The document is a project report on an activated carbon manufacturing plant. It was submitted by 4 students - Govind K Nedungadi, Nikhil V Nath, Rigin Raju, and Shyam A - to the Department of Mechanical Engineering at FISAT. The report details the design, fabrication, and testing of a contraption to produce activated carbon from materials like coconut shells and sawdust. It includes sections on literature review, methodology, design, fabrication, working principle, thermal analysis, results and discussion, and conclusion.

1. Project report on
ACTIVATED CARBON MANUFACTURING PLANT
Submitted by
Govind K Nedungadi( Reg no.10004132)
Nikhil V Nath( Reg no. 10004149)
Rigin Raju( Reg no. 10004157)
Shyam A( Reg no. 10004166)
Focus on Excellence
Department of Mechanical Engineering
FEDERAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (FISAT)™
Angamaly-683577, Ernakulam
Affiliated to
MAHATMA GANDHI UNIVERSITY
Kottayam-686560
2013-14
1

2. Project report on
ACTIVATED CARBON MANUFACTURING PLANT
Submitted by
Govind K Nedungadi( Reg no.10004132)
Nikhil V Nath( Reg no. 10004149)
Rigin Raju( Reg no. 10004157)
Shyam A( Reg no. 10004166)
Focus on Excellence
Department of Mechanical Engineering
FEDERAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (FISAT)™
Angamaly-683577, Ernakulam
Affiliated to
MAHATMA GANDHI UNIVERSITY
Kottayam-686560
2013-14
2

3. FEDERAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (FISAT)™
Mookkannoor(P.O), Angamaly-683577
Focus on Excellence
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the project report titled Activated Carbon
Manufacturing Plant submitted by Govind K Nedungadi, Nikhil V Nath,
Rigin Raju and Shyam A, towards partial fulfillment of the requirements for
the award of the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical
Engineering is a record of bonafide work carried out by them during the
academic year 2013 –2014.
Project Guide Head of the Department
Dept. of Mechanical Engg.
Place: Mookkanoor
Date:
3

4. ABSTRACT
The aim is to make an activated carbon manufacturing plant. This works
with the help of an electrical AC motor to drive the gear drive and actual
experimental setups, in the generation of the deactivated carbon. The Gear box
assembly, hopper setup, screw conveyor and stand were fabricated with a simple
design and with easily available materials to serve and fulfil the purpose of the
project. The drive system of the project starting from motor to conveyor system has
reduced the speed of nearly 95:1 (i.e., 1440 to 15 RPM). Standard Trial test have
been carried out with the coconut shells and saw dust to produce activated carbon.
The Thermal analysis was carried out with the use of the analysis software ABACUS
to view the exact heat transfer with the extruder pipe. And also drawings have been
prepared with the use of CREO .Various drawings and photos are prepared and
presented with sense in this project.
Activated carbon is a product of industrial importance which is
manufactured by burning of wood in the absence of air. Activated carbon is used in
refineries, water purification plants, sugar industries etc.This project deals with the
design and fabrication of contraption for producing activated carbon from saw dust,
coconut shells etc. The aim of this project is to produce an activated carbon
manufacturing plant with drastic elimination in cost.
4

5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
At this pleasing moment of having successfully completed our project, with
deep sense of gratitude, we extend our earnest & sincere thanks to our guide Mr.
Sajan S, Assistant professor, Mechanical engineering, for his kind guidance and
encouragement during this project.
We are also grateful to Mr.Jose Cherian, Head of the department,
Mechanical engineering, for his constructive suggestions & encouragement during
our project.
We also express our gratitude to our teaching and non teaching staffs of the
department of mechanical engineering especially to Ms. Devi Parvathy, Mr. M R
Sumanlal, Mr. Harish T M, Mr.Rajesh R and Mr. R Renjith for helping us to
complete our project successfully.
5

6. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page No
ABSTRACT 4
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 5
TABLE OF CONTENTS 6
Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 7
Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 8
Chapter 3 METHODOLOGY 19
Chapter 4 DESIGN 27
Chapter 5 FABRICATION 33
Chapter 6 WORKING PRINCIPLE 36
Chapter 7 THERMAL ANALYSIS 37
Chapter 8 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 38
Chapter 9 CONCLUSION AND SCOPE 39
REFERENCES 43
6

