Adsorption
WEC Projects provides a wide range of solutions for the removal of organic contaminants from process, agricultural and potable water systems utilising activated carbon through adsorption.
Adsorption Solutions
Adsorption describes the removal of contaminants from water. For example, activated carbon, produced from the carbonisation of material such as coal, coconut shells etc, is used to remove water contaminants by trapping them in the porous surface of the carbon particles as the water flows through the filter. The contaminants remain attached to the carbon particles, leaving the water cleaner.
Activated carbon filtration is the most commonly utilised adsorption process in water and wastewater treatment and can be used to remove organic compounds causing discolouration, odours or taste from the water. It can also be applied upstream from industrial processes that may be negatively affected by organic impurities in the water.
Activated Carbon - Powder and Granular
Activated carbon is used in either a powder or granular format depending on the system requirements.
In its powder form, it is normally dosed into a clarifier where it settles with the suspended solids and is used generally in applications where adsorption processes are required sporadically, e.g. where water is seasonally affected by problems such as algal blooms which affect taste and colour. This is a more expensive process as the powder is used only once before being disposed of.
Activated carbon granules, or pellets, are used in continuous processes where water is constantly fed through a carbon bed in a filter vessel. The contact time between the water and activated carbon granules varies according to requirements and the nature of the organic compounds. The longer the contact time required, the more carbon granules are required, thus affecting the overall operating costs of the system. However, activated carbon granules can be recycled (reactivated), lowering the cost of replacing the carbon in the bed.
Biological Activated Carbon
This process uses ozone, generated by an ozone plant, to breakdown more complex organic molecules so that they are more biodegradable. These organic molecules are then assimilated by microorganisms which form a biofilm on the carbon surface. The microorganisms in the biofilm biologically reactivate the carbon, thereby reducing the need for thermal reactivation.
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