Many countries face water shortages and lack access to clean drinking water sources; activated alumina media helps provide access and minimize contamination issues.
Activated alumina is highly specific for phosphate and arsenic anions. Nadalje, it is extremely efficient at eliminating fluoride and nitrate from water supplies.
FEECO Innovation Center performs both thermal and agglomeration tests to select raw materials suitable for each application, producing desiccant products of superior quality with extended service lives.
Particle Size
The particle size of activated alumina media is determined by its production process. Made from aluminum hydroxide or bauxite by dehydrating under controlled conditions, activated alumina produces porous material with an impressive surface area-to-weight ratio and large numbers of tunnel-like pores which provide large surfaces for absorption – key factors behind its effectiveness as a desiccant.
Bulk desiccant alumina is widely utilized within the petrochemical industry to remove moisture from gas and liquid feedstocks, helping chemical catalysts perform at their optimal performance levels and avoiding corrosion in reactor units. Nadalje, activated alumina acts as an excellent adsorbent for sulfur compounds common to gas processing plants.
Activated alumina comes in both powder and media sphere form, each providing their own set of advantages and applications. While media spheres tend to be best for molecular filtration due to allowing more fluid through during operation and increasing filter efficiency. Camfil offers proven alumina media solutions designed specifically to target an array of oxidizable molecular contaminants while the CamPure media blends both wet and dry chemistry simultaneously during production of media spheres for maximum removal efficiency with extended longevity.
Flow Rate
Activated alumina is an extremely efficient liquid and gaseous adsorption agent, making it perfect for applications such as the removal of fluoride from drinking water, carbon monoxide absorption, chloride absorption and volatile organic compound absorption – helping improve indoor air quality overall.
Activated alumina has excellent attrition resistance and retains more adsorptive capacity than silica gel, making it ideal for moving bed applications. Nadalje, its mechanical strength makes it perfect for this use case. To produce activated alumina requires controlled heating of hydrated alumina with water molecules expelled via controlled heating to form porous structures with mean pore sizes of 4nm and surface area estimates between 350,000-m2/kg; then crushed and sieved until reaching desired particle sizes (Fig 8.3) Fig 8.3 shows an electron micrograph of activated activated alumina at two magnification levels to make this material.
Activated alumina’s pore structure and surface area depend on several variables, including its raw material source, the calcination process, temperature profile, dwell time, dwell temperature profile, dwell dwell time, dwell dwell temperature profile, dwell dwell time and other parameters. At FEECO Innovation Center we have both thermal testing as well as agglomeration testing capabilities available so we can select appropriate raw materials for specific product applications.
After activated alumina has been delivered for use, it should be preconditioned by rinsing with clean drinking water to eliminate silica deposits that reduce its effectiveness as an absorbent material. Regeneration with an appropriate agent must also take place at regular intervals – with pH13 serving as an antimicrobial and biofilm destroyer while still keeping capacity of activated alumina intact.
Adsorption Capacity
Activated alumina desiccant is an ideal material for moisture adsorption applications, featuring high absorption capacities due to its large surface area and porous structure, while being selective enough to target certain impurities or substances while disregarding others. Nadalje, its chemically inert nature withstands elevated temperatures without adverse impact.
Adsorption processes depend on the type of alumina used and how it’s prepared. Activated alumina is made by heating hydrated alumina under controlled circumstances to cause water molecules to leave its crystal lattice via planes of structural weakness, creating an array of pores with an estimated surface area of 350,000m2/kg; its pores may then be adjusted through ion exchange; therefore molecular sieve is often preferred over activated alumina for separation applications that demand precise molecule sizes.
Air traveling through an alumina desiccant absorbs moisture that becomes lodged between its particles, then when heated above its adsorption temperature it releases that moisture back into the atmosphere – this is why desiccant cartridges with alumina desiccants are popularly used for compressed air applications and industrial processes. After reaching full capacity, periodic tests should be run to make sure contaminants have not exceeded acceptable limits; monitoring programs can be set up either according to number of treated water gallons or time in operation.
Maintenance
Activated alumina can be an effective tool in cleaning up toxic waste from production processes and polluted rainwater streams that release arsenic into groundwater supplies. Nadalje, activated alumina serves as an invaluable solution for polluted regions left vacant for long periods that only now are being cleared up; during this process activated alumina not only removes soluble contaminants such as arsenic but also any bacteria which have formed biofilms on its surface due to the pH13 effect and regular rinsing operations preventing any new contamination occurring within its vicinity – thus helping ensure no further contamination takes place within its immediate area of operation.
Flow rate and contaminant removal capacity are the two key indicators of the performance of an activated alumina device. Flow rate depends on the pore size of activated alumina granules; on the other hand, removal capacity depends on their adsorption capacity and water pressure availability.
When working with activated alumina, it is essential to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (OZO) in order to avoid eye irritation and respiratory problems. This includes safety goggles or face shield, chemical-resistant gloves and a dust mask or respirator. Nadalje, compatibility tests must be conducted prior to using activated alumina in any application and it must be stored in a dry and well-ventilated location away from incompatible substances.