7. CONTRIBUTION OF THE AUTHOR
The Activated Carbon Manufacturing Plant is a product of the
intellectual environment of the whole team; and that all members have
contributed in various degrees to the analytical methods used, to the
thermal analysis completed,and to the design developed.
As far as the Project was concerned,the Work was divided among the
Four in the group and their respective roles are stated below.
Govind K Nedungadi
• Initial Study of the project.
• Motor and Electric Heater purchased from Reon Component shop.
• CAD model designing of Hopper And Hopper Barrel.
• Fabrication of Hopper .
• Procurement of Coconut Shell(Crushing 1400gms of coconut shell )
• Report
Nikhil V Nath
• Component Identification.
• Survey Of Availability Of components
• Material Selection Process.
• Obtaining Sheet Steel Metal from the market.
• Welding Of Hopper Barrel.
• Fabrication of Bend Pipe.
• CAD model designing of Electric Heater and Bend Pipe
Rigin Raju
• Retrieving Journal Papers and studying the Analytical Methods Used.
• Procurement Of Chemicals such as Conc. HCl and Methelene Blue.
• Cutting of sheet steel metal used for the fabrication of Screw
Conveyor.
• Design of Screw conveyor .
• Procurement of Insulating Wire and Plugs.
• Wiring the electrical components .
• Obtaining Saw Dust .
• Safety Mesh Provided
7

8. Shyam Atiyolil
• Initial study of the project .
• Design Of Motor And Gearbox which includes the worm gear and
worm wheel.
• Fabrication of Extruder and Screw Conveyor.
• Procurement Of Electric Heater Plugs and Nylon Filter.
• CAD model of the Plant .
• Thermal Analysis using AbaqusV6.
• Procurement of Safety Mesh.
Signature of the Project Guide Signature of the student
8

9. Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Need
Technologies for activated carbon Making represents another step to help
overcome fuel shortages in the developing world.
Energy is one of the most important commodities required to satisfy the
physical needs of mankind. Over the years, limits in the availability, technological
changes, locations of resources, prices and use of certain fuels have required the use
of new sources of energy.
Furthermore, during the last years, the growth of countries has led to an
increasing demand of fossil fuels. The economic difficulties about a period of energy
transition from an economy based primarily on hydrocarbons to one based
increasingly on new renewable sources of energy.
Through out the universe there lies an abundant natural resource of various
form of energy. “Activated carbon is one of the great cleansing agents of modern
industry,” says Dr Fung.
Activated carbon manufactured from coconut shell is considered superior to
those obtained from other sources mainly because of small macro pores structure
which renders it more effective for the adsorption of gas/vapour and for the removal
of colour and odour of compounds.
The activated carbon is extensively used in the refining and bleaching of
vegetable oils and chemical solutions, water purification, recovery of solvents and
other vapors, recovery of gold, in gas masks for protection against toxic gases, in
filters for providing adequate protection against war gases/nuclear fall outs, etc.
9

10. “One of the most important uses for carbon is in the recovery of gold during
is processing; two thirds of the activated carbon used in Australia is in our gold
industry. Up until now, all this ‘gold carbon’ has been imported.”
CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE SURVEY
2.1 Historical Development
The first known use of activated carbon dates back to the Ancient Egyptians
who utilized its adsorbent properties for purifying oils and medicinal purposes.
Centuries later, the early ocean-going vessels stored drinking water in wooden
barrels, the inside of which had been charred. (However, by modern definition the
carbon used in these applications could not truly be described as “activated”). By the
early 19 th century both wood and bone charcoal was in large-scale use for the
decolorization and purification of cane sugar.However, it was not until the beginning
of the First World War that the potential of activated carbon was really capitalized
upon. The advent of gas warfare necessitated the development of suitable respiratory
devices for personnel protection. Granular activated carbon was used to this end as,
indeed, it still is today.
By the late 1930’s there was considerable industrial -scale use of carbon for
gaseous and liquid phase application and new manufacturing processes had been
developed to satisfy the needs of industry. During the 1939-1945 war, a further
significant development took place - the production of more sophisticated chemically
impregnated carbon for entrapment of both war and nerve gases
2.2 What Is Activated Carbon?
Almost all materials containing a high fixed carbon content can potentially
be activated. The most commonly used raw materials are coal (anthracite, bituminous
and lignite), coconut shells, wood (both soft and hard), peat and petroleum based
10

