Carbon Activation

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The activation of carbon transforms a material with limited uses into a highly effective adsorbent used in an increasing number of applications: activated carbon. Activated carbon is used in both gaseous and liquid filtration applications to remove contaminants or other undesirable components, making it an essential tool in sustainability efforts.

THE ACTIVATION PROCESS

Produced from a wide range of feedstocks, activated carbon is made through a series of steps carried out using one or more rotary kilns. Most commonly, activated carbon is produced from coal, coconut shells, or dried biomass.

The activation process causes the material to become extremely porous, yielding a high surface area that makes it especially effective as an adsorbent. As a leader in advanced thermal processing, FEECO can assist in every step of processing raw biomass into activated carbon:

DRYING

Before it can be fed into the rotary kiln, raw feedstock must first be dried. This can be carried out in a rotary dryer – an industrial drying system known for its high capacity and tolerance to variation in feedstock.

DEVOLATILIZATION/CARBONIZATION

The dried material is processed in a rotary kiln to achieve devolatilization/carbonization. This step occurs at temperatures between 650º to 1,000º F, and serves to remove the majority of the volatiles contained in the material.

ACTIVATION

Activation occurs at temperatures between 1,750º F and 1,850º F, with the required temperature profile and retention time depending on the starting material and the desired quality of the end product. At 1,750º F, steam is injected into the system to remove any remaining volatile components, yielding activated carbon.

REACTIVATION

Sometimes also called regeneration, reactivation is the process of refreshing spent carbon for reuse. Reactivation also occurs in a rotary kiln and effectively removes the desorbed components from the carbon so it can be reused.

CUSTOM CARBONIZATION & ACTIVATION KILNS

The diverse range and quality of feedstock for producing activated carbon requires a flexible approach to activation. As such, rotary kilns must be carefully designed around the unique feedstock characteristics to achieve optimal processing.

D Model of a FEECO Indirect Kiln

FEECO offers the industry’s best custom rotary kilns, both direct-fired and indirect-fired, for carrying out carbonization and activation.

SERVICES

As a leader in advanced thermal processing methods and equipment, FEECO is able to offer comprehensive support for every aspect of carbonization and activation, from concept to optimization. In addition to custom equipment design and manufacturing, our services include:

BATCH/FEASIBILITY AND PILOT-SCALE TESTING

The FEECO Innovation Center is a unique testing facility where we can test your material at both batch and pilot scale in order to work out process variables and design commercial-scale units, as well as scale up the process.

This makes a thorough batch and pilot testing program essential to achieving the highest quality activated carbon possible.

Learn more about the Innovation Center >>

PROCESS TRAINING

Our extensive experience in processing hundreds of materials and derivatives leaves us unmatched in industry knowledge. Our Process Engineers travel the world to train our customers on their unique production line.

PARTS & SERVICE

The FEECO Customer Service Team provides comprehensive services to keep your equipment and process running reliably and efficiently. This includes:

• Process optimization
• Audits and inspections
• Spare parts
• Maintenance procedures