In the quest for clean, high-quality water, the utilization of activated carbon filters stands as a cornerstone for wastewater treatment techniques. The activated carbon filters play an important role in wastewater treatment, eliminating odours and capturing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from industrial wastewater. This water treatment technique is hailed for its remarkable effectiveness.
Being the leaders of the wastewater treatment industry, our team of experts at Wipro Water understand the importance of activated carbon filters and boasts a huge & diverse range of wastewater treatment solutions based on ACF to help manufacturing plants and industries with wastewater treatment needs.
In this article, we will delve deep into all the major aspects of how activated carbon filters improve VOC and odor removal in industrial wastewater treatment. Let’s begin by understanding the basics.
An activated carbon filter is a piece of highly porous solid carbon that is generally in the shape of granules or blocks. The surface area of activated carbon filters is enormous. On average, one gram of the carbon-activated filter contains 500 square metres of surface area. Due to this vast surface, the activated carbon filters are able to adsorb or trap a higher number of pollutants vis-à-vis traditional carbon filters.
They are generally made from carbon-rich sources like coconut shells, wood, or specific grades of high-quality coal. The activation process involves subjecting the carbon to high temperatures and steam in an oxygen-free environment, resulting in a structure with millions of microscopic pores.
As we mentioned above, the efficiency of activated carbon filters depends on their porous structure and adsorption capabilities. With a highly porous structure, the pollutants get a large surface area to adhere to, essentially getting trapped within the carbon matrix. Due to its chemical structure, activated carbon has a particularly strong affinity for organic molecules, which increases its adsorption capacity.
The core mechanism of the working of activated carbon filters is adsorption. Adsorption refers to the adhesion of molecules from a gas, liquid, or dissolved solid to a surface, in this case, the surface of activated carbon. The high surface area and porous structure of the activated carbon filter enable it to trap and hold impurities within its pores as water, air, or certain gases pass through.
Apart from adsorption, activated carbon filters also work by chemical reactions, using carbons that have been impregnated with carefully selected functional chemicals. If inorganic contaminants like hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and ammonia (NH3) undergo chemical reactions with the modified carbon surface, this leads to the removal of these contaminants or transformation into less harmful substances.
Although it is not the main purpose of activated carbon filters, the larger particles suspended in water or air may also be physically trapped by activated carbon filters. After larger particles have been eliminated by various physical filtration technologies, activated carbon is typically utilized as a “polishing” step to eliminate chemical contaminants at the molecular level.
Volatile Organic Compounds are chemicals that contain carbon and have a low boiling point. Due to this low boiling point, these compounds are capable of evaporating from liquid to gas at even room temperature. That’s why they are termed as “volatile”, something that evaporates easily at room temperatures.
The Volatile Organic Compounds are formed due to the degradation of organic matter present in wastewater. These compounds affect both people working at the treatment plant, as well as the communities and the environment.
Whenever wastewater basins are open to the atmosphere, odorous emissions of these volatile organic compounds occur. Generally, the non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) emissions happening in the chemical sector are diffuse or fugitive emissions or occur during storage. Some of the most common VOCs are Acetone, Acetaldehyde, Benzene, Carbon tetrachloride, Ethyl acetate, Ethylene glycol, Formaldehyde, Heptane, Hexane, Isopropyl alcohol, Methyl ethyl ketone, and others.
If the VOCs have been ingested into the water supply, they can be ingested if your water is not properly filtered. Obviously, every chemical will be different, but there will be many symptoms that the present hydrocarbons can cause. These hydrocarbons can lead to anything from minor problems like digestive or central nervous system damage to life-threatening health concerns like organ failure or cancer. The minor signs of VOC exposure can include headache, nausea, fatigue, or dizziness.
VOCs cause dangerous effects on the environment, and that’s why there are various regulations on VOC emissions at the global level.
It has the potential to contribute to climate change and plant deterioration. According to a report published by the National Academy of Sciences, the emission of chlorofluoromethanes and other chlorine-containing compounds into the atmosphere creates infrared radiation, which promotes global warming.
The activated carbon filters act like magnets for VOCs. They are able to draw harmful contaminants present in the wastewater and lock them down. Their secret lies in adsorption, a process that grabs onto VOC molecules and traps them on the carbon’s surface, creating a cleaner, fresher environment with each pass of air.
Unlike a sponge that absorbs water, these filters operate at the molecular level, maximizing surface area through a large network of small pores. Each pore acts as a mini-guardian, trapping VOCs and stopping them from circulating back into your space.
In wastewater treatment facilities, water transfer plans, and industrial manufacturing plants, activated carbon filters remove foul odors by adsorbing odor-causing molecules. Thus, ACF ensures a more pleasant and hygienic environment for employees and the neighbouring communities.
Not every carbon filter is effective for VOC removal. For better VOC removal, look for:
Tight micropores optimized to adsorb VOCs while blocking passage
Combining carbon filters with other technologies such as under-sink water filters, fluoride water filters, gravity-fed water filters, and countertop water purifiers provides a multi-layered defense against VOC contamination. Countertop distillers may also remove VOCs without using any chemicals.
The treatment of VOCs is essential during wastewater treatment, and Activated Carbon Filters play an important role in this. Activated Carbon Filters are some of the most effective tools for filtering wastewater. Although activated carbon isn’t a purification technique, it’s superior to other filters in removing impurities affecting taste and odor.
At Wipro Water, we can provide you with the best-in-class wastewater treatment systems based on activated carbon. Let us know your requirements.