• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.407-416
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• 2009

The objective of this study was to evaluate the variation of physical properties and adsorption capacity after regeneration of Granular Activated Carbon (GAC). It was found that the loss rate of regenerated carbon was related to the usage time of GAC. The correlations between iodide number and loss rate also determined. Effective size and uniformity coefficient for regenerated GAC were within a similar range compared to virgin GAC. This result indicated that the function as media is recovered. Although iodide number and specific surface area for regenerated GAC were not completely recovered compared to that of virgin GAC, cumulative pore volumes of regenerated GAC were increased. Removal efficiency of organic matter in regenerated GAC was resulted the same or slightly higher than that of virgin GAC. This result indicates that the number of mesopore responsible for removal of organic matter was increased after regeneration.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.449-458
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• 2023

As an adsorption technology for dissolved organic matter, the adsorption capacity of granular activated carbon, GAC, can be applied, but activated carbon whose adsorption capacity is significantly reduced by use is inevitably replaced or regenerated. However, due to the economics of replacement cost, thermal regeneration method is used commercially, but high energy cost and loss of activated carbon occur under high temperature conditions above 800℃. In this study, the Sono-Fenton method, a multi-oxidation technology that combines Fenton oxidation and ultrasonic oxidation, was applied to improve the regeneration efficiency of spent GAC used to treat dissolved organic matter in combined sewer overflows (CSOs), and the regeneration efficiency of spent GAC by oxidant and ultrasonic frequency was investigated. In the applied Sono-Fenton treatment, the highest regeneration efficiency of 68.5% was obtained under the regeneration conditions of Fe²⁺ 10 mmol/L, H₂O₂ concentration 1,000 mmol/L, ultrasonic treatment time of 120 min, and ultrasonic frequency of 40 kHz. And similar efficiency was also obtained at 750 kHz, while ultrasonic waves of other frequencies had poor regeneration efficiency, and the magnitude of frequency and GAC regeneration efficiency did not show a linear relationship. In the case of continuous operation of the GAC adsorption tower with CSOs prepared by diluting raw sewage, about 700 hours of operation without regeneration was possible, and as a result of applying one Sono-Fenton treatment, 40-70% COD_cr removal efficiency was obtained during a total of 1,000 hours of GAC adsorption operation.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.1163-1170
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• 2015

This study carried out continuous column test for estimating the regeneration efficiency with regeneration times and temperatures. More times regenerated granular activated carbon (GAC) has more ash in the GAC and has less apparent density. Two times regenerated GAC ($2^{nd}$ re-GAC) could removed the Trihalomethanes (THMs) in the water for the first two week after starting continuous column test, on the other hand five times regenerated GAC ($5^{th}$ re-GAC) did not have adsorption capacity. The THMs concentration in the effluent was almost equal or higher than that of influent at the first time of continuous column test. $2^{nd}$ re-GAC showed much more DOC adsorption capacity than $5^{th}$ re-GAC and the GAC which was regenerated with $700^{\circ}C$ had highest DOC removal efficiency among the GACs with 600, 700, 800, $900^{\circ}C$ regeneration temperatures. It is anticipated the cost of GAC regeneration could be saved more 100 million won by reducing the furnace temperature of 3rd~4th and 5th~6th about $150^{\circ}C$ compared to the current regeneration condition.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.817-824
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• 2002

Granular activated carbon(GAC) is highly effective in removing organic compounds which are resistant to biological disintegration in wastewater treatment. However, GAC has reached its full adsorptive capacity, GAC needs to be regenerated before it can be used for a further adsorption cycle. Countercurrent oxidative reaction (COR) technique has been developed and evaluated for the regeneration of spent GAC. Various parameters such as flame temperature, the loss of carbon, destruction and removal efficiency (DRE) of organic compounds, surface area, surface structure, adsorptive capacity, etc. were examined to determine the performance of COR. The results of these tests showed that adosorptive capacity of regenerated GAC was completely recovered, the loss of carbon was controllable, flame temperature was high enough to insure complete destruction and removal $(\geq99.9999%)$ of specific organics of interest, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), that are thermally stable, and on formation of toxic byproducts such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) or polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were detected during the regeneration process. The COR technique is environmentally benign, easy to use and less copital intensive than other available regeneration technologies.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.481-491
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• 2022

This study investigates the characteristics of the GAC adsorption behavior during the operation of a multi-stage cross-flow filtration and GAC adsorption process for the purpose of devising an advanced treatment of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and evaluates the regeneration efficiency of spent GAC that has reached the design breakpoint. During the filtration process, suspended substances are easily removed, but dissolved organic substances are not removed, necessitating a process capable of removing dissolved organic substances for the advanced treatment of CSOs. In general, GAC adsorption has been applied under low-concentration organic conditions, such as for water purification and tertiary treatments of sewage, and has rarely been applied under conditions with high organic concentrations, such as with sewage or CSOs. Accordingly, this study will provide a new and interesting experience. Also in this study, the continuous operation and breakthrough characteristics of GAC according to the strength of the inflow organic matter were investigated, electrochemical regeneration was applied to the used GAC, and the regeneration efficiency was evaluated through desorption and re-adsorption tests. The results showed that the breakthrough period was 21 days under high concentration conditions, 28 days at medium concentrations, and 32 days under low concentration conditions. The desorption of adsorbed organic matter through electrolysis occurred in the range of 188 to 609 mgCOD/L depending on the electrolysis conditions, and the effect of the electrolyte type led to the finding that NaOH was slightly higher than H₂O₂.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.501-508
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• 2009

