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Activated Carbon
Activated carbon filters behave as sponges and trap most
airborne gases and odors. Activated carbon is charcoal that has been treated
with oxygen to open millions of small pores between the carbon atoms. These
pores adsorb harmful gases and odors. Due to the large surface area of the
carbon granules, carbon filters are excellent at trapping gases that pass
through traditional particle filters. However, as the pores become filled
with trapped contaminants the filters loose effectiveness and will need to
be replaced.
Pictures of activated carbon tell the
story how it purifies
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Magnified Image of an activated carbon particle |
Smaller photo shows the honeycomb |
More detail
shows where the contaminants get stuck |
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Are ALL Activated Carbon filters the
same?
NO!
Activated carbon can be enhanced and impregnated and/or custom blended to be
a more specialized adsorbant. The allerair Vocarb air purifiers have a
more refined blend of activated carbon and will do a better job of removing
air-born VOC's from the air -
Click to see the
AllerAir 5000 Vocarb Air Purifier
.
Does it matter how much activated carbon
there is?
YES!
Activated carbon adsorbs to it's surface. When there
is no more surface left to adsorb to the carbon, it is depleted of its
capability to be effective. Large amounts of carbon will last longer then
small amounts because it has larger amounts of surface area for adsorption.
Also, depending on amounts of pollutants being adsorbed, a small amount of
carbon can be depleted within weeks making it useless. The AllerAir
purifiers that we offer have large amounts of activated carbon which can
last from 18-36 months!
Does it matter how thick an
activated Carbon filter is?
YES! The more contact time the activated carbon
has with a pollutant, the better chances of it adsorbing it. The thicker the
carbon filter the better it's adsorption. If the pollutant has to go through
a long maze of activated carbon it's chances are also greater of being
adsorbed.
Which is more effective, a
pad impregnated with carbon or granular activated carbon?
Granular
Activated Carbon is more effective then a 1" or 2" thick impregnated carbon
pad. Granular activated carbon will have much more surface area for
adsorption than a impregnated pad. Also, an
impregnated pad will have to be changed much for frequently then a canister
of activated carbon. Keep in mind that the contact time the carbon has with
a pollutant is less in a pad so it's adsorption rate is also less.
AllerAir purifiers have large amounts of granular activated carbon, up to 18
pounds worth!
Read more about
activated carbon air purifiers: Activated carbon has been
known as a miracle filter media by many researchers because of its unique
ability to remove offensive tastes, odors, color, chlorine and volatile
organic chemicals, pesticides and trihalomethanes (a group of suspected
carcinogens). Briefly, activated carbon acts like a sponge, with a large
surface area to absorb contaminants in the water. Many scientists believe
this is a result of affinity that these chemicals have for carbon because of
Van Der Waal forces. Activated carbon is the preferred treatment and method
recommended by the EPA to remove a host of potentially hazardous and
possibly carcinogenic chemicals in the air we breath.
See our recommendation for an activated carbon
air purifier below. To see all our activated carbon air purifiers
click here
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