Coal based activated carbon
Coal Powdered Activated Carbon
Powdered activated carbon made from selected anthracite / bituminous steam activated and ground to 200 or 325 mesh. A micropore-dominant structure that works fast on dissolved organics, chlorine and taste-and-odour compounds in water, wastewater and process liquors.
- Iodine 800–1,100 mg/g
- Methylene blue 150–250 mg/g
- 200 / 325 mesh
What coal activated carbon powder is
Coal powdered activated carbon is an adsorbent made by carbonising selected anthracite or bituminous coal, activating the char with steam at 850–950 °C, and then grinding and classifying the product into a powder. The finished material is a black, odourless powder. It does not dissolve in water or in the common organic solvents used in process plants, and it settles out of suspension once the flow stops. See the wider powdered activated carbon range for the wood and coconut versions.
Because the precursor is coal, the pore structure comes out predominantly microporous — roughly 70% of the pore volume sits below 2 nm, with a smaller mesopore and macropore fraction. That bias decides what the grade is good at: small dissolved molecules such as phenols, humic substances, pesticides, free chlorine and taste-and-odour compounds. It is the reason coal PAC is the default adsorbent in municipal and industrial water treatment — and the reason it is a poor first choice for pulling very large colour bodies out of sugar or edible oil, which is where a wood-based, mesopore-rich powder does the work.
– Micropore‑dominated pore structure for small organic molecules
– Rapid adsorption due to fine powder particle geometry
– Water‑insoluble, easy sedimentation after treatment
– Excellent for potable water T&O, chlorine and trace organic removal
– Proven workhorse PAC for municipal and industrial water projects
– Better matched to water treatment than large‑molecule decolorisation
Applications of coal activated carbon powder
Water and wastewater come first. The remaining duties are where the same microporous powder is metered into a different stream.
Municipal drinking water
Seasonal and emergency dosing for taste and odour, algal metabolites and the spike that follows a pollution incident. Also dosed ahead of a membrane train to protect it. See activated carbon in water treatment.
Industrial and municipal wastewater
COD, colour, surfactants and residual toxicity after biological treatment, where what is left is not biodegradable and has to be adsorbed. See COD removal from wastewater.
Colour removal and chemical purification
Dyehouse effluent, dye intermediates, pharmaceutical liquors and similar streams where colour is the specification and the molecules are small enough to enter micropores. See activated carbon for decolorization.
Flue gas injection
Pneumatically injected ahead of the bag filter in waste incineration and industrial flue gas, to capture dioxins and heavy metals into the fly ash stream.
Landfill leachate
A high-strength, high-salt stream where the tolerance of coal PAC to pH and salinity keeps performance predictable, and where the carbon doubles as membrane protection.
Gold cyanidation circuits
Detoxification and polishing of cyanide-bearing tailings and process water, where powdered carbon is dosed into the stream rather than packed into a column. See gold recovery.
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Typical specification
Values are given as ranges because the grade is set by the duty. Every figure is quoted with the method it was measured to, so the certificate can be checked line by line.
| Parameter | Typical value | Test method |
|---|---|---|
| Iodine number | 800–1,100 mg/g (500–1,100 on request) | ASTM D4607 / GB/T 7702.7 |
| Methylene blue adsorption | 150–250 mg/g | ASTM D3860 / GB/T 7702.6 |
| Caramel decolourisation | ≥90%; 100% by Method A on the decolourising grade | GB/T 12496.9 |
| Specific surface area (BET) | 800–1,100 m²/g | ISO 9277 |
| Total pore volume | 0.7–1.2 cm³/g | ISO 15901-2 |
| Moisture — dry powder | ≤5% | ASTM D2867 |
| Moisture — wet cake | 10–20% | ASTM D2867 |
| Ash | ≤12% standard; ≤5% acid washed | ASTM D2866 |
| pH | 7–11; 6–9 acid washed | ASTM D3838 |
| Bulk (apparent) density | 0.40–0.60 g/cm³ | ASTM D2854 |
| Particle size | 200 mesh (75 μm) standard; 325 mesh (45 μm); 100–300 mesh on request | ASTM D2862 |
Specifications above describe the standard range. Iodine value, mesh, ash and moisture can be tightened or widened to suit your application — send the figures you intend to enforce in the contract and we will confirm them against a sample before the order is placed.
Questions buyers ask us
What is coal powdered activated carbon used for?+
Mainly for water and wastewater: municipal drinking water, industrial effluent and landfill leachate, where it removes dissolved organics, colour, chlorine, taste and odour and part of the COD. The same powder is used to decolorise chemical, dyehouse and sugar liquors, injected into flue gas to capture dioxins and heavy metals, dosed into gold cyanidation circuits, and sold as an impregnation base for other carbons.
What is the difference between powdered and granular activated carbon?+
Powdered carbon is dosed into the stream and leaves with the sludge or on the filter, so it acts once and cannot be regenerated in place. Granular and pellet carbon sit in a fixed bed, are reused until the bed is exhausted, and are usually sent for thermal reactivation. Powdered wins where the load fluctuates, where contact time is short and where the carbon has to be added without a new vessel — for example in water treatment. See granular activated carbon for the bed option.
Should I order 200 mesh or 325 mesh?+
200 mesh is the default and the right answer for most water and wastewater dosing. Move to 325 mesh when the liquor is viscous, when contact time is short, or when the colour specification is tight. The trade-off is filtration: finer powder is harder to remove, carries more dust and is slightly dearer. Injection grades are not ordered by mesh at all — they are ordered by D50.
Is coal based carbon better than wood or coconut shell?+
It is not better, it is different. Coal and coconut are microporous, which suits small dissolved molecules. Wood is mesopore rich, which suits large colour bodies such as the ones in sugar and edible oil. Coconut has the lowest ash and the lowest leachables, which matters in high-purity or product-contact work. Coal usually wins on cost per tonne removed and on tolerance of high pH and high salinity. Compare them with coal based carbon and coconut shell carbon.
Can you customise iodine value, mesh and ash?+
Yes. Iodine value from 500 to 1,100 mg/g, mesh from 100 to 300, ash down to 5% by acid washing, and moisture specified for either dry powder or wet cake. Custom grades carry a minimum order quantity and run on a 15–25 day lead time because the activation conditions and the finishing line both have to be set for the batch.
What are your MOQ, sample and payment terms?+
Samples of 1–2 kg are free for evaluation; you pay the courier. Stock grades are normally quoted from 1 t, and full container volumes attract the better price. Standard terms are 30% deposit with the balance against the copy of the bill of lading, with letter of credit available for larger or first orders.
Is powdered activated carbon hazardous to ship or store?+
The product itself is not classified as dangerous goods, but dry carbon dust is combustible and conductive. Keep the powder away from ignition sources, earth the equipment in the dosing area, do not use compressed air to blow dust off surfaces, and wear a dust mask when handling open bags. Store under cover and keep the stock moving — activated carbon takes up moisture and odours from the air, so a bag left open in a damp warehouse is not the material you bought.
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