Carbon and Multi-Media Filters Shipped to Eastern Pennsylvania Power Plant

Res-Kem shipped a multi-media filter and a carbon filter as pretreatment to an RO system.  Previously, this coal-fired power plant purchased a softener from Res-Kem. Also, we supply DI service vessels for post-RO polishing. 

Multi-Media Filter and Carbon Filter with Media Ready for Shipment

The general system arrangement is:

Well => Multi-Media Filter => Activated Carbon Filter => Softener => RO => Storage Tank => Service DI => To Use

What the company does	Coal fired electric generation plant
Water treatment application	Backwashable Multi-media filter Backwashable Activated carbon filter This water enters a previously provided Res-Kem softener which pretreats the water before entering the RO system
Operating conditions, e.g. flow, temp, continuous, etc.	The systems treat the plant’s well water. Inlet temperature approximately 55 F Flow rate 40 gpm
System configuration, e.g. # of tanks, standby units, etc.	Single, 48” ASME code 100 psig, tank multi-media filter Single, 48” ASME code 100 psig, activated carbon filter
Materials of construction of tanks, piping, valves, frame, media, etc.	Threaded carbon steel face piping PVC hub and laterals Res-Karb CS1240 activated carbon
Type of valves and actuators	Cast iron, Series 42, Aquamatic diaphragm valves
Control philosophy	Time clock backwashed multi-media filter using Aquamatic NXT stager/controller Time clock backwashed activated carbon filter Aquamatic NXT stager/controller

For Additional Information:
Multi-Media Filter Brochure
Activated Carbon Filter Brochure
Industrial Water Softener Brochure
For help specifying a system

Invitation to Attend "Impact of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials in Water on Your Carbon Filters" Seminar

You are invited to a free educational seminar on how treating drinking water with naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) can lead to activated carbon landfill disposal problems in as little as 7 months.

The seminar will be held March 6 at 9:00 AM at the Res-Kem-Aston, PA facility.

Register Now!

Why should you attend?

If your company uses activated carbon for the treatment of private well ground water for your plant's needs, remediation of ground water for VOC contamination, sulfur removal, radon reduction, this seminar has critical information that may impact the way you conduct your carbon exchange program.


Do you have is this problem? It depends.  There is a rock formation found in the region from central Pennsylvania through New England. Carbon filters can "Technically Enhance" the naturally occurring radioactive materials (TENORM) to a level exceeding landfill allowable radiation levels.

Topographical Map of Pennsylvania Showing Rock Formations

Who is presenting?
This will be about a 1.5 hour, informative, interactive presentation from:

• Richard Croll - Radiation Health Physicist
• Jennifer Noll - Pennsylvania DEP
• Stephanie Carr - Calgon Carbon

Need more information?
Contact Michael Urbans
For directions to our plant in Aston, PA and agenda
Call 800-323-1983 or email

New Regional Service Center in Raynham, Massachusetts

On December 1st, we opened our new regional service center in Raynham, MA.  From this location, we serve Rhode Island, eastern Massachusetts & Connecticut, southern New Hampshire & Maine.


Res-Kem's New Regional Service Center in Raynham, MA



At our Raynham facility, Res-Kem:

• Has local stock of most filter cartridges, ion exchange resin tanks (with 1 cuft, 3.6 cuft, 12 cuft, 30 cuft and 42 cuft volumes), replacement valves, valve parts, etc. used in your plant.  If you have something usual, we can maintain local inventory with our replacement part supply contracts.
• Using our own truck fleet, provides exchange DI service for industrial, high purity and ultra high purity water production.  As required, we pick up and deliver tanks filled with activated carbon, cation resin, anion resin and/or mixed bed ion exchange resin tailored to your specific quality needs.  We can provided virgin resin exchanges and/or segregated resin handling for your most critical needs 
• Repairs virtually all water treatment equipment from any manufacturer including RO systems, softeners, multi-media filters, carbon filters, greensand filters, EDI/CEDI equipment, UV systems and more.  
• Monitors and maintains your water treatment equipment through PM (Preventative Maintenance)programs to virtually eliminate unplanned system shutdowns.

