Purification Potentials of Activated Carbon from Chrysophyllum albidum Seed Shells on Petroleum Fractions.

Abstract

This research work investigates the use of locally sourced activated carbon as adsorbent in removing impurities and odoriferous substances from some petroleum fractions. The activated carbon was prepared from Crysophyllum abidum (cherry) seed shells. The seed shells were cracked to remove the seeds, washed, dried and pulverized. The powder was carbonized in a furnace at 500 0C, cooled and screened with a 100μm sized sieve. The carbonized powder was impregnated with phosphoric acid and sodium hydroxide in a mixture ratio of 2:1, stirred vigorously for activation and kept in an oven to dry at 110 0C for 2 h. The activated carbon was washed and dried to constant weight, and in comparison with the commercial type were characterized in terms of the moisture, ash, volatile matter contents, pH, bulk density, iodine adsorption number, silica content and percentage yield and gave 2.20%, 1.50%, 83.50%, 7.15, 0.45 g/cm3, 61.01 mg/g, 0.25% and 22.50% respectively. The activated carbon was applied in the purification of the petroleum fractions (dual purpose kerosene, DPK and premium motor spirit, PMS). The observed density, specific gravity (S.G), initial and final boiling points, flash point, ethanol content and research octane number (RON) of the petroleum fractions before and after the purification process were measured, the results showed that the treated DPK and PMS had improved properties due to the purification potentials of the activated carbons applied on them. The locally sourced activated carbon performed almost as well as the commercial type used, with slight inferiority in RON enhancement. Keywords: Chrysophyllum albidum seed shell, activated carbon, purification and petroleum fractions.