how to use activated characoal for removal of suspended solids?

Question

I work in Iron ore mines. during monsoon all the runoffs come together & settle. Because of wah-off from rocks & laterite it gets dark red color. I want treat this water, to remove suspended solids & color of the water. I t hinkn i can do it by using activated charcoal. But i don't know how to use activated charcoal in powder form or in other form. Please specify.

Answer 1

The effectiveness of that kind of filtration depends
upon water volume (flow rate). I recommend that
you construct a tall plastic filter pipe at least 12 inches in diameter and 12 to 16 feet in height. Water must come in at the top and exit at the bottom. Fill the pipe with layers of coarse sand, charcoal granules, coarse sand, charcoal granules, coarse sand, and then charcoal. Each layer should be about 18 inches high. At the bottom you will need to install about eight layers of nylon screen mesh to retard the flow of charcoal and sand out of the bottom of the pipe.

Periodical back flushing of the filter system will maintain its performance for an extended period.

As long as the bags say activated charcoal, the size is not really that important, you just don't want bricks.

Answer 2

This is an excellent question. I wouldn't recommend using solely activated charcoal. Charcoal is efficient in removing chlorinated compounds or other halogenated impurities, but it sounds like there may be a lot of metal contamination, especially from disturbed earth (as in an ore mine). Some of the other contaminants you have to worry about are lead, mercury and other toxic metals.

A good treatment method would be to first use the activated charcoal on the water to eliminate organic and halogentated contaminants - those can be pretty nasty things. Just dump the powdered charcoal in the water, stir, allow to settle COMPLETELY, strain, repeat 3 times.

Next you want to distill off the water and isolate it away from any metal or inorganic impurities. To do this, attach a reflux mechanism over the contained water (i.e. in a large pot or heat tempered barrel). A reflux mechanism can be made from large funell with a pearched clear hose out of the top. Be sure that there is a y-split in the hose, such that you can allow the hot air to vent out through the top, but allow the heated water vapor to run off to another container. Heat the water to just below boiling (100 - 120 F), but be sure that the reflux ring (the point where the water vapor will recondense back into liquid form) is just above where you made your y-split. This should separate the water from other things. Mercury has a low melting point (-37.89 °F), but a high boiling point (674.11 °F), so it shouldn't carry over into the reflux.

Once you've refluxed the water down, not only will you see what kind of grime or metals were in the water, but you'll have an almost pure sample in the run-off bucket. Next, heat the water to boiling for 30 minutes to kill off any bacteria or other germs.

Finally, before you drink your first sip, take it down to your neighborhood college and have it analysed with a mass-spec to be sure it's pure. If it works, then you probably don't need to test the next few batches. But every once in a while, take a sample down for testing. They should be more than happy to do it for you for free.

I know it seems like a lot of work, but it beats the heck out of cancer or worse!

Answer 3

maximum colloids of interest in water scientific care proceed to be suspended in answer as a results of fact they have a internet damaging floor cost that motives the debris to repel one yet another. The meant action of the coagulant is to neutralise which cost, allowing the debris to come again at the same time to form extra beneficial debris which would be extra somewhat removed from the uncooked water

Answer 4

i used activated charcoal mainly for the purpose of removing colour and odour impurities present in the crude materials-chemicals.suspended impurities will also be adsorbed during filtration due its adsorption
character.