Need Help?:

For Service DI

For PM programs

For broken equipment

For more information on Res-Kem's water treatment equipment

...or call 800-323-1983

Chloramine Removal With Catalytic Carbon

Is your carbon under attack? Have you chosen the correct carbon for chloramine removal? What carbon makes the most effective final barrier against chloramines?

Why use chloramination?Let's face it everyone, they're not making any more fresh water on this planet. Our fresh water is under continuous attack from man made substances and biological bad guys. To combat these contaminates, our municipalities are continually challenged to find the "right" treatment. For instance, good old chlorine was effective to combat bacteria and most disease. However, as our water systems with miles of pipe kept growing, chlorine's "staying power" was found to be less effective at the end of the line. And worse yet, chlorine would complex with organic matter (pipe sludge) or natural algae, to create disinfection by-products (THM's). Enter Chloramine. Some science guru dreamt up the idea that chlorine was more effective if they mixed in some Ammonia. Yes, ammonia. Chlorine+Ammonia = Chloramine

As you might imagine, chloramine wasn't the magic bullet bio fighting miracle. Needless to say, Chloramine, is better off in the street pipes than in you or in your ingredients. Ok? Now what? Since the invention of chlorine, man used activated carbon as the final barrier to remove it. Most activated carbon is manufactured from coal or coconut shells. Chloramine removal turned out to be a much trickier challenge. Here's why: Most drinking water is at pH 7 or above. At pH 7 chloramine forms into a monochloramine. Monochloramines are highly stable by nature making them very difficult to remove with traditional activated carbons. Calgon discovered if you manufacture carbon with catalytic functionality, it will remove the chloramine. Here's how: traditional carbon would do an excellent job of removing the chlorine portion, but leave a significant amount of ammonia. Catalytic enhancements to traditional carbon allowed the carbon to retain more oxygen. The oxygen acted as the needed catalyst to breakdown the ammonia. Simple 'eh?

Coconut vs Coal based carbon
YES you have a choice. This is America. It comes down to this: Our real world results have confirmed the coconut shell based catalytic carbons the clear winner.


Coconut vs Coal Chloramine Removal Comparison
from Jacobi CX-MCA Technical Paper

 I speculate that coconut shell carbons have a micro-pure structure that allows them to retain more oxygen, thus be more catalytic. Also, scientific proof tells us that the coconut shell carbon is physically harder than coal carbons. When dechlorinating, carbon gives up a structural molecule. Coconut shell's strength gives it an advantage in the long run.

For Additional Information:
If you are really into the technical wizardry, read what the really smart folks wrote:
Technical Bulletin for Jacobi Aquasorb CX-MCA Catalytic Coconut Carbon
Technical Paper "Treatment for Monochloramine Using Activated Carbon" by Jacobi Carbon

Activated Carbon-"That Old Black Magic"

Activated carbon is an amazing product. Its ability to purify and remove contaminants seems limitless. However, few people know what activated carbon really is or how it's manufactured. One of my go to articles on the subject, written by Calgon Carbon, is "Activated Carbon. What is it, How Does it Work".

What is activated carbon made from?
Just about anything organic can be reduced to its elemental carbon. We use the term activated because the organic material must be changed or carbonized to gain necessary pour structure to make it adsorb. Carbon manufacturers who serve the potable water and waste water markets found that coal, wood, and coconut char are the most suitable for the activation process.


How is activated carbon "activated"?
After the base material is selected an graded, it is sent to a huge furnace or "kiln" where it is blasted with 800 to 1000 degree heat. Through the miracle of science, and closely held cooking secrets, out pops the wonderful product known as activated carbon. Depending on the raw material used, finished carbon has a dry packed density from 27.5 to 33 pounds per cubic foot.


What should I look out for?
When purchasing activated carbon please remember quality can vary greatly. Garbage in, garbage out. Stick with a manufacturer or distributor you can trust. Also, since coal and coconut char are a commodity product, they are subject to to market supply and demand forces. Recently supply shortages have driven the price of coconut carbon up 35%.

