Activated carbon is widely used in the process of solvent recovery due to its excellent adsorption properties.

 

In industries where volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are used, these compounds often need to be recovered from the air for both environmental and economic reasons. Activated carbon is used in this process due to its high adsorption capacity. The VOC-laden air is passed through an activated carbon bed. The VOCs are adsorbed onto the surface of the carbon particles.

 

Once the activated carbon is saturated with VOCs, it can be regenerated by applying heat. This process, known as desorption, releases the captured VOCs, which can then be condensed and recovered.

 

After the desorption process, the activated carbon can be reused for further adsorption processes.

 

This method of solvent recovery is particularly useful in industries such as printing, coating, pharmaceuticals, and petrochemicals, where large amounts of solvents are used. It helps in reducing emissions, complying with environmental regulations, and saving costs by recovering and reusing expensive solvents.