Activated carbon production is based on the pyrolysis and activation of carbonaceous materials. Its primary raw materials include coal (such as anthracite, bituminous coal, and lignite), wood, fruit shells (such as coconut shells, apricot shells, and walnut shells), and petroleum coke. These raw materials are treated at high temperatures to form carbonaceous materials with a well-developed porous structure and a specific surface area of ​​500-3000 m2/g or even higher.

The activated carbon production process primarily involves raw material preparation, carbonization, activation, and post-processing. Activation is categorized into chemical activation (e.g., zinc chloride, phosphoric acid, potassium hydroxide) and gas activation (e.g., steam, carbon dioxide).

1. Raw Material Preparation
   In the raw material preparation stage, the material undergoes crushing, screening, and drying. For coal-based activated carbon production lines, vertical grinding mills are more suitable for large-scale production due to their high production capacity and accompanying hot air drying system.

Degassing the raw coal powder increases its bulk density, improves the production capacity of briquetting, and enhances the strength of the resulting briquette. However, it should be noted that excessively high briquetting pressure can actually reduce briquette strength.

2. Carbonization
   Carbonization is a key step in activated carbon production. By heating the raw material in anoxic conditions (typically to 400-600°C), water and volatile substances are evaporated, forming a preliminary pore structure.

Externally heated carbonization furnaces are considered the most advanced and ideal carbonization equipment for producing briquette activated carbon, offering high production capacity, high yield, and superior product quality. This type of equipment uses indirect heating, which avoids flue gas contamination and improves carbonization efficiency.

3. Activation Stage
   Activation is the core process in activated carbon production. It involves the reaction of oxidizing gases (such as steam and carbon dioxide) or chemicals (such as phosphoric acid and zinc chloride) with the carbonized material, further expanding its pore structure and increasing its specific surface area.

4. Post-Processing Stage
   Post-processing includes crushing, screening, washing, and drying. For specialized applications, activated carbon may also require impregnation (adding chemicals to enhance specific adsorption properties) or granulation.