Additional Information:
On our web site, we have posted an information bulletin titled Activated Carbon Principals. Enlighten yourself, you'll be glad you did. There are many other technical bulletins available on our site, please take a look!

Activated Carbon, Res-Kem and The Marketplace

Particle Size:
Carbon typically comes in 12 x 40 mesh (size of granule). 12 mesh is a particle size of 1.7 mm or 0.066 inches. 40 mesh is a particle size of 0.425 mm or .0016 inches. 98% of Res-Kem sales are 12 x 40.
Carbon must be acid washed to remove contaminants on the carbon. The contaminants removed are primarily metals like Iron which are soluble in acidic streams,

Types of carbon:
Coconut shell (80% of market place)
Bituminous coal (20% of market place)
The trend has changed to coconut because the manufacturing process is more efficient than coal because it does not contain as many contaminants. Depending upon the quality of the coal and where it is from, coal can naturally contains metals and heavy metals. If these contaminants are not removed at the factory, they can leach out into your water.

Carbon Quality:
The Iodine Number a test used to quantify the adsorption qualities of activated carbon. Generally, the higher the iodine number, the better the removal quality of activated carbon to remove contaminants in water.

Coconut = 1,000 and more Iodine number.
Coal = Anywhere between 800-1100 Iodine number.

Brands:
The three major brands of activated carbon are:
Calgon with their Centaur brand activated carbon
Jacobi
Norit

Res-Kem offers through Calgon a carbon return program. After filling out a carbon acceptance form and approval, Calgon will take back carbon for reactivation or incineration.

Markets:
Activated carbon is used in the industrial, municipal, commercial and residential markets. Carbon is used to remove chlorine, chloramine, taste, odor, and color from water.

Activated Carbon: Mesh Size

We are often questioned about the differences between 1240 (12 by 40) mesh activated carbon and 830 (8 by 30) mesh activated carbon. The 1240 mesh activated carbon is smaller than the 830 activated carbon.

The screens or the mesh sizes are different. The 12 mesh screen has 12 openings per square inch 12 across and 12 down. The 40 mesh screen has 40 openings per square inch, 40 across and 40 down. Obviously the "holes" of the 12 mesh screen are larger than the "holes" of the 40 mesh screen. It follows that the holes on an 8 mesh screen are larger than 12 and 30 mesh holes are larger than 40 mesh holes.

If you would like a laminated card with this guide, contact Res-Kem.

As part of the manufacturing process the activated carbon companies pass the carbon through various screens to meet the specification.


So if you look at 1240 mesh activated carbon, it shouldn't have particles larger than 12 mesh or smaller than 40 mesh. The 830 mesh activated carbon shouldn't have particles larger than 8 mesh or smaller than 30 mesh.

What difference does this make to the user of the activated carbon? The most commonly used activated carbons for residential POE (point of entry) systems, commercial and industrial systems are 830 and 1240 mesh. We use 1240 mesh activated carbon because it has greater surface area and provides excellent chlorine and organics removal. Because the activated carbon filter acts as a mechanical filter in addition to removing chlorine and adsorbing organics, it will accumulate particles of dirt or crud at the top of the bed. An activated carbon filter is backwashed on a regular basis to remove this and prevent pressure loss across the bed.

In instances where the water contains more turbidity or crud, an 830 mesh activated carbon may be used. Having larger particle size than the 1240 activated carbon, the filter containing 830 mesh activated carbon won't need to be backwashed as often. However, as the particle size increases from a 1240 mesh activated carbon to an 830 mesh carbon, thereby decreasing the backwash flow rate, adsorption capacity will generally decrease.

When we specify an activated carbon it's important to know the water source. If it's city water or well water from a potable source, we can assume there is little if any turbidity and use of a 1240 mesh activated carbon will work well. If an industrial plant is taking water directly from a river or lake there may be disruptions to the clarification system that may cause excess crud or turbidity. In these cases we see the use of 830 mesh activated carbon.

Here is a full glossary of activated carbon definitions.