Activated carbon odour control is used across industries where process air contains odorous gases, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or other airborne contaminants that need to be treated before discharge.
Because activated carbon can be selected for different pollutants and used across a wide range of airflow rates, it is a versatile treatment technology for wastewater, waste management, anaerobic digestion, food processing and industrial manufacturing facilities.
Exeon’s hi-flo™ activated carbon system is designed for demanding industrial applications, including installations with high airflow volumes and significant contaminant concentrations.
Wastewater and Sewage Treatment
Wastewater and sewage treatment facilities regularly use activated carbon to manage odours produced during sewage reception, treatment, sludge handling, dewatering and storage.
Common contaminants can include hydrogen sulphide, ammonia, mercaptans and VOCs. Extracting contaminated air and treating it before discharge can help minimise nuisance odours and improve conditions around the facility.
Exeon’s hi-flo™ systems for sewage treatment are designed for the higher pollutant loads and airflow requirements found within wastewater environments.
Waste Transfer and RDF Facilities
Waste transfer stations, material recovery facilities and refuse-derived fuel plants can generate complex mixtures of odours and airborne contaminants during tipping, sorting, shredding, baling and storage.
Large reception halls may also require substantial extraction volumes, making treatment capacity an important consideration.
The modular hi-flo™ system can provide activated carbon treatment for waste handling emissions, including hydrogen sulphide, ammonia, VOCs and residual odours.
Pre-filtration can also be incorporated where waste processes create significant levels of airborne dust.
Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas
Anaerobic digestion plants are another major application for activated carbon odour control.
Food waste reception, de-packing, storage, mixing and digestate handling can generate high odour concentrations that need to be captured and treated.
Exeon installed a twin dual-bed hi-flo™ system for an anaerobic digestion odour reduction project, where measured odour levels were reduced from approximately 6,000 ouE/m³ at the inlet to around 200 ouE/m³ at the outlet.
Another anaerobic digestion odour control installation used a deep-bed system treating approximately 32,000m³/hr of contaminated air.
Food Processing and Manufacturing
Activated carbon is also widely applicable to food processing where cooking, ingredients, organic materials and production processes can create strong odours.
Exeon has used deep-bed carbon adsorption for odour control at a food production facility where penetrating cooking and garlic odours were creating complaints from neighbouring properties.
Other potential users include abattoirs, poultry processing facilities, chemical production sites and manufacturing operations producing suitable VOCs or process fumes. More examples can be found across Exeon’s food processing projects.
Is Activated Carbon Suitable for Every Industry?
The industry itself does not determine whether activated carbon is appropriate. The decision depends on the pollutants present, concentrations, airflow, temperature, humidity and required removal efficiency.
In some applications, activated carbon is the primary treatment technology. In others it may provide final polishing after biological filtration or wet scrubbing.
Exeon offers several industrial odour control and air filtration technologies, allowing the treatment process to be selected around the actual characteristics of the air stream.
For businesses dealing with persistent process odours or gaseous emissions, assessing the source and contaminant profile first helps determine whether hi-flo™ activated carbon treatment offers the most effective and practical solution.
Contact Exeon today to arrange a site consultation or request a tailored proposal. Our technical team will assess your airflow volumes and contaminant profile to design a system that delivers consistent emission control.