In the recovery of gold and silver, steam-activated coconut shell carbon stands out for its superior effectiveness. Every ounce of gold recovered increases profits, underscored by the importance of selecting high-quality activated carbon. Here are some basic overviews of activated carbon for steam recovery:

Operation process

1. Adsorption stage: The airflow passes through a tank or tower filled with activated carbon, and VOCs and other pollutants are adsorbed by the carbon.
2. Desorption stage: When the activated carbon reaches the adsorption saturation state, the airflow is turned off, and steam is started to pass into the system to heat the activated carbon to desorb the adsorbed substances.
3. Condensation recovery: Steam carries the desorbed VOCs through the condenser, and after cooling, the liquid VOCs are separated for recovery, and the steam condenses into water.

The temperatures up to 500C is maintained and controlled for initial oxidization and cabonization. At the temperature of 150C, oxidization process initiates and gradually goes up to 500C at the carbonization stage. At the carbonization stage, a volatiles-free product is produced containing very small or restricted pores. When the temperature of the steam is more than 1,000C, an internal surface is created during the activation stage. The process when converts carbon into CO2 generates excessive energy, which can be utilized for the production of steam or energy. Carbonization/activation process can be carried our in any kiln and furnace.

Advantages

1. High adsorption capacity: The high specific surface area and strong adsorption capacity of activated carbon enable it to efficiently remove and recycle VOCs.
2. Renewable resource: Through steam desorption, activated carbon can be recycled many times.
3. Environmental protection and energy saving: Reduce the emission of harmful gases and improve the level of clean production.

Disadvantages

1. High initial investment: The equipment and system prices are high.
2. Requires regular maintenance: The efficiency of activated carbon adsorption-desorption may decrease with the number of times it is used, and it needs to be replaced or regenerated regularly.

Through this method, not only can the emission of harmful substances in the air be effectively reduced, but resources can also be saved, achieving the dual goals of environmental protection and economic benefits.