Activated Carbon: Solutions for Improving Water Quality

by Zaid Chowdhury, R Summers

Overview

Activated carbon is simple to operate as an adsorption medium for water, serves as a proactive barrier for contamination, and does not produce by-products from its use. Used in treatment worldwide, activated carbon produces very high-quality water. Its implementation helps utilities gain regulatory compliance and position themselves to meet future requirements.Thissolutions-oriented book for water treatment providers, engineers, and students covers three major areas of concern.

1. Fundamentals of activated carbon adsorption to provide a basic understanding of activated carbon technologies for drinking water treatment.

2.Adsorption applications, approaches, and case studies that demonstrate how and where activated carbon has been implemented to solve specific water quality challenges.

3.System design and procurement approaches to achieve effectiveness and efficiency in the use of granular activated carbon and powdered activated carbon.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781583219072
Publisher:	American Water Works Association
Publication date:	11/21/2012
Pages:	318
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.20(h) x 1.00(d)

Table of Contents

List of Figures ix

List of Tables xv

Authors and Editor xvii

Acknowledgments xxi

Preface xxiii

Introduction xxv

List of Abbreviations and Acronyms xxxiii

Part I Activated Carbon Adsorption Technologies 1

References 2

1 Fundamentals of Adsorption 3

Activated Carbon Manufacturing and Properties 3

Adsorption 4

Batch Adsorption Kinetics 5

Adsorption Equilibrium, or Isotherm 7

Ideal Adsorption Reactors 11

References 13

2 Powdered Activated Carbon Systems 15

Continuous Flow Stirred Tank Reactor Performance 15

References 20

3 Granular Activated Carbon Systems 21

Fixed-Bed Plug Flow Reactor Performance 21

References 28

Part II Adsorption Applications 29

4 Activated Carbon Application Approaches 31

Water Quality Master Planning Approaches 31

Water Quality Master Planning Steps 32

Utility Experiences with Water Quality Master Planning 35

Application Modes for Activated Carbon 49

PAC Use to Achieve Water Quality Goals 50

GAC Use to Achieve Water Quality Goals 55

References 70

5 Dissolved Organic Matter Control 73

DOM Characteristics 73

PAC for Removal of Dissolved Organic Matter 74

PAC Applications 74

PAC Performance Evaluation 74

GAC for Removal of Dissolved Organic Matter 76

GAC Applications 76

GAC Performance Evaluation 77

BAC Performance Evaluation 84

References 87

6 Taste-and-Odor Control 89

PAC for Control of Taste and Odor 90

PAC Applications 90

GAC for Control of Taste and Odor 97

GAC Applications 97

GAC Performance Evaluation 98

References 103

7 Activated Carbon for Organic Contaminant Control 107

PAC for Removal of Organic Contaminants 107

PAC Applications 107

PAC Performance Evaluation 107

GAC for Removal of Organic Contaminants 110

GAC Applications 110

GAC Performance Evaluation 110

Common Organic Contaminants Controlled Using Activated Carbon 123

Volatile Organic Compounds 123

Synthetic Organic Chemicals 125

Micropollutants 127

References 131

Part III Design and Procurement of Activated Carbon Systems 135

8 Gravity GAC Treatment System Design 137

Design and Construction 137

Review Key Design Parameters 138

Filter Layout 141

Design Details of Treatment Units 142

Pretreatment 161

Retrofit Limitations 162

Operation and Maintenance 162

Filling a GAC Treatment Unit 162

Emptying a GAC Treatment Unit 163

On-Site Storage of GAC 165

Backwashing 167

Water Quality Monitoring 168

Chlorination 168

GAC Safety 169

References 169

9 Pressure GAC Treatment System Design 171

Design and Construction 171

Pressure GAC System Overview 171

Review Key Design Parameters 174

Facility Layout 176

Construction Details of Treatment Units 180

References 196

10 Vapor-Phase GAC Treatment Design 197

Design and Construction 198

Vapor-Phase GAC Treatment System Overview 198

Determine Key Design Parameters 199

Apply Regulatory Requirements 204

Obtain Manufacturer Information 204

Construction Details of Treatment Units 206

GAC Handling 212

Facility Layout 213

Operation and Maintenance 214

GAC Replacements 214

References 214

11 On-Site GAC Reactivation Design 215

Reactivation Methods 216

Thermal Reactivation 216

Chemical Regeneration 221

Biological Regeneration 221

Indicators of Reactivation Efficiency 222

Effects of Inorganic Compounds on GAC Reactivation 222

Reactivated GAC Quality Monitoring 223

Air Quality Considerations 223

Emissions Evaluation 224

Addressing Public Perception 225

Design of On-Site Reactivation Systems 226

Facility Layout 226

Process Design Criteria 227

GAC Handling 232

Plant Service Water Requirements 234

Permitting 235

Air Quality Permitting 235

Preconstruction Permits 235

Operating Permits 236

Air Toxics/HAPs 236

Accidental Release Prevention 236

Solid Waste Handling Requirements for Spent GAG 236

Process Water Control and Discharge 237

Operational Considerations 237

GAC Safety 238

References 238

12 PAC Feed System Design 241

Design and Construction 241

Review Key Design Parameters 241

Construction Details of PAC Systems 243

Operation and Maintenance 255

Operational Considerations 255

Maintenance Requirements 256

Preoxidation 256

PAC Safety 256

References 257

13 Activated Carbon System Implementation and Economic Considerations 259

Capital Project Delivery Goals and Issues 259

Pathways to Higher Performance (The Synergy of Integration) 260

Capital Project Delivery Methods 261

Guarantor 265

Pathways for Selecting an Appropriate Delivery Method 267

Pathways to Creating Lasting Solutions 269

Activated Carbon Procurement Considerations 270

Physical Properties 271

Special Considerations in Developing Technical Specifications for PAC 271

Special Considerations in Developing Technical Specifications for GAC 273

Considerations for Developing Cost Estimates 276

References 277

Appendix A Example Environmental Life-Cycle Assessment 279

System Boundaries 279

Key Assumptions Used in Developing the LCA 279

Scenario Descriptions 280

Life-Cycle Inventory Analysis 282

Impact Assessments of Example 282

Example Results 282

Appendix B Case Studies 287

1 Post-Filtration GAC Treatment with On-Site GAC Reactivation 288

2 Water Quality Master Plan and GAC Implementation 289

3 Water Quality Road Map 290

4 Design-Build-Operate WTP 291

5 PAC Treatment 292

6 Continually Mixed PAC Contactor 293

7 Post-Filtration GAC Treatment 294

8 Design-Build-Operate WTP 295

9 GAC Filter Adsorbers 296

10 Ozone-Enhanced GAC Biofiltration 297

11 Groundwater GAC Demonstration Facility 298

12 Groundwater GAC Treatment 299

13 Groundwater GAC Treatment 300

14 Wellhead GAC Treatment 301

15 Post-Filtration GAC Treatment 302

16 GAC Filter Adsorber Demonstration Project 303

17 Post-Filtration GAC Treatment 305