11. residues. Many other raw materials have been evaluated such as walnut shells, peach
pits, babassu nutshell and palm kernels but invariably their commercial limitation lies
in raw material supply. This is illustrated by considering that 1,000 tons of untreated
shell type raw material will only yield about 100 tons of good quality activated
carbon.
Most carbonaceous materials do have a certain degree of porosity and an
internal surface area in the range of 10-15 m2/g. During activation, the internal
surface becomes more highly developed and extended by controlled oxidation of
carbon atoms - usually achieved by the use of steam at high temperature. After
activation, the carbon will have acquired an internal surface area between 700 and
1,200 m2/g, depending on the plant operating conditions. The internal surface area
must be accessible to the passage of a fluid or vapor if a potential for adsorption is to
exist. Thus, it is necessary that an activated carbon has not only a highly developed
internal surface but accessibility to that surface via a network of pores of differing
diameters.
As a generalization, pore diameters are usually categorized as follows:
micropores <40 Angstroms
mesopores 40 - 5,000 Angstroms
macropores >5,000 Angstroms (typically 5000-20000 A)
During the manufacturing process, macropores are first formed by the oxidation of
weak points (edge groups) on the external surface area of the raw material.
Mesopores are then formed and are, essentially, secondary channels formed in the
walls of the macropore structure. Finally, the micropores are formed by attack of the
planes within the structure of the raw material. All activated carbons contain
micropores, mesopores, and macropores within their structures but the relative
proportions vary considerably according to the raw material. A coconut shell based
carbon will have a predominance of pores in the micropore range and these account
for 95% of the available internal surface area. Such a structure has been found ideal
for the adsorption of small molecular weight species and applications involving low
contaminant concentrations.In contrast wood and peat based carbons are
predominantly meso/macropore structures and are, therefore, usually suitable for the
adsorption of large molecular species. Such properties are used to advantage in
11

12. decolorization processes.Coal based carbons, depending on the type of coal used,
contain pore structures somewhere between coconut shell and wood.
In general, it can be said that macropores are of little value in their surface area,
except for the adsorption of unusually large molecules and are, therefore, usually
considered as an access point to micropores.
Mesopores do not generally play a large role in adsorption, except in particular
carbons where the surface area attributable to such pores is appreciable (usually 400
m2/g or more).Thus, it is the micropore structure of an activated carbon that is the
effective means of adsorption.It is, therefore, important that activated carbon not be
classified as a single product but rather a range of products suitable for a variety of
specific applications.
It appears to be black, tasteless, nontoxic absorbent, with large specific area
(600-2000m2/g) and three class of pore size distribution (macro pore: effective radius
is over 1000oA: 100-200oA; micro pore: under 20oA) after a serial of physical and
chemical processions including carbonization, activation, acid cleaned and washed. It
has properties of both physical and chemical adsorption, selecting and adsorbing
matters of small and macro molecular in gas and liquid phase to do functions of
crocking, refining, deodorization, sterilization, decontamination and purification.
Activated carbon is an essential industry product for food, pharmaceutical, chemical,
water treatment, environment-protection, chemical national defense and agricultural
industry.
2.1.1 Methods of Formations:
There are two methods of producing activated carbon:
Chemical activation and Steam activation. Chemical activation is generally
used for the production of activated carbon from sawdust, wood or peat and uses
chemicals for activation. Chemical activation involves mixing an inorganic chemical
compound with the carbonaceous raw material and the most widely used activating
agents are phosphoric acid and zinc chloride. Use of Zinc Chloride poses the danger
of zinc traces in the end-product.
12

13. Steam activation is generally used for coal-based, coconut shell and grain
based activated carbons and used gases, vapours, or a mixture of both.
Most activated carbon operations which have come on stream in the last
twenty years have been based on coal, mostly bituminous coal but also lignite and
anthracite. Coal is by far the most widely-used raw material in the industrialized
countries, as many companies are related to coal processing and steel industries in
developing countries coconut shells are by far the most widely used raw material.
However, investment in activated carbon plants in developing countries has been
slow, due to high investment costs in plant and machinery and high licensing costs of
proprietary production processes.
Individual manufacturers restrict the use of their proprietary production
process, stopping the transfer of technology of activated carbon manufacturing to
developing countries to make good use of valuable waste product like refuse grain
and coconut shells.
2.2 General Sources for Production of Activated Carbon:
Coconut shells have a high volatile content and give a lower yield of
activated carbon than grain and coal, but their abundant supply as a waste product
from the coconut oil and desiccated. Coconut industry proves to be relative
competitive than grain and coal-based activated carbon producers who have to pay
for their grain and coal feedstock. The fixed carbon content of various raw materials
used for the production of activated carbon is as follows:
Table 2.1
Material Approximate carbon content (%):
Softwood 35
Hardwood 40
Coconut shell 35
Grain and agro products 40
Lignite 60
13

