How to use activated charcoal in oil refineries?

Answer 1

Acivated charcoal is used in Filter-like vessels through which process streams are passed.
The filter uses a process called 'ADSORPTION' (a different process to 'Absorption' which uses liquids).
Adsorption is "The ability of some substances, to hold on the surface of their molecules, molecules of other substances, Solids, Liquids or Gases".

The charcoal ADSORBS unwanted contaminants like benzene and other hydrocarbons.
e.g. Hydrocarbon contaminants will be removed from non-hydrocarbon streams like air to be used for instrumentation and liquefaction processes of atmospheric air.
It is also used to remove chlorine, chromium and mercury compounds and other chemicals and odour from water systems.

Answer 2

I do not know in Refineries.In the laboratory we used to dissolve the Edible oil in solvent ether,add animal charcoal .-stir well and keep it for quite sometimein an air-tight container-filter through Whatman-No.1 filter paper and distill the ether, using a Leibig condenser to recover the solvent.-The decolourised oil will be in the round bottomed flask.Solvent ether is dangerouly inflammable.So do not use naked flame (Gas-Bunsen burner) but an electrical heater with a glass wool mantle or Aluminium Block heaters with a thermostat to control the temperature at the boiling point of the Solvent.-The proccedure to be carried out under the supervision of a qualified Laboratory Superviser to prevent Fire-hazards.

Answer 3

Used in decoluration of isolates.