A Theoretical Study on BTX Adsorption into the Surface of Compacted Activated Carbon Powders

Abstract

The production of metallurgical coke and carbo chemicals generates residues that evaporate several persistent organic pollutants. Among them, the so-called BTX (benzene, toluene and xylene) are of special concern due to their accumulation into sources of vegetal and animal foods. Owing to the surface properties, large number of porosities and activated sites, activated carbon has been successfully used as a selective adsorbent material. In this study a theoretical model is proposed to analyze the rate of adsorption on the surface of activated carbon compacted produced from powders of micrometer size. The model considers the inner diffusion of BTX into the agglomerate particles. The model results confirm that the agglomerate produced by micro particles of activated carbon increases the amount of adsorption not only by the mechanism of surface action of the agglomerate but is enhanced by the gas diffusion into the pores and subsequent adsorption into the surfaces of the inner particles.