Carbon filtering

Short description: Filtering method

Air purifier HEPA filter with an activated carbon section in the middle

Carbon filtering is a method of filtering that uses a bed of activated carbon to remove impurities from a fluid using adsorption.

## Contents

* 1 Mechanism
* 2 Common uses
* 3 Specifications
* 4 See also
* 5 References

## Mechanism

Carbon filtering works by adsorption, in which pollutants in the fluid to be treated are trapped inside the pore structure[1] of a carbon substrate. The substrate is made of many carbon granules, each of which is itself highly porous. As a result, the substrate has a large surface area within which contaminants can be trapped. Activated carbon is typically used in filters, as it has been treated to have a much higher surface area than non treated carbon. One gram of activated carbon has a surface area in excess of 3,000 m2 (32,000 sq ft).[2][3][4]

## Common uses

Carbon filtering is commonly used for water purification, air filtering and industrial gas processing, for example the removal of siloxanes and hydrogen sulfide from biogas. It is also used in a number of other applications, including respirator masks, the purification of sugarcane, some methods of coffee decaffeination, and in the recovery of precious metals, especially gold. It is also used in cigarette filters and in the EVAP used in cars.

When filtering water, charcoal carbon filters are most effective at removing chlorine, particles such as sediment, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), taste and odor. They are not effective at removing minerals, salts, and dissolved inorganic substances.[5]

## Specifications

Each carbon filter is typically given a micron rating that specifies the size of particle which the filter can remove from a fluid. Typical particle sizes which can be removed by carbon filters range from 0.5 to 50 μm. The efficacy of a carbon filter depends not only on its particle size, but also on the rate of flow of fluid through the filter. For example, if a fluid is allowed to flow through the filter at a slower rate, the contaminants will be exposed to the filter media for a longer amount of time, which will tend to result in fewer impurities.[6]

## See also

* Water filter
* List of waste-water treatment technologies

## References

1. ↑ "Activated Carbon | adsorbent | applications" (in en-US). DEC (Dynamic Environmental Corporation). https://www.dec.group/processes/DEC.AAS/DEC-ACA-activated-carbon_en.html.
2. ↑ "APS -APS March Meeting 2012 - Event - Activated carbon monoliths for methane storage". Bulletin of the American Physical Society (American Physical Society) 57 (1). http://meetings.aps.org/Meeting/MAR12/Session/W33.12.
3. ↑ "APS -APS March Meeting 2013 - Event - Adsorbed Methane Film Properties in Nanoporous Carbon Monoliths". Bulletin of the American Physical Society (American Physical Society) 58 (1). http://meetings.aps.org/Meeting/MAR13/Event/186324.
4. ↑ Dillon, Edward C; Wilton, John H; Barlow, Jared C; Watson, William A (May 1989). "Large surface area activated charcoal and the inhibition of aspirin absorption". Annals of Emergency Medicine 18 (5): 547–552. doi:10.1016/s0196-0644(89)80841-8. ISSN 0196-0644. PMID 2719366.
5. ↑ "Water Treatment Using Carbon Filters: GAC Filter Information - MN Dept. of Health". https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/hazardous/topics/gac.html.
6. ↑ "Filtration: Sediment Activated Carbon and Mixed Media" (in en). 2022-02-14. https://www.ag.ndsu.edu:8000/agriculture/extension/publications/filtration-sediment-activated-carbon-and-mixed-media.

* U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Washington, D.C. (2013). "Granular Activated Carbon." Drinking Water Treatability Database.
* "A Citizen's Guide to Activated Carbon Treatment. Document no. EPA 542-F-01-020". EPA. 2001. Archived from the original on 2010-04-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20100402022110/http://www.epa.gov/superfund/community/pdfs/suppmaterials/treatmenttech/activated_carbon.pdf.
* "Residential Air Cleaners: A Summary of Available Information. 2nd edition. Document no. EPA 402-F-09-002". EPA. Archived from the original on 2013-02-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20130201093821/http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pdfs/residential_air_cleaners.pdf.

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Wastewater

Sources|

* Acid mine drainage
* Ballast water
* Bathroom
* Blackwater (coal)
* Blackwater (waste)
* Boiler blowdown
* Brine
* Combined sewer
* Cooling tower
* Cooling water
* Fecal sludge
* Greywater
* Infiltration/Inflow
* Industrial effluent
* Ion exchange
* Leachate
* Manure
* Papermaking
* Produced water
* Return flow
* Reverse osmosis
* Sanitary sewer
* Septage
* Sewage
* Sewage sludge
* Toilet
* Urban runoff

Quality indicators|

* Adsorbable organic halides
* Biochemical oxygen demand
* Chemical oxygen demand
* Coliform index
* Oxygen saturation
* Heavy metals
* pH
* Salinity
* Temperature
* Total dissolved solids
* Total suspended solids
* Turbidity

Treatment options|

* Activated sludge
* Aerated lagoon
* Agricultural wastewater treatment
* API oil–water separator
* Carbon filtering
* Chlorination
* Clarifier
* Constructed wetland
* Decentralized wastewater system
* Extended aeration
* Facultative lagoon
* Fecal sludge management
* Filtration
* Imhoff tank
* Industrial wastewater treatment
* Ion exchange
* Membrane bioreactor
* Reverse osmosis
* Rotating biological contactor
* Secondary treatment
* Sedimentation
* Septic tank
* Settling basin
* Sewage sludge treatment
* Sewage treatment
* Sewer mining
* Stabilization pond
* Trickling filter
* Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation
* UASB
* Vermifilter
* Wastewater treatment plant

Disposal options|

* Combined sewer
* Evaporation pond
* Groundwater recharge
* Infiltration basin
* Injection well
* Irrigation
* Marine dumping
* Marine outfall
* Reclaimed water
* Sanitary sewer
* Septic drain field
* Sewage farm
* Storm drain
* Surface runoff
* Vacuum sewer

* Category: Sewerage

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