A Simulation on the Regeneration of Activated Carbon with an Indirect Heating Method

Abstract

It is of great challenge and significance to recycle activated carbon (AC), yet still with various problems in operation. Here, we have performed a simulation on the regeneration of AC by using an indirect heating method with an unsteady cylindrical heat transfer model. The result has shown that the optimal parameters for a regeneration tube of outer diameter Φ = 108 with wall thickness 4 mm were: heating in the tube for 30 min at a surrounding temperature of 550 °C. In these conditions, a temperature of 417.5 °C could be obtained at the centre of the cylindrical tube, reaching the temperature required for AC regeneration. The experimental values obtained in our laboratory were consistent with the simulation, providing significant references for scaling up pilot plant of AC regeneration.

Keywords

• activated carbon
• regeneration
• indirect heating
• unsteady heat transfer