Activated carbon from agricultural waste: process description and economic analysis

Abstract

Adsorption refrigeration technology has been intensively investigated in many countries of the world because of its promising potential for competing with conventional vapour compression refrigeration, its relatively low operating cost and its environmental friendliness. The search for a good adsorbent for solar powered refrigeration technology has led to various attempts to manufacture activated carbon of high adsorptive property. In this study coconut shells plus 10% animal bones, agricultural wastes, were used as basic raw materials for the local production of activated carbons. The properties determined were the particle size diameter, iodine no, hardness no, bulk density, and tamped density of the activated carbon samples. The results for the coconut shells only of mesh size 14 and maximum particle size of 2.36mm are: iodine no, 906.68mg/g, hardness no, 1, bulk density, 0.504g/ml, tamped density, 0.562g/ml and ash content, 0.012%; while that of the coconut shells with 10% bones of mesh size 14 and maximum particle size of 2.36mm are: iodine no, 870.51mg/g, hardness no, 1, bulk density, 0.585g/ml, tamped density, 0.604g/ml and ash content, 0.06%. In comparison with the imported activated carbons these can be classified as medium grade carbons, This work has established the fact that activated carbons, the principal component for solar powered refrigeration technology can be locally sourced without compromising standards.