Learn about various types of industrial activated carbon
Industrial activated carbon is a black powder, granular or pelletized amorphous porous carbon, mainly composed of carbon, and also contains a small amount of oxygen, hydrogen, sulfur, nitrogen, chlorine and other elements. It has a fine structure like graphite, such as coal, coconut shell or wood, and after thermal or chemical activation, it forms a huge network of micropores, mesopores and macropores, but the grains are small and the layers are irregularly stacked, so it has a large surface area, which makes it have strong adsorption properties and can adsorb gases, liquids or colloidal solids on its surface. For gases and liquids, the mass of the adsorbed substances can be close to the mass of the activated carbon itself.
1.Powdered activated carbon
Features: Fine particles (10-50 microns) with fast adsorption kinetics.
Key Applications:
Water Treatment: Widely used in municipal and industrial wastewater plants to remove organic pollutants, chlorine and odor.
Food and Beverages: Mainly used in decolorization, purification, deodorization, and impurity removal of high-pigment solutions of sugars, oils, food additives, chemical additives, fuel intermediates, and pharmaceutical preparations.
2.Granular activated carbon
Features: Irregular or spherical particles (0.2–5 mm) with balanced adsorption capacity and durability.
Main Applications:
Air Purification: Captures VOCs, mercury, and sulfur compounds in industrial exhaust systems.
Drinking Water Filtration: Used in fixed bed filters to adsorb pesticides, heavy metals, and disinfection byproducts.
Chemical Processing: Recovers solvents and purifies gases in petrochemical refineries.
The reusability and structural stability of granular activated carbon make it cost-effective in continuous flow systems.
3. Extruded activated carbon
Characteristics: Cylindrical particles (3-10 mm diameter) with high mechanical strength and low pressure drop.
Main applications:
Gas separation: Removal of CO₂, H₂S and nitrogen oxides from natural gas and flue gases.
Catalyst supports: Used as substrates in chemical synthesis and emission control systems.
Nuclear industry: Adsorption of radioactive iodine isotopes in ventilation of nuclear facilities.
Its uniform shape and resistance to abrasion are suitable for high-pressure gas phase applications.
4. Impregnation of activated carbon
Features: Chemically treated with reagents such as potassium iodide or sulfur to enhance specificity.
Key Applications:
Airborne Toxin Removal: Targeting ammonia, formaldehyde, and hydrogen cyanide in military and industrial safety systems.
Mercury Control: Deployed in coal-fired power plants to adsorb mercury vapor.
Gold Recovery: Extracting gold cyanide complexes in mining operations.
Customizable impregnation allows for tailored solutions for niche industrial challenges.
Guangyuan Carbon: Your Trusted Industrial Partner
Our products cover powdered activated carbon, granular activated carbon, granular activated carbon and impregnated activated carbon, which are designed to meet strict international standards.
Whether it is refining drinking water, purifying industrial emissions, or recovering precious metals, Guangyuan Carbon can provide reliable, cost-effective and sustainable solutions. Partner with us to enhance your industrial processes with advanced adsorption technology.
· Fujian Guangyuan Carbon Products Co.,Ltd.