Study on Indicators for Granular Activated Carbon Screening and Adsorption Cycle Determining

Abstract

Four kinds of granular activated carbon GAC were treated by water taken from surface drinking-water sources in Ji’nan. Five adsorption performance indicators of granular activated carbon (GAC) were investigated. The correlation between the indicators and the removal rate of organic matter in raw water was analysed and the results showed that the removal rates of CODMn and DOC were well correlated with iodine value, the coefficient correlations, R2 were 0.8745 and 0.8474 respectively, the removal rates of UV254 was well correlated with methylene blue value (R2 = 0.9454), indicating the capability as indicator for GAC selection. Additionally, one original GAC was used to adsorb organic matter in raw water, as well as the GAC samples treated with four different saturation time in raw water, to investigate the residue rate of adsorption ability. Of all five adsorption performance indicators, it was found that the iodine value, methylene blue value, and tannic acid were negatively related to the residual rate of the GAC absorption ability (R2 was over 0.9). Based on the research, the activated carbon filters in Quehua Water plant in Ji’nan was evaluated and the replacement of them was suggested.