APROVECHAMIENTO DE LOS RESIDUOS DE LA INDUSTRIA PALMERA MEDIANTE LA OBTENCIÓN DE CARBÓN ACTIVADO A ESCALA DE LABORATORIO

Abstract

Palm kernel oil Shell was used in the activated carbon preparation. In the first step, shell was treated by thermal pyrolysis; the resulting charcoal was activated physically in the presence of superheated steam. The influence of the physical activation at laboratory scale was compared with the results of the commercial activated carbon; the properties were compared by determination of lodine activity and methylene blue activity. Pyrolysis was carried out at temperature of 380 ºC and carbonization time of 10 days, in a 500 kg capacity furnace. The physical activation was carried out with superheated steam up to 350 ºC, in a glass tube in a fixed bed. The activated carbon obtained had a surface area of 520 m²/g and microporous pore distribution.