Abstract |
Treatment performances of virgin and reactivated GAC were evaluated during three reactivation-exhaustion cycles by measuring total organic carbon (TOC), trihalomethanes (THM), and trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP). GAC adsorptive capacity was measured using traditional test parameters including iodine number, molasses decolorizing index, BET, and pore-size distribution. The GAC was reactivated on-site by a 500 lb/hr fluidized-bed unit. Results of this study demonstrated that onsite reactivation was a cost-effective method of restoring the adsorptive properties of spent GAC. During a 10-month period, more than 1.8 million lb of GAC was reactivated at a total cost of less than 22 cents/lb as compared with a delivered cost of 61.5 cents/lb for virgin GAC. The average total carbon loss resulting from transportation and reactivation was 11.5% by volume. |