Feature

Educating the World on

Activated Carbons
By Henry Nowicki, Wayne Schuliger, Barbara Sherman and George Nowicki

be exposed to a full array of learning opportunities. It is possible he last few years have been exciting for the activated to take courses without attending the one- to two-day conferences. carbon industry. Several new applications are emerging All conference and course attendees can add product and service that will significantly grow the size of the activated information to the conference proceedings at no extra cost; carbon industry and improve its quality of services. Those new non-attendees may add their marketing information. A bound, applications include: products-and-services notebook is designed to inform attendees Growth in global POU/POE devices and non-attendees about products and service providers who can Using biochars to enhance soils to make them more help make them successful. productive for agricultural growth and gas-phase carbon Conference proceedings are available to non-attendees one dioxide removal for global climate control week after completion of each conference; non-attendees can add Cleaning bottom sediments in rivers, lakes and industrial their marketing materials without attending. The proceedings waste pounds using specialty activated carbons consist of the attendee list, abstracts and biographical sketches Vapor-phase mercury control at coal-fired electric power of platform speakers, poster presentations and abstract-only plants using new types of activated carbons presenter abstracts, which are designed for preliminary work Growth in using activated carbons in developing nations that may have later commercial value. to improve drinking water microbiology quality and reduce the impacts of industrial pollutants Improving human health and the environment Range of conference issues Activated carbon (AC) purifies water and air of contaminants; The range of conference issues is determined by prior this is the major use for the tons of activated carbon sold each year. attendees; their comments and suggestions are, and have been, Carbon, however, has a long list of other uses too numerous to the steering body for present and future conferences. The steering mention here. Activated carbon is a subject body has changed the tone and direction of that you do not learn about in academic the conference over the last two decades, but International Activated training, but it is critical to many industrial, not the overall design. Presenting courses Carbon Conference and commercial, municipal and residential before and after the conference is a relatively Activated Carbon School products. There are many different brands constant part of that design. Proposed issues 2011 International Activated Carbon and forms of AC, of which the direct and and topics to be covered are surprisingly Conferences (IACC) indirect indirect economic impact amounts quite broad and deep. Those most requested PACS hosts the bi-annual International to $6 billion (USD) annually. It is a mature are air purification, water purification, test Activated Carbon Conference (IACC) industry with several new products expected methods, new test methods, arsenic control, and Activated Carbon School. The in the next few years. The AC industry is mercury control at coal-fired electric power conference provides oral-, poster- and recession-proof, with about a five-percent plants and municipal wastewater plants, abstract-only technical presentations, annual growth rate. legal issues, marketing and sales, new commercial products and services activated carbons, impregnation methods, providers, Hall-of-Fame awardees catalytic carbons and networking. At IACC, Conference, courses and and leadership speakers. One-page it is our job to seek, find, put together and proceedings abstracts are being accepted for deliver what prior and future attendees want The bi-annual conference and school IACC-27 and IACC-28. Conference or need. Conference providers are dedicated unique in that it is highly focusedbrings proceedings are available after each to the activated carbon subject and many are together a body of knowledgeable and conference is completed. IACC-27 will willing to join and contribute to the cause. motivated individuals to accomplish this be held May 5, 2011 in Seattle, WA and Some of the above topics and more will be mission: increase the size and quality of IACC-28 will be held in Pittsburgh, PA provided at the upcoming 2011 International the AC industry and related issues and October 6-7, 2011 (this conference is Activated Carbon Conferences in Seattle, WA products. By providing activated carbon held every October near Pittsburgh). and Pittsburgh, PA. short courses before and after conferences, attendees can quickly learn the basics and the latest products, and network with individuals who can help IACC-26 highlights them solve their real-world problems. Being able to take relevant The 26th International Activated Carbon Conference short courses on the same trip as the conference is cost-effective (IACC-26) held in late 2010 (and its associated activated carbon for attendees, especially international conferees. The IACC and school program) was another success. The program brought to carbon school is spread out over ten days to allow individuals to light some relatively new activated carbon applications, which
Water Conditioning & Purification March 2011

