PI: Zheng Yao
Co-PI(s): Carlos Romero
University: Lehigh University
Industry partner: Blaschak Anthracite Corporation
Activated carbon is a sorbent material widely used for removal of harmful pollutants and impurities in gases and liquids. One application that has gained increased attention is the use of activated carbon for carbon dioxide capture. The market for activated carbon for carbon dioxide capture is large and active. Activated carbons can be prepared from various raw materials that include coals (primarily bituminous and lignite) and biomass. With the recent decline in coal markets, anthracite coal producers have been exploring alternative market opportunities. Blaschak Anthracite Corporation mines Pennsylvania anthracite and is actively investigating avenues and new markets for its products. Blaschak has previously partnered on a project funded by Ben Franklin Technology Partners with Lehigh University and the University of Kentucky that aimed at characterizing the full range of anthracite sources it mines at various mine sites and from multiple coal veins. A review of the activation of anthracites has indicated the potential of anthracites to produce efficient sorbent materials, comparable to commercial activated carbons from other raw materials. Blaschak intends to use these characterization results as a basis for selection of an anthracite to be used for preparing activated carbon for carbon dioxide capture. Blaschak has also participated with Lehigh in a laboratory feasibility study and field test funded by Pennsylvania Infrastructure Technology Alliance (PITA). The achievement showed the merit of anthracite for producing activated carbon and the mercury capture efficiency of an anthracite-based activated carbon. Lehigh University and Blaschak intend to carry out a project to extend the previous results to investigate a new application: the feasibility and performance of activated anthracite for carbon dioxide capture, and its competitiveness with commercially available products. Results from this study will be presented in terms of the sorption characteristics and carbon dioxide capture efficiency of the activated anthracite-based carbon in comparison to a benchmark product commonly used by this application. A report will be prepared summarizing the methods, equipment and procedures used, as well as the test results.