INNOVATIVE METHOD FOR ON-SITE REGENERATION OF SPENT CARBON

PHASE I WILL DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF A SIMPLE, COST EFFECTIVE PROCESS FOR THE ON-SITE REGENERATION AND REACTIVATION OF SPENT CARBONS. THE SPENT CARBONS MAY CONTAIN HAZARDOUS COMPONENTS, BOTH ORGANIC AND INORGANIC. THE REGENERATION IS ACCOMPLISHED WITH AN INNOVATIVE THERMAL PROCESS WHICH PRODUCES HIGHLY REACTIVE CHEMICAL SPECIES AT HIGH TEMPERATURE ON THE SURFACE OF THE CARBON MATRIX WHERE THE IMPURITIES ARE SORBED. IN THE PROCESS, THE IMPURITIES ARE DESTROYED AND THE CARBON IS REACTIVATED IN GOOD YIELD. THE ENERGY DRIVING THE PROCESS IS OBTAINED DIRECTLY FROM THECARBON OXIDATION. THE ADVANTAGES TO THE PROCESS ARE (1) IT IS SELF-SUFFICIENT,(2) IT CAN BE RUN ON LARGE OR SMALL SCALE, (3) THE YIELD OF REGENERATED CARBON IS GOOD, AND (4) THE APPARATUS IS SIMPLE AND CAN BE TRAILER-MOUNTED FOR ON-SITE USE. PHASE I INVOLVES DETERMINATION OF (1) THE PROCESS PARAMETERSFOR OPTIMAL CARBON REGENERATION, (2) THE BEHAVIOR OF DIFFERENT CARBONS AND COMPOUNDS SORBED, (3) AN ESTIMATE OF THE QUALITY OF REGENERATED CARBON, AND (4) THE NUMBER OF CYCLES IN WHICH CARBON CAN BE REUSED. PHASE I EFFORT WILL IDENTIFY THE CRITICAL OPERATIONAL AND COST PARAMETERS, WHICHWILL PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR DEVELOPING A SCALED UP PROTOTYPE IN PHASE II.