could result in significant increases in the size of the activated carbon industry. These applications included: biochars for soil enhancements, activated carbons for cleaning up rivers, lakes and pond water bottom sediments of toxic contaminants, and flue gas mercury removal for coal-fired electric utilities. Dr. Mick Greenbank of Calgon Carbon Corporation opened the oral platform speaker program by discussing catalytic activated carbons. He provided information on why and how to add chemicals to different parts of the pore structure of activated carbons. Several examples were provided on many different commercial products with catalytic activities. Southwestern Pennsylvania has the highest concentration and density of activated carbonar by. These logistics provide Regulator Carl Spadaro of the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection with a working opportunity to have an impact on how other global plants should be regulated. Obviously, he received an earful of comments from local and other manufacturers and reactivators attending the conference. Spadaro agreed to return in October for IACC-28 to continue his guidance for the industry. Dr. Hugh McLaughlin contributed two major technologies: significant technical developments on biochars and new ways to reactivate used activated carbons utilizing relatively low temperatures (a commercial process) compared to classical reactivation processes. Wayne Schuliger, PE, provided the contrasts between aqueousand vapor-phase applications, concentrating on vapor-phase safety and operational characteristics. Dr. Tim Golden from Air Products provided the major technologies for commercial gases and services in this sector during his Hall of Fame presentation, explaining upcoming products and trends. George Alther from Biomin Inc. provided organoclay applications for extending the service time for activated carbons and target compounds removal, providing information on production methods for different types of organoclays and their advantages. Bill Purves from Mercury One provided new and improved methods for determination of mercury levels in environmental samples and activated carbons. Dr. Henry Nowicki presented on the applications for Gravimetric Adsorption Energy Distribution (GAED) full characterization of activated carbons, explaining the economic advantages of using this method to better select the best AC for the application, and when to remove used with unused carbon. Having a carbon last two to three times longer in service offers major financial advantages. Removing the carbon when it has completed its performance also saves money and provides the best quality. Ken Schaeffer, President of Carbon Resources, LLC, presented a leadership talk on the current status of the AC industry and future projections. George Nowicki presented a software program to comply with the ASTM test method for

particle sizing and hardness numbers. He also provided a paper showing the differences between water and acid extractions of metals from activated carbons. Dr. Evan Granite, a senior scientist with the Department of Energy, provided an overview of sorbents used to control vapor-phase mercury. He has developed several technologies at DOE for vapor-phase mercury.

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge all prior and future individuals contributing to the activated carbon industry growth and its improvements in quality.

References

Activated Carbon School, Henry Nowicki, AC Adsorption: Principles, Practices and Opportunities; Wayne Schuliger, Design, Operation and Troubleshooting of AC Adsorbers.

About the authors

S Henry Nowicki, Ph.D., MBA is President of PACS. He functions as the Chairperson for the IACC technical program and provides the introductory course for the activated carbon school. He can be reached at (724) 457-6576 or www.pacslabs.com or email Henry@pacslabs.com. S Wayne Schuliger, P.E. is Technical Director for PACS. He has previously worked for Calgon and TIGG Corporations. S Barbara Sherman, MS is Manager of Operations and a lab technician. She also functions as the Registrar for the PACS short courses and IACC programs. She provides logistics and letters of invitations for international attendees, and manages day-to-day business and planning. S H. George Nowicki, BA/BA is Laboratory Manager and New Business Developer. He runs the audio-visual equipment at each IACC and coordinates the products and services manual for IACC proceedings.

About PACS

S Professional Analytical and Consulting Services Inc. (PACS) is a 27-year-old incorporated firm providing independent services for the analytical, environmental and activated carbon industries; routine and advanced testing; PACS short-course program; R&D; consulting; contract research projects activated carbon school courses and the biannual International Activated Carbon Conferences. Bi-annual PACS activated carbon conferences and activated carbon school events are provided to exchange ideas and good practices for the activated carbon industry. A highly qualified staff of practicing professionals provides one- to two-day short courses and consulting services on various issues. There are some 14 courses on activated carbon in the curriculum because the education covers a wide variety of needed subjects. PACS provides advice to interested parties for the best courses for individual needs. Some AC courses are provided monthly in major cities and at clients convenience. For more information, call (724) 457-6576, visit www.pacslabs.com or email Henry@pacslabs.com.

Water Conditioning & Purification

March 2011