the Performance of Activated Carbon

Different
Raw Materials

Activation
Feed Rate

Oxygen Content
During Activation

Condition and Size
of Raw Material

Activation
Temperature and Pressure

Final Product
Mixture

LapisChem serves the industry with product options in different properties, shapes, and sizes (granular, extruded, or powder) to meet the needs in many areas of use.

Activated Carbon
Areas of Use

Water Conditioning

For the water conditioning application area, activated carbon in granular (GAC) or powder (PAC) form is used to remove bad odor and taste from raw water. In wastewater treatment, activated carbon is used in the final stage of the process of separating pollutants such as dyes, surfactants, hydrocarbons, etc. from industrial wastewater. However, granular activated carbon is also used in drinking water treatment and dechlorination processes, and in filter tanks in wastewater treatment plants. Granular activated carbon is also quite suitable for removing biologically non-degradable organic substances dissolved in water.

Drinking Water Treatment

The use of activated carbon in the water purification process suitable for human consumption enables the removal of even very low concentrations of dissolved organic matter. For this purpose, Lapis Kimya offers granular activated carbon (GAC), which is used to remove organic matter, residual chlorine, ozone, and trihalomethanes and can be reactivated, and powdered activated carbon (PAC), which is dosed before liquid/solid separation processes (filters, strainers, etc.) to remove dissolved organic matter and odor.

Wastewater Treatment

In wastewater treatment, activated carbon is generally used in the final stage to remove dissolved organic substances, surfactants, and hydrocarbons that give color to the water. In this application area, granular activated carbon can be used in stationary beds, while powdered activated carbon can be used in filter media where liquid/solid separation is performed. The most common application in wastewater treatment is the use of powdered activated carbon by dosing it into aeration tanks to remove organics in conjunction with the biodegradation process, to improve nitrification to minimize foam formation, and to improve sludge settling.

Condensate Degreasing

In this application area, granular activated carbon (GAC) is used to decompose organic substances, mostly hydrocarbons, from condensate water recycled back into boiler feedwater. In this process, activated carbon is used to protect the resin from contamination by organic substances and to reduce the frequency of resin regeneration.

Chlorine Removal

In water treatment processes, water usually needs to be disinfected with chlorine. Residual chlorine must be removed from the process water by filtration with granular activated carbon (GAC). Excess chlorine reacts with activated carbon in a redox reaction to form a negligible amount of hydrochloric acid. The chlorine removal capacity of activated carbon is expressed as the "dechlorination half-life," and this value represents the bed depth required to halve the inlet chlorine concentration.

Groundwater Remediation

Often, groundwater is contaminated with high amounts of organic matter. The pollutants are mostly hydrocarbons originating from refineries and petrol stations. In such processes, granular activated carbon, selected with the correct adsorption capacity and particle size characteristics, provides highly efficient, long-lasting and effective results in the removal of hydrocarbons.

Gas - Air Purification

The important feature of activated carbon used in air and gas purification applications is its capacity to retain organic and odor-causing molecules. The most common problem in gas purification is the low adsorption of low molecular weight toxic substances, mostly inorganic, onto activated carbon. In such cases, it is possible to use activated carbon impregnated with different chemical products that can bind low molecular weight toxic substances or convert them into a non-volatile, odorless form.

Cold Storage

Long-term preservation of agricultural and perishable products is possible through the controlled and slow ripening of the metabolism of vegetables and fruits. During cold storage, these products produce carbon dioxide gas, and this carbon dioxide, which accelerates spoilage, needs to be removed from the environment. In these processes, activated carbon is used to prevent spoilage, minimize losses, and extend storage time in cold storage areas by adsorbing carbon dioxide.

Paint Booths

In compliance with regulations regarding atmospheric emissions, it is necessary to install activated carbon filters at the ventilation outlets of paint booths. For this application area, a filter containing at least 150 kg of extruded activated carbon is required.