activated carbon - proposal defense chapter 1: The Project and Its Background

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CHAPTER 1
THE PROJECT AND ITS BACKGROUND
I. Introduction
Activated carbon, also called activated charcoal, activated coal, or carbo activatus, is a
form of carbon processed to be riddled with small, low-volume pores that increase the surface
area available for adsorption , purification and filtration of substances.1 It is generally used in
water filters, medicines that selectively remove toxins, and chemical purification processes as a
cleaning agent. Various manufacturers, businesses, government agencies, scientists and chemists,
and even simple people use this carbon.
Activated carbon is produced by the oxidation of charcoal made from wood, coconut
shell, sawdust, or fruit kernels. For the purpose of this study, the company will focus on
manufacturing activated carbon made from coconut shells which is seen as dominant in Quezon
Province, the company’s prospected plant site.
Coconut shell-based activated carbons are the least dusty. Predominantly microporous,
they are well-suited for organic chemical adsorption. Coconut shell-based carbon has the highest
hardness compared to other types of activated carbons, which makes it the ideal carbon for water
purification.2
In the early years, the use of Activated Carbon was already dominant. Adsorption or
filtration on porous carbons was described as early as 1550 B.C. in an ancient Egyptian papyrus
and later by Hippocrates and Pliny the Elder, mainly for medicinal purposes. In the 18th century,
carbons made from blood, wood and animals were used for the purification of liquids but they
were only available as powders.

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At the beginning of the 19th century the decolourisation power of bone char was detected
and used in the sugar industry in England which allowed the use of percolation technology,
where the liquid to be treated was continuously passed through a column. Bone char, however
was only used for sugar purification.
At the beginning of the 20th century the first processes were developed to produce
activated carbons with defined properties on an industrial scale. However, the steam activation
(V. Ostreijko, 1900 and 1901) and chemical activation (Bayer, 1915) processes could only
produce powder activated carbon. During then, powder activated carbon was only known for the
production of gas masks used in the First World War.4
Today, activated carbon is already used in various areas such as in air treatment, water
treatment, manufacture of foods and beverages, pharmaceutics, and many more. By this change
they are following the modern tendency towards recycling and waste minimisation, thereby
reducing the use of the world's resources.
Table 1.1 Demand of Activated Carbon
Source: www.researchinchina.com
The demand in activated carbon is
increasing through time as to more and more
sectors discover the wonders and benefits of
active carbon. Recently, cosmetic companies
ventured to it. As water becomes increasingly
needed to satisfy life, the purification of water rapidly grows as well as the purification of foods.
Apparently, the supplies do not match the demand. More and more businesses be it large or not
use it but there are only few manufacturers of activated carbon.
In Quezon province where there are large number of coconut shells and woods, no one
manufactures activated carbon. As a result, small businesses pay more cost on shipping and

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handling for they still have to order in Manila, Cebu, Central Luzon and even abroad just to have
a supply which is a real burden. But still, the supply is not enough to cater all and it leads to
circumstances such that end user industries have to depend partially on imports and partially on
lowering their consumption.
II. Objectives of the Study
The main objective of this study is to know the feasibility of manufacturing Activated
Carbon in Quezon Province. In line with this, this study aims to:
a. know the profitability and marketability of manufacturing Activated Carbon in Quezon
Province;
b. identify the possible problems and opportunities in venturing in this kind of industry;
c. determine the competitiveness of the company from its competitors, whether direct or
indirect competitors and;
d. find out the economic practicability of operating this business in Quezon Province.
III. The Company
A. Company Profile
The company is directed to be established as one of the top activated carbon
manufacturers in the country. The company shall be called “Carbon Plus Corporation”
for practical reasons such that, this corporation is all about carbon and adding chemicals
to it to level up the value of the simple carbon. When carbon is mixed with chemicals to
make it active, it will not be another element thus, it will always, and still be a carbon, the
only difference is that, other chemicals were added to it.

