Activated Carbon Air Purifiers - Information & Reading on Activated Carbon Purifiers
 
Activated Carbon Air Purifiers - Information & Reading on Activated Carbon Purifiers

Activated Carbon
Activated carbon filters behave as sponges and trap most airborne gases and odors. Activated carbon is charcoal that has been treated with oxygen to open millions of small pores between the carbon atoms. These pores adsorb harmful gases and odors. Due to the large surface area of the carbon granules, carbon filters are excellent at trapping gases that pass through traditional particle filters. However, as the pores become filled with trapped contaminants the filters loose effectiveness and will need to be replaced.


NO! Activated carbon can be enhanced and impregnated and/or custom blended to be a more specialized adsorbant. The allerair Vocarb air purifiers have a more refined blend of activated carbon and will do a better job of removing air-born VOC's from the air - Click to see the AllerAir 5000 Vocarb Air Purifier .

Does it matter how much activated carbon there is?

YES! Activated carbon adsorbs to it's surface. When there is no more surface left to adsorb to the carbon, it is depleted of its capability to be effective. Large amounts of carbon will last longer then small amounts because it has larger amounts of surface area for adsorption. Also, depending on amounts of pollutants being adsorbed, a small amount of carbon can be depleted within weeks making it useless. The AllerAir purifiers that we offer have large amounts of activated carbon which can last from 18-36 months!
Does it matter how thick an activated Carbon filter is?
YES! The more contact time the activated carbon has with a pollutant, the better chances of it adsorbing it. The thicker the carbon filter the better it's adsorption. If the pollutant has to go through a long maze of activated carbon it's chances are also greater of being adsorbed.
Which is more effective, a pad impregnated with carbon or granular activated carbon?
Granular Activated Carbon is more effective then a 1" or 2" thick impregnated carbon pad. Granular activated carbon will have much more surface area for adsorption than a impregnated pad. Also, an impregnated pad will have to be changed much for frequently then a canister of activated carbon. Keep in mind that the contact time the carbon has with a pollutant is less in a pad so it's adsorption rate is also less. AllerAir purifiers have large amounts of granular activated carbon, up to 18 pounds worth!
Read more about activated carbon air purifiers: Activated carbon has been known as a miracle filter media by many researchers because of its unique ability toremove offensive tastes, odors, color, chlorine and volatile organic chemicals, pesticides and trihalomethanes (a group of suspected carcinogens). Briefly, activated carbonacts like a sponge, with a large surface area to absorb contaminants in the water. Many scientists believe this is a result of affinity that these chemicals have for carbon because of Van Der Waal forces. Activated carbon is the preferred treatment and method recommended by the EPA to remove a host of potentially hazardous and possibly carcinogenic chemicals in the air we breath.