What are the differences between activated carbon filter and carbon fiber filter in application scenarios?
Differences in application scenarios of activated carbon filter (GAC/compressed CTO carbon rod) vs activated carbon fiber (ACF carbon fiber filter)
First distinguish between two types of core materials:
Ordinary activated carbon filter element: granular carbon UDF, compression sintered carbon rod CTO, granular/block carbon structure, mixed pore size, medium adsorption capacity and low cost;
Carbon fiber filter element (ACF activated carbon fiber): fiber felt/cloth-like carbon, with extremely developed micropores, large specific surface area, extremely fast adsorption speed, no powder dropping and precise filtration, but the unit price is higher.
First, the distinction between domestic water purification scenes
1. Ordinary activated carbon filter element (GAC/CTO) is applicable.
Economical pre-filtration/post-filtration: RO machine, ultrafiltration machine, filter kettle, and desktop water dispenser under the kitchen with a price of several hundred yuan are preferred only for removing residual chlorine and improving the taste, and the budget is limited.
Large-flow coarse pretreatment of the whole house: the central water purification front carbon tank and large-flow pipeline filter are used to treat high-water and medium-concentration organic matter, and the adsorption efficiency is compensated by the thickness of carbon layer.
The water quality is average, and the pollutants are complex: the water source contains macromolecular humus, colloid and pigment attached to the sediment, and the large and small pores of the carbon rod take into account both macromolecular and micromolecule impurities, which is more universal.
Low-cost frequent replacement conditions: rental houses, shops, drinking fountains, tea machines, high replacement frequency of consumables, the pursuit of low-cost consumables.
2. Carbon fiber filter element (ACF) is applicable.
High-end direct drinking water purification: high-end RO machine, all-in-one water purification machine, maternal and child water purification equipment, deep removal of trace residual chlorine, trace heavy metals and trace disinfection by-products, no carbon powder and no secondary pollution in the effluent, which is suitable for high standards of direct drinking.
Precise treatment of low-concentration micro-pollution: secondary water supply in residential area and aging of pipe network produce trace organic odor and trace pesticide residues, and ACF is far superior to ordinary carbon in adsorbing ppm-level micro-pollutants.
Large-capacity low-pressure drop scene: the whole house is equipped with precision water purification and large-capacity commercial direct drinking machine, and the fiber mesh structure has small water flow resistance and longer filter life under the same flow rate.
Post-position fine taste adjustment: T33 post-position filter element at the end of RO membrane can quickly absorb trace odor and improve the taste of pure water.
Second, the industrial water treatment scene distinction
Ordinary activated carbon filter element
Large-scale pretreatment carbon tank: deep decoloration of electroplating, chemical and municipal sewage, treatment of high-concentration macromolecular dyes and macromolecular organic substances, large particle carbon bed treatment capacity, low comprehensive cost.
Coarse decolorization of food and beverage: syrup, fruit juice, coarse filtration in the early stage of brewing, a large amount of pigment and macromolecular colloid, and carbon rod/granular carbon are suitable for high-load macromolecular pollutants.
Treatment of circulating water and cooling water: the circulating water in the factory removes residual chlorine and a small amount of odor, which has low requirements on water quality accuracy and pursues low-cost consumables.
Extensive adsorption at the end of wastewater: industrial tail water is easy to remove color and deodorize, and the concentration of pollutants fluctuates greatly, so it does not need precise and stable adsorption.
Carbon fiber filter element (ACF)
Pre-treatment of ultra-pure water for electronic/semiconductor: the chip, photovoltaic and liquid crystal production line pure water system deeply removes trace organic matter, trace chlorine and trace VOC, preventing RO film from being oxidized and polluting the precise process, and avoiding chip defects without carbon powder precipitation.
Purified water for pharmaceutical and medical devices: Pharmacopoeia-grade pure water and water for injection are pre-filtered, acid and alkali resistant, dissolved without adhesive, and have strong microbial adsorption capacity, which meets the clean production standards.
High-purity water for laboratory: water for chromatographic and analytical experiments, so as to prevent trace organic impurities from interfering with test data.
Small-scale precision circulation system: small-scale precision equipment cooling water and small-scale laboratory water purifier, with small equipment volume and high filtration accuracy.
Third, air/waste gas purification scene distinction
Ordinary activated carbon filter element (granular carbon)
Treatment of industrial large-scale waste gas: VOC treatment in spraying, printing and chemical workshops. The large carbon layer is filled with high concentration benzene and xylene, which can be filled in large quantities and regenerated at high temperature, with low equipment investment.
Kitchen lampblack, catering deodorization: lampblack purifier, canteen deodorization, adsorption lampblack macromolecule oil mist, heavy odor, high load pollutant resistance.
Basic deodorization of vehicle and air conditioner: ordinary automobile air conditioner filter element and household basic air purifier can remove formaldehyde and tail gas odor at low cost.
Carbon fiber filter element (ACF)
Precision clean room air filtration: electronic dust-free workshop, laboratory fume hood, operating room, low-concentration trace formaldehyde, ozone and acid waste gas can be quickly absorbed, and the fiber cloth can be folded to enlarge the filtration area and have small wind resistance.
High-end household air purifier and fresh air system: mother and baby, allergic crowd models, which can quickly adsorb trace TVOC, odor and ozone, and the adsorption speed is dozens of times that of granular carbon.
Anti-virus protection, special filtration: gas masks, nuclear air purification, solvent recovery equipment, instantaneous adsorption, desorption and regeneration of low-concentration toxic gases with low energy consumption.
Ozone decomposition, precision waste gas recovery: printing solvent recovery, small-scale organic waste gas concentration device, full fiber structure contact, high recovery efficiency.
Fourth, the differences in the application of special sub-sectors
Advantages of ordinary activated carbon
Water circulation of large municipal waterworks and large swimming pools;
Sugar making, crude decolorization of oil, and crude filtration of liquor;
Extensive treatment of odor in garbage stations and sewage stations;
Outdoor temporary simple water purification (emergency water filter).
Carbon fiber exclusive high-end scene
Precision medicine: dialysis water, medical cleaning pure water, air filtration in operating room;
New energy/semiconductor lithium battery produces pure water and wafer cleaning water;
Special environmental protection nuclear air filtration, deep treatment of low concentration trace waste gas;
Pure water purification of high-end daily chemical/cosmetic raw materials to avoid carbon powder pollution of raw materials.
V. Summary of Rapid Selection
Limited budget, large flow, high concentration of macromolecular pollutants, extensive treatment → ordinary activated carbon filter element (GAC/CTO carbon rod)
Direct drinking with high standard, trace low concentration pollution, precise pure water/clean air, no secondary pollution requirements, small equipment space → carbon fiber ACF filter element.
Short board reminder:
Ordinary carbon: easy to drop powder, slow adsorption, poor removal of trace pollutants and short life;
Carbon fiber: it is expensive, and its adsorption capacity for high-concentration macromolecular oil stains and heavy dyes is not as good as that of granular carbon. High turbidity water must be protected by pre-PP cotton.
