[shreeshdwr]

Hi,

Can somebody provide me the details steps/process involved in industrially producing activated carbon using coconut shells.

Regards,
Shreeshdwr. 
 

[Griffin Kowash]

Hello!  I don't know how much detail you're looking for, but after a quick search I found an outline of the process.  Coconut shells (or other organic materials) are reduced to carbon by means of pyrolysis at temperatures in the neighborhood of 1000°C.  Activated carbon manufacturers then activate it by oxidizing it with steam or oxygen in a hot and inert environment.  Coconut shells are often used because of their high carbon content, natural porousness, and abundance in equatorial regions.


These two websites give a good overview:

http://www.water.siemens.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Product_Lines/Westates_Carbon/Brochures/coconutvscoal.pdf
http://www.thomasnet.com/articles/chemicals/producing-activated-carbon

And US Patent #5,164,355 provides a MUCH more detailed description of the process:

https://www.google.com/patents/EP0497154A1?cl=en&dq=coconut+shell+carbon&hl=en&sa=X&ei=wp_fUdKRE4q5iwK1_oHICQ&sqi=2&pjf=1&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAA


Hope this helps.   :3