How To Make Coal-based Activated Carbon
AGICO Offers EPC Projects For Manufacturing Coal-based Activated Carbon
Coal Carbonization Capacity：8-25 t/d
Carbon Activation Capacity：3-10 t/d
AGICO provides customers with tailor-made coal-based activated carbon production solutions. FREE CONSULTATION, don’t hesitate to tell us your needs!
What is coal-based activated carbon? Coal-based activated carbon is a highly porous adsorbent material with a well-developed internal pore structure that can adsorb various substances. It is made from specific types of coal, processed through high temperatures and special techniques, resulting in finished products in the form of columns, granules, or powders. The internal surface area of 1 gram of coal-based activated carbon can reach 500-1500 square meters. This is the physical basis for its strong adsorption capacity. In addition, it has high mechanical strength and is wear-resistant, making it suitable for use in industrial environments that require abrasion and pressure changes.
Different Types Of Coal-based Activated Carbon
Granular Coal Activated Carbon
Size: 4-60 mesh
Iodine: ≥900
Hardness: 95(max)
Ash: 10%(max)
Moisture: 10%(max)
Powder Coal Activated Carbon
Size: 100-352 mesh
Iodine: 500-1000
Moisture: 5(max)
Ash: 10%(max)
PH: 7-11
Columnar Coal Activated Carbon
Size: 1.5-9mm
Iodine: 600-1200
Moisture: 5(max)
Ash: 10%(max)
Hardness: 95%(max)
Why choose to invest in coal-based activated carbon manufacturing?
Easy Obtained Raw Material: The supply and price of coal are stable, unlike the seasonal supply shortages faced by wood and fruit shell-based materials. Bituminous coal, sub-bituminous coal, anthracite, and lignite are the main raw materials for coal-based activated carbon.
Immense Markets: In 2025, the global coal-based activated carbon market is estimated to be worth approximately 4.67 billion USD, and is expected to grow to 6.68 billion USD by 2034, with a stable compound annual growth rate of over 4%. Due to its high cost-performance ratio and durability, coal-based activated carbon holds an absolute dominant position in large industrial sectors.
Mature Production Technology: AGICO is a professional and experienced activated carbon manufacturing plant supplier. Our production line and equipment adopt mature and advanced technology to ensure high output and high automation while ensuring product quality.
Coal-based Activated Carbon Manufacturing Process
There are many production processes for coal-based activated carbon, with the most common being the physical method and chemical method. The biggest difference between these two methods lies in the activation process.
Physical activation: Physical activation involves the use of oxidizing gases such as steam or CO₂, at high temperatures (usually 800-1100°C), to react with amorphous carbon and carbon atoms. This gasification reaction burns off part of the carbon to clear, enlarge, and deepen existing primary pores, while also creating new pores. The process is relatively simple, free from chemical corrosion, and environmentally friendly.
Chemical activation: Chemical activation primarily uses chemical agents as dehydrating and oxidizing agents to inhibit tar formation, thus creating pores. After mixing and impregnating the coal with the chemical activator, it is heated at a lower temperature (usually 400-900°C), while undergoing both carbonization and activation. This method has the advantages of lower activation temperatures, shorter processing times, higher yields, and easier control of pore structure, although it does cause some pollution.
* AGICO offers coal-based activated carbon production lines with both physical activation processes and chemical activation processes. The following production process adopts physical activation.
Step1: Raw Material Preparation
Firstly, the raw coal needs to be crushed to a specific particle size. To regulate the pore structure of the activated carbon, the coal blending technique is commonly used in industry, where coals with different properties are mixed in specific proportions. Sometimes, additives or binders are also added.
Step2: Carbonization
Carbonization involves heating the pretreated coal at high temperatures (500–650°C) in an oxygen-free environment. Its main purpose is to remove volatile components in the coal (such as tar and hydrocarbon gases), allowing the carbon atoms to rearrange and form a preliminary pore structure.
Step3: Activation
The carbonized coal is exposed to a high-temperature environment (800–1100°C), where steam, carbon dioxide, or flue gas is introduced as the activating agent. As carbon atoms are gasified, the spaces left behind form pores. By controlling parameters such as activation temperature, activation time, and the flow rate of the activating agent, the pore size distribution and specific surface area of the activated carbon can be regulated.
Step 4: Post-processing & Packaging
To meet different application requirements, activated carbon can be crushed and sieved to produce products of various specifications. To reduce ash content and improve purity, it can be washed with acid and water to remove ash and impurities from the pores. Finally, the wet activated carbon is dried, measured, and packaged as the finished product.
AGICO Coal-based Activated Carbon Making Machine For Sale
AGICO provides customers with turnkey projects for coal-based activated carbon production, including a full set of activated carbon making equipment and a series of pre-sales, on-sales, and after-sales services. No matter what your raw materials are or what your production scale is, we can meet your production needs!
Choose Us Is To Choose
One-to-one Free Consultation
Tailor-made Solutions
Full-range Technical Support
Attentive After-sales Services
Full Set Of Accessories
Maintenance & Technical Upgrade
Raw Material Crushing Equipment: hammer crusher, roller crusher, screener, conveyor, dust collector, etc.
Raw Material Carbonization Equipment: carbonization rotary kiln, water cooler, waste heat boiler, incinerator, burner, etc.
Carbon Activation Equipment: activation rotary kiln, bucket elevator, draught fun, combustion chamber, feed bin, etc.
Washing Equipment: washing tank or washing pool, rotary dryer, etc.
Grinding & Screening Equipment: Raymond mill, vibrating screener or rotary screener, feeder, etc.
If you have any questions or want to get a quotation directly, please contact us in time. For your production needs, we will provide you with perfect solutions and detailed quotations!
Cost Of Establishing A Coal-based Activated Carbon Plant
The average cost of building a coal-based activated carbon plant is about $15000 to $1.5 million. We cannot give an accurate quotation because the price is affected by factors like output, equipment selection, and special process requirements. Whether you are a new starter or already have your own plant, if you trust AGICO, please send us your site size, ideal output, application field, process requirements, and other detailed information, and we will provide you with the most suitable solution.
Wood-based Activated Carbon Vs Coal-based Activated Carbon
Wood-based Activated Carbon
The raw materials of wood-based activated carbon are various trees, sawdust, and other wood products. It has the characteristics of a large specific surface area, strong adsorption capacity, fewer ash impurities, high purity, fast filtration speed, light specific gravity, and high cost performance. In addition, it has the advantages of excellent decolorization and purification.
Coal-based Activated Carbon
The raw materials of coal-based activated carbon are different types of coal, like bituminous coal, sub-bituminous coal, anthracite, lignite, etc. Coal resources are abundant and inexpensive, which gives coal-based activated carbon a significant cost advantage in large-scale, industrial applications. It is suitable for long-term use in various industrial environments.
Physical Properties
Coal-based activated carbon has a relatively high density. It features a complex pore structure with a wide distribution of micropores, mesopores, and macropores, among which mesopores are relatively well developed, making it suitable for adsorbing organic compounds with larger molecular weights. It also has high mechanical strength, good wear resistance, and strong compressive resistance, making it suitable for long-term use under harsh industrial conditions.
Wood-based activated carbon has a lower density. It features a well-developed microporous structure, a large specific surface area, and a relatively uniform pore size distribution dominated by micropores, making it highly suitable for adsorbing small-molecule substances. However, it has lower mechanical strength, a softer texture, and is more prone to wear. On the other hand, its production process consumes less energy and generates fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
Application
Coal-based activated carbon is suitable for large-scale water treatment applications, such as industrial wastewater and municipal sewage treatment. It is also widely used for exhaust gas and solvent recovery, including industrial waste gas treatment, flue gas desulfurization and denitrification, and organic solvent recovery.
Wood-based activated carbon is suitable for high-purity purification applications, such as advanced drinking water treatment, food decolorization, pharmaceutical refining, and impurity removal in alcoholic beverages. It is also used in indoor air purification, adsorption of volatile organic compounds, and precious metal extraction.
Price
On the basis of the same effective ingredients, differences in raw material costs and processing techniques generally make wood-based activated carbon more expensive than coal-based activated carbon.
