Water Technology

Vietnam Coconut Shell Activated Carbon

Air and Water

Why are Coconut shells are preferred to produce activated carbon?

Coconut shell raw material

Thank to their high carbon content and hardness, coconut shells are an excellent raw material source to produce activated carbon. Activated carbons that are produced using coconut shells as the raw material are often sourced in geographic regions where coconuts are harvested, including India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Viet Nam.

How is coconut activated carbon produced?

Coconut shells are first charred at the coconut grower or at a centralized facility designed to produce char. Activated carbon manufacturers then purchase the char and activate it at elevated temperatures and using steam in a kiln or furnace, similar to the process for coal-based activated carbons. The final product is screened to a variety of mesh sizes for both vapor phase and liquid phase applications.

Water for Space Trekking -Forward Osmosis

Air and Water

Six forward osmosis kits will fly aboard space shuttle Atlantis on the STS-135 mission. Image credit: NASA/Todd Mortenson Water -- it's essential for life. When future space explorers venture beyond low Earth orbit, their only water supply will be on board their spacecraft. During the final space shuttle flight, NASA scientists plan to have astronauts test in microgravity a new method for recycling "used" water.

The idea is to make a fortified drink that provides hydration and nutrients from all sources available aboard a spacecraft, such as wastewater and even urine. The method set for testing uses a process known as forward osmosis.

Six forward osmosis kits will fly aboard space shuttle Atlantis on the STS-135 mission. Image credit: NASA/Todd Mortenson "Forward osmosis is the natural diffusion of water through a semi-permeable membrane," explains Michael Flynn, research scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center. "The membrane acts as a barrier that allows small molecules, such as water, to pass through while blocking larger molecules like salts, sugars, starches, proteins, viruses, bacteria and parasites."