Synthesis of activated carbon from coal pitch for mercury removal in coal-fired power plants

Abstract

Activated carbon (AC) is an effective adsorbent that is used in a wide range of applications. This is due to its high adsorption capacity and fast removal rate. This study evaluated processing conditions for synthesizing AC from coal pitch. The objective was to establish what processing conditions produced AC with the best adsorption performance. Factors such as carbonization temperature, activation temperature, steam flow rate and the addition of additives have been studied. A real-time, fixed-bed mercury adsorption system was used to evaluate the AC prepared from coal pitch. Results showed that the temperature and the KOH mixing rate in the carbonization process play an important role in the formation of the functional groups on the surface of the char. Additionally, the temperature and the steam flow rate in the activation process significantly affects AC surface area and pore distribution, important factors relating to mercury adsorption performance.

Methodological trends in preparation of activated carbon from local sources and their impacts on production: A review

“…The raw material coal pitch and n-pentene were mixed with mass ratios of 1:10 and continuously stirred (Zhong et al, 2016). The mixed sample was placed at 298K for period of 2 hours.…”

Detoxification of corn stover prehydrolysate by different biochars and its effect on lactic acid fermentation

“…The most common raw materials for commercial AC are coal, asphalt, wood, coconut shell, etc., of which coal is the most commonly used. [8][9][10] However, coal is a non-renewable resource, so the development of other renewable adsorbents can alleviate the pressure on coal resources. Also, the preparation of AC usually goes through two steps: carbonization and activation.…”

Characterization analysis of raw and pyrolyzed plane tree seed (Platanus orientalis L.) samples for its application in carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology

“…The common commercial feedstocks include biomass material such as wood, coconut shell and fruit pits, and fossilized plant matter such as peats, lignites and all ranks of coal. Namely, the various materials precursors were used in order to obtain the porous carbons for CO 2 capture [18][19][20][21].…”