In this study, the characteristics of granular activated carbon (GAC) supported metal was investigated in an area influenced by flame discharge and temperature variation during irradiating microwave. The modified GAC was formulated by impregnating metal hydroxides of nickel (Ni/GAC), barium (Ba/GAC), copper (Cu/GAC), zinc (Zn/GAC), cobalt (Co/GAC) and lanthanum (La/GAC). Ba/GAC was selected as it showed lack of spark discharge and temperature increasing aspects. Comparison of adsorption and desorption amount of GAC and Ba/GAC showed that adsorption and desorption rate of the GAC were higher than those of Ba/GAC. The results show that the presence of barium can decrease adsorption/desorption rate because of plugging pore of GAC. Toluene regeneration rate of Ba/GAC was better than that of GAC due to barium loading. Finally, GAC with barium can be controled a rapid increasing temperature and spark discharge, increased the regeneration rate of toluene during desorption by irradiating microwave.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.579-586
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• 2006

The purposes of this paper were to monitor the temperature rising courses and spark discharge of the modified granular activated carbon (GAC) by microwave (MW) irradiation and to evaluate absorption of benzene. The GAC coated on $SiO_2$, boron, talc, ferrite was named as the modified GAC. Thermal and spark discharge measurement of virgin GAC and modifed GAC has been carried out using a MW device operating at 2450 MHz under various energy conditions. The results of this paper as follows. First, the modified GAC is more efficient than the virgin GAC in temperature control. Temperature gradient of the modified GAC is more lower than that of virgin GAC. The temperature gradient of GAC was observed in the following order : virgin GAC, Mn-Zn ferrite/GAC, Ni-Zn ferrite,/GAC, $SiO_2/GAC$, Boron/GAC, Talc/GAC. Second, the spark discharge of the modified GAC was diminished, compared with that of virgin GAC. Because of its excellent electrical insulating properties, the coating material prevents the spark discharge. Finally, the benzene adsorption capacity of the modified GAC decreased due to diminishing of adsorption site by the coating material. Considering the temperature gradient and spark discharge of GAC, the GAC coated $SiO_2$ would be appropriate absorbent under irradiation of MW.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.121-134
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• 2022

In this study, the removal efficiency of PFCs(perfluorinated compounds) in the GAC(granule activated carbon) process based on the superheated steam automatic regeneration system was investigated in laboratory scale and pilot-scale reactor. Among PFCs, PFHxS(perfluorohexyl sulfonate) was most effectively removed. The removal efficiency of PFCs was found to be closely related to the EBCT, and the removal efficiencies of PFOA(perfluorooctanoic acid), PFOS(perfluorooctyl sulfonate), and PFHxS were 43.7, 75, and 100%, respectively, under the condition of EBCT of 6 min. Afterward, PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS exhibited the earlier breakthrough time in the order. After that, GAC was regenerated, and the removal efficiency of the PFCs before and after regeneration was compared. As a result, it was shown that the PFCs removal efficiency in the regenerated GAC process were higher, and that of PFOA was improved to 75%. The findings of this study indicate the feasibility of the superheated steam automatic regeneration system for the stable removal of the PFCs, and it was verified that this technology can be applied stably enough even in field conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 1999

For a cosmetic plant wastewater containing surfactants of high concentration, adsorption treatment by granular activated carbon(GAC) having different pore size distribution was studied. Three sorts GACs were used and regenerated afterwards with methanol. Experiments were composed of batch process and column test for both virgin and regenerated GACs. Following conclusions were drawn from the study: Methylene blue activating substance(MBAS) adsorption data from the batch tests for three GACs are described well by BET isotherm and Freundich isotherm. Simulation with the BET isotherm shows that maximum adsorption appears to be affected not only by specific surface area but also by pore size distribution. Maximum adsorption from the BET isotherm for MBAS appears to diminish as the number of reactivation increases. The diminishing ratio of maximum adsorption appears to decrease as the pore size decreases. Recovery ratio of the methanol by vacuum evaporation from the spent methanol ranges from 95% to 97%.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.11-31
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• 1999

Removal of hexavalent chromium from artificial groundwater (AGW) by granular activated carbon (GAC) was investigated in batch and continuous-flow column studies. Experimental parameters that were examined included solution pH, presence of dissolved oxygen (DO), and GAC pretreatment with Fe(II). As the solution pH increased from 4 to 7.5, the amount of Cr(VI) removed by both GACs decreased significantly. Exclusion of DO from the experimental systems resulted in greater removal of Cr(VI) from solution, possibly as a result of reduction to Cr(III). However, pretreatment of the GAC with a reductant (Fe(II)) did not improve Cr(VI) removal. Equilibration With 0.01 M $K_2$$HPO_4$[to extract adsorbed Cr(VI)] followed by a wash with 0.02 N $K_2$$HPO_4$[to remove precipitated/sorbed Cr(III)] proved to be a viable approach for the regeneration of carbons whose Cr(VI) removal capacities had been exhausted. The performance of the regenerated carbons exceeded that of the virgin carbons, primarily because of the favorable adsorption of Cr(VI) at lower pH values and the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III), The presence of Cr(III) in acid wash solutions provides direct evidence that Cr(VI) is reduced to Cr(III) in GAC systems under relatively acidic conditions. GAC performance over five complete cycles was consistently high, which suggests that such a system will be able to function over many operation cycles without deleterious effects.