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Carbon Plus Corporation is a stock corporation and will have its own plant and
main office at Brgy. Bocohan, Domoit, Lucena City, Quezon. The location will perfectly
suit the nature of the corporation, which is to make coconut shell-based carbons and since
Quezon is one of the top coconut producing region, raw materials are readily available
and accessible at the same time.
Carbon Plus Corporation saw the felt need on purification these days as our world
becomes more polluted. Everything must be sanitized first before it gets to the final users
of the product. Before coming up with the final good, other manufacturers and producers
sanitize first their product offerings making sanitation processes in demand. And Carbon
Plus Corporation aims to help these manufacturers, small or big, meet their product
standards at the same time lower their production cost.
Carbon Plus Corporation also saw the great difference in demand and supply.
There is a very great demand on activated carbon as it caters to almost all industries, but
such low and lacking supply. There are only a number of manufacturers of activated
carbon in the Philippines and they offer in great bulks. Some others are just distributors.
Businesses and other industries who needs activated carbon in their operation generally,
commit a large transportation cost for they have to order in far places. The Carbon Plus
Corporation found it odd especially for those within and near Quezon, where there is an
abundant amount of charcoal. In making a plant in Quezon, there is a certainty that we
can offer the product in a much lower price.
Other businesses on the other hand, having no choice as to buying big bulks of
activated carbon, suffer great cost discharges such as maintenance cost which is a real
burden. If we manage to offer them products in small quantities, they can effectively
control their order cost and can efficiently manage their production processes.

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Carbon Plus Corporation aims to help not only big corporations but also those
little entrepreneurs who can only afford to buy in small quantity. The company aims to
grant businesses with much effective and efficient production generating customer
satisfaction.
B. Logo of the company
Fig. 1.1 Company Logo
The color of the words “CARBON PLUS CORPORATION” is inspired by the
color of activated carbon itself, which varies within the shades of black and gray, while
the six circles at the side represent the atomic number of the element carbon, six.
Activated carbon works with the idea “black attracts black”, the circles started
from a dark toned one, which represents a substance with impurities. With the aid of the
insertion of Carbon Plus product, the shade of each circle lightens, until it reached a clear
one, representing the process of adsorption of the residues, dirt and other impurities of the
substance, which specifically, is the main function of activated carbon.
C. Vision
Carbon Plus Corporation is an integrated manufacturing entity providing
sufficient supply of high quality activated carbon and relevant services to respond to the
growing demands of the public while minimizing the cost of the product to make it more
affordable to the users. Equipped with dedication to be on the top of the industry to
further enhance the quality of purifications of our generation and generations to come,

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providing more job opportunities, a better industry and for the satisfaction of the
customers.
D. Mission Statement
a. Enthusiastically ensure the success of our company by effectively
satisfying the needs of our customer, shareholders and employees.
b. Consistently manufacture reliable and high- quality products and related
services.
c. Interdependently accelerate competence of our company through intensive
development, quick response to modernization and cooperation with the
society.
d. Be a responsible citizen that makes a difference by helping build and
support sustainable communities.
e. Maximize long-term return to shareowners while being aware of our
overall responsibilities; environmental, governmental and overall welfare.
f. Minimizing costs and offering variety of products.
E. Opportunities and Advantages
Being the first manufacturer of Activated carbon here in Quezon, provides the
company the assurance of no direct competition as the users would prefer availing
products minimizing the cost of transportation and handling. In addition, Quezon is
known for abundance in coconut supply which gives the company a great advantage in
supply, as it is sufficient and readily available in the region. Compared to other raw
materials used, Coconut is the most renewable at the quickest time possible, making it

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possible to have enough supply to ensure continuous production. Furthermore, activated
carbon from coconut shells is more reliable compared to other sources. According to
Grimwood,”Shell carbons are generally dense, very hard and highly retentive. They have
a very fine pore structure and their rate of adsorption is generally faster than that of coal
carbons.”5
IV. The Product
Carbon is one of the most abundant elements
in the world. With this, Carbon Plus Corporation
maximized the potentials of this element by turning it
into something very useful.
Activated Carbon (AC) is a crystalline
substance which has the ability to adsorb or purify
substances. It undergo through the activation process
whether thermal or chemical. Hydrocarbons are
removed from the carbon material thus producing Fig 1.2 Activated carbon in water filtration
network of tunnels and pores which gives the ability of adsorption.
The adsorption process of Activated Carbon goes through three basic steps. First, the
substance is adsorb on the outside surface of the carbon. Then it goes into the carbon adsorption
pore with the highest adsorption energy. Lastly, the substance is then adsorb into the inner
platelets of the carbon. The two mechanisms wherein the chemicals are adsorbed onto the
activated carbon are either it hates the water or it attracts into the activated carbon.

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Activated Carbon is produced from a wide variety of carbon-rich materials like coconut
shell, peat, wood, fruit kernels, or sawdust. The best material to be used is the coconut shell for
it has the following inherent qualities which give them the edge among other sources:
a. High hardness levels (> 97%):
Ensures superior material handling and minimizes dust generation.
b. High surface area (up to 1500 m2/g):
Gives high adsorption efficiency
c. High microporosity (< 20 Angstroms):
Gives high adsorption and retention capacity. This is important for the
removal of low-molecular weight organics and trace levels of
contaminants.
d. Low ash content:
Gives high purity preventing contamination of adsorbates.
e. High density
Provides for economical containment for the same level of filtration.
Source: Green Carbon Inc.
Common Uses of Activated Carbon
Air Treatment Water treatment Food and Beverage
Odor Control Drinking Water Sugar Decolour
VOC Adsorption waste water Fruit Juice
Solvent Recovery Process Water Bottled Water
Flue Gas Remediation MSG
Air Condition Swimming Pool Edible Oil
Inorganic Abate Aquariums
PSA
Auto Emission
Cigarette Filter
Table 1.2 Common Uses of Activated Carbon
Source: www.kuraraychemical.com

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Summarized Uses of Activated Carbon
States Purpose Applications Examples
Gas Phase Recovery Gasoline Vapor Gasoline Fuel recovery,ELCD
Recovery
Solvent Recovery MEK, Cyclohexanone, CS2, Furon,
Trichloroethane
Odor Removal Room Order Removal Tobacco, CO, Room filters, Toilet
Odor, Pet Odor
Refrigerator Deodorizer
Automobile Cabin air filters
Tobacco Cigarette Filter
Hospital Anesthetic gas removal
Ozone Removal Copiers, Laser Printers
Harmful Gas Closed Environment Dioxin removal,Space Ships,
Underground CO2
Gas Separation Nitrogen PSA Nitrogen Gas Separation
Other PSA Radio Active Gas
Liquid Water Treatment Factory Waste Water Cleaning Waste Water
Phase
Drinking Water Trihalomethane, Chlorine,
Treatment VOCs, Lead, Arsenate removal
Decolorization of Industrial Use Sugar refinement, Pharmaceutical
Indusrial use, Whisky distilment
Chemicals
Medical Medical and Nursing Kidney machine, Nursing supplies,
Applications Respirators
Electronics Eletrorodes Double Layer Capacitors, Hardisks
Mineral Recovery Gold Recovery Gold Recovery
Table 1.3 Summarized Uses of Activated Carbon
Source: www.kuraraychemical.com

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V. Business Offerings
Carbon Plus Corp. offers the market with Activated Carbon made from coconut shells. It
provides consumers different types of Activated Carbon. Below is the list of activated carbons
offered by the company and its corresponding description and uses.
Type Description Uses
Powdered This type of activated carbon These are used as water
is usually used for liquid treatment, decolorization of
phase adsorption. They are industrial chemicals,
put into liquids to be purified medicinal applications,
and then removed in the electronics and mineral
process of sedimentation and recovery.
filtration.
Granular These are irregularly shaped These are used for
Activated Carbons. These are deodorization, air purification,
preferably used for absorption water treatment and separation
of gases and vapors because of components of flow system.
their rate of diffusion is faster.
Pelletized These are cylindrical shaped These are mainly used for gas
Activated Carbons. They phase applications such as air
have low pressure drop, high purifications, solvent vapour
mechanical strength and low recovery, clarification of
dust content. industrial gas, gas masks and
cigarette filters.
Table 1.4 Business Offeings
References:
1 http://www.wikipedia.com
2 http://www.watertechonline.com
3 http://www.bambootech.org
4 http://www.chemvironcarbon.com
5 Coconut Palm Products: Their Processing in Developing Countries by Brian E. Grimwood, Ashman, F., Jarman,
C.G., Dendy, D.A.V