对失效活性炭热再生过程的思考

Insights into the thermal regeneration of used activated carbons

失效活性炭的再生利用问题一直是困扰活性炭低成本和大规模推广应用的瓶颈之一。为此,对煤质活性炭的热再生/活化过程进行了研究分析,总结出需要关注和解决的关键问题。同时,针对某些金属氧化物或矿物质对炭-水蒸气反应的催化作用,特别是在移除有机杂质方面的作用,提出“可再生活性炭”(Re-ACs)的制备和应用的新思路。与常规活性炭相比,Re-ACs可降低其再生/活化过程的反应条件,这对于减少能耗和炭损,以及延长活性炭的使用周期都具有积极的意义。

The regeneration of the used activated carbons(ACs)is one of the bottlenecks in expanding the applica-tion fields economically.Many efforts have been made to understand the ACs thermal regeneration/activation process,and in this study some key factors are analyzed and summarized.Some specific metal oxides and minerals are found to play a catalytic role in the reaction between carbon and steam,specifically in removal of organic residuals from the used ACs’surface.The insights gained suggest that ACs regeneration/activation can be operated under reduced tem-perature and time by using‘regenerative activated carbons’(Re-ACs),which is proposed in the study accordingly and expected to be beneficial for the whole process economically,in term of the reduction of energy consumption and carbon loss,as well as the extension of the carbon recycling period and utilization life.