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Application 1026

Decolourization with activated carbon in a production scale rotating bed reactor

The rotating bed reactor (RBR) is a clean way to use activated carbon for purification, which eliminates the need for time-consuming filtration and extends the lifetime of the solid phase. It is available on scales ranging from milliliters to hundreds of cubic meters and offers faster decolorization, elimination of filtration, and extended adsorbent lifetime.

A stirred batch reactor inflicts mechanical damage to particles in suspension, such as activated carbon which is often used for purification of liquids. As a result, the carbon is quickly broken down into smaller pieces, known as fines. This then necessitates a very small filter porosity in order to separate them.

The filtration can be both time-consuming and require pumping at high pressures in order to achieve the desired outcome. The filter needs be washed or changed frequently, as the smaller particles can cause it to quickly become clogged and inefficient. This can be especially problematic in applications where filter change is cumbersome or hazardous.

Are you considering activated carbon for purification of your product?

The rotating bed reactor (RBR) protects the activated carbon (or any other compatible adsorbent) from attrition, eliminating the need for filtration after the process. This increases the amount of product that can be purified per mass of adsorbent, reducing operational costs.

This video shows an RBR used for decolorization of a 100 L batch of liquid.

  • 99.96% of the dye is removed within 10 minutes
  • No fines are created during the process
  • The clean product is simply drained after the process

SpinChem’s rotating bed reactors are used in the pharmaceutical industry, food, cannabis, flavours and fragrances, cosmetics, and for treatment of waste in the nuclear energy sector. Any application where a solid-phase material (adsorbent, catalyst, ion-exchange resin, etc.) is used in conjunction with a liquid is a candidate to enjoy the gains offered by the rotating bed reactor. Reach out to SpinChem for an assessment of your needs.

Further reading:

Topics Decolorization, Downstream Processing, Pesticide Removal

Products SpinChem® RBR S5

Details

Conditions: Adsorption of methylene blue (20 g, 400 mg/L) onto activated carbon (7 L, 20-50 mesh) placed in a SpinChem® S511 rotating bed reactor (RBR) operated at 200 rpm within a 38 cm diameter cylindrical reaction vessel containing 50 L water and equipped with three baffles placed along the edges. Samples were withdrawn every half minute and analysed by light adsorption without any need for filtration. The video is shown at 20x speed.