Design, Prototype Fabrication and Preliminary Testing of a Gas-Fired Indirect-Heat Rotary Carbon Activator
Author : Divinagracia, Carlo Danilo
Major Adviser : Capareda, Sergio C.
Committee Members : Valencia, Sixto A.; Abrigo, Casiano S.
Year : 1995
Month : March
Type : Thesis
Degree: BS
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Abstract
A gas-fired indirect-heat rotary carbon activator was fabricated and designed to continuously produce granular activated carbon from coconut shell-based charcoal. The carbon activator was made of galvanized iron material and were composed of the charcoal bin, the screw feeder, the inlet air box, the reactor, the furnace shell, and the outlet air box.
The steam flow rate that was used in all test operations is 13.19 g/min. The screw feeder was calibrated and three (3) charcoal discharge rates of 0.62, 1.50, and 2.10 Kgs/hr were used in the five (5) test runs. The calibrated reaction time of the carbon activator was only at 13.87 minutes. The highest temperature that was reached inside the furnace shell was 682.8°C. It was observed that at this temperature, the entire length of the reactor inside the furnace shell was in red-hot color and the burner tubes were uniformly bloated.
Highest fuel economy that was obtained was P57.92/Kg of activated carbon produced for a production yield of 8.68%. Three test runs showed moderate fuel economy at P12.03/Kg of activated carbon produced at a fuel rate of 0.60 Kg/hr and production yield of 55.56%. Test results showed that an increase in activation temperature at constant charcoal feed rate and steam supply will decrease the production yield.
Test Results showed the highest methylene blue no. at 2.83 mL/g of activated carbon. All the other test run samples showed substantial increase in the methylene blue no. compared to the charcoal of 1.75 mL/g. Compared to a NUCHAR C-190 commercial type of activated carbon, the test samples were substandard. Test results on the effect on methylene blue number on increased activation temperature range at constant charcoal feed rate and steam supply showed an increasing trend.
Qualitative results of test run samples indicated that a certain degree of activation had been achieved despite the fact that the calibrated reaction time of the carbon activator was less than the minimum reaction time of 15 minutes, and the limitation on the maximum temperature of the designed furnace. A second prototype must be developed in order to produce a higher quality of activated carbon by increasing the reaction time and the use of appropriate materials and auxiliary equipment in the operation.
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