14. Bituminous coal 75
Anthracite 90
The conceptual framework offered by the technology supplier is based on
processing an existing feedstock, which has resulted from an already operating
processing line.
For example, the discarded shells from coconut, walnut or similar product
operations are processed to produce a high quality activated carbon. The technology
for producing activated carbon is straightforward, the refuse feedstock is processed
with a thermal desorption process with a final product of activated carbon. The
thermal desorption process is a separation process that removes unwanted materials
under varying heat applications. This technique is low-cost and meets all
environmental standards, where others need expensive solutions to achieve the same
results.
Walnut shells produce a high quality of activated carbon. The appropriate
chemical structure of the feedstock, e.g. proper distribution of micro, meso and macro
pores, high fixed carbon content, high volume weight during transportation and pure
chemical composition is present. With this feedstock size it provides opportunity for
natural powdered and broken AC production in any size range. The low moisture
content promotes energy efficient and fast – highly productive – carbonization. With
the plant connected to an already processing facility a guaranteed access to feedstock
year around with just in time supply eliminates input material stock financing. Also a
fluctuation of raw material price does not affect the production cost.
14

15. TABLE 2.2
Activated carbon end product average characteristics:
Activated Carbon Fiber, developed in the last decade, is the third form of activated
carbons. It has large specific surface area, large pore volume, and a great part of
micro pores. Because of the above, ACF has much greater capacity and high speed in
performing adsorption and desorption than that of powder and granule carbon, and
also it has the features of heat-resistance, acid or alkaline –resistance, filtration of
waste gas, etc. And due to the special fibrous form, it can be easy-forming into cloth,
felt and paper to meet different demands in application.
2.3 Raw Materials Used in the Production of Activated Carbon:
15
Iodine Absorption
Mg/g 600-1000
N2 Surface Area M2/g 500-1000
Volatile Content %max. 1.0
Moisture %max. 1.2
Ash Content %max. 3.0-5.0

16. Activated carbon is produced from a wide variety of carbon-rich raw
materials, including wood, coal, peat, coconut shells, nut shells, bones and fruit
stones. New materials are currently under investigation as sources for activated
carbon.Almost any organic matter with a large percentage of carbon could
theoretically be activated to enhance its sorptive characteristics. In practice, however,
the best candidates for activated carbon contain a minimum amount of organic
material, have a long storage life, are hard enough to maintain their properties under
usage conditions, may be obtained at a low cost, and obviously are capable of
producing a high-quality activated product when processed.
The widespread use of a particular raw material as a source of activated
carbon is obviously limited by the supply of that material. As a result, wood (at
130,000 tons/year) is by far the most common source of activated carbon, followed
closely by coal (100,000 tons); coconut shell (35,000 tons) and peat (35,000 tons) are
also used in large quantities, but they are more expensive and less readily
available.The raw material from which a given activated carbon is produced often has
a large effect on its porosity distribution and surface area. As a result, activated
carbons produced from different raw materials may have much different adsorbent
qualities. The following table sums up some of the Differences between raw materials
used.
TABLE 2.3
Relation between texture and phase
Raw
Material
Density
(kg/L)
Texture
of AC
Applications
Soft
wood
0.4 –
0.5
Soft, large
pore
volume
Aqueous
phase
adsorption
Nutshells 1.4 Hard,
large
micro
pore
volume
Vapor phase
adsorption
16

17. Hard
coal
1.5 –
1.8
Hard,
large pore
volume
Gas vapor
adsorption
Lignite 1.00 –
1.35
Hard,
small
pore
volume
Wastewater
treatment
It should be noticed that nutshells, including coconut shells and pecan shells,
produce activated carbons with high micro pore volumes. These carbons are very
adsorbent, but quantities of these raw materials are much more limited than coal or
wood. However, a new process developed by the I.S. Department of Agriculture to
activate pecan shells shows promise for developing this raw material source.
2.4 New perspective of activated carbon
Most forms of activated carbon are non-polar in nature, so they have the
greatest affinity for other non-polar substances. As a result, they are most effective in
the removal of a variety of organic contaminants, including trihalomethanes,
pesticides and herbicides, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons.
However, activated carbon may also be used for the removal of trace metals
such as cadmium and lead, and it has also been effective in removing some polar
organics as well. On the other hand, activated carbons do not effectively remove
contaminants of high solubility or inorganic salts like nitrates.
In remediation systems, activated carbon is almost always used as a
component in some form of pump-and-treat system. Commonly, it is used as a
sorptive filter medium through which contaminated water is passed before it is re-
injected or routed to a stream or sewer. In these applications, activated carbon is
most commonly used as a tertiary step, in which low concentrations of contaminants
are removed from partially treated water.
17

18. 2.5 Activated Carbon and Wastewater Treatment Systems:
In water and wastewater treatment systems, activated carbon is almost
always used as a filter medium in an independent treatment operation. In some cases,
powdered activated carbon (PAC) is added to the actual wastewater stream to adsorb
contaminants, then removed later from the stream and discarded. Because PAC has a
faster adsorption rate, it was often used in the past, but disposal and handling
concerns have made granular activated carbon (GAC) a more popular alternative for
most applications. GAC is used in the filtration process in water treatment, and then
regenerated when it becomes less effective due to saturation with chemicals. GAC is
also usually much easier to handle and transport then PAC.
Three primary types of filter beds are used with GAC as substrate. The
differences involve the method by which carbon is removed from the system as its
capacity is consumed. All three require the constant monitoring of effluent in order
to determine when the ‘breakthrough’ occurs of effluent with a high concentration of
solute. This breakthrough, of course, indicates that the carbon is not longer adsorbing
effectively.
While activated carbon is especially known for its effectiveness in removing
organic chemicals from water and waste water, it is also surprisingly effective in
removing a variety of inorganic constituents would not necessarily be predicted by
the chemistry of activated carbon, low levels of these chemicals can be removed
effectively, primarily due to physical adsorption mechanisms. Applications for this
process can be found in water and wastewater engineering, metallurgy, and analytical
chemistry.
Both anions and cations have been removed from waters with activated carbon. In
general, it is true that carbon adsorption is not nearly as effective at removing metals
and inorganics as it is at removing organic compounds. This is primarily because
metals often exist in solution either as ions or as hydrous ionic complexes. Based on
previous discussions of adsorption chemistry, neither of these forms is effectively
adsorbed by carbon.The following metals are often removed from industrial
wastewaters via activated carbon adsorption. It is notable that most of these metals
18

19. can be toxic at fairly low concentrations, and carbon can accomplish the type of
“finishing” treatment often necessary with waste effluents containing them.
Table 2.4
Metals removed with activated carbon
2.6 VOC Removal:
Activated carbon is the leading technology for the removal of Volatile
Organi Compounds (VOC) from air and other gases . The very high removal
efficiencies, typically greater than 99% at contact times as low as 0.1 second, mean
that the most stringent air quality regulations can be exceeded.The technology is
reliable, simple and has been proven over many years.
19
Metals Commonly
Removed with AC
Cadmium
Chromium
Zinc
Lead
Mercury
Copper
Cyanide
Fluorides

20. CHAPTER-3
METHODOLOGY
3.1 Requirements
3.1.1 Motor:
Fig 3.1
The motor is so chosen in such a way that it is used to drive the worm and
worm wheel drive. The ratio have been reduced drastically of about 40:1 ratio.The
motor selected is AC such that it needs to sustain single phase 15 amphs.
3.1.2 Heating Chamber:
It is the pipe chamber where the moving product is to burn. Screw conveyor
is to be inserted through the chamber, for carrying the product inside. Generally the
heating chamber should withstand high capacity of heat so this part has been made of
mild steel.
20

21. 3.1.3 Electric Heater:
Fig 3.2
These are the heating element which fixed around the heating chamber and
screwed. They were connected to the power supply and produced heat over the
heating chamber. So that, the heating chamber gets heated. They were controlled by
the electrical control switches.
3.1.4 Hopper barrel:
Fig 3.3
It is a barrel which bolsters the hopper. It is provided in between the heating
chamber and the gear box. The products fall inside this barrel through the hopper or
else in other words from the front end of the screw conveyor.
21

22. 3.1.5 ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT FOR PANEL BOARD
H1 H2 H3
Indicator
Fig 3.4
3.1.6 Hopper:
22
DP Switch
MOTOR
FUSE
FUSE
DP Switch
MOTOR
H
1
H2
H3

23. It is the feeder part shaped like a truncated pyramid. It is welded on the
hopper barrel. The product us fed through this hopper to the hopper barrel. This
Hopper is generally made of steel sheets by the use of welding and riveting
operations.
3.1.7 Bend pipe:
Fig 3.5
It is a pipe which has two pipes welded to each other with an inclination. It
is fitted with the other end of the heating chamber. It is used to take out of the burnt
products i.e., activated carbon from the heating chamber.
3.1.8 Base Stand:
It is the base part of the equipment where all the parts have been mounted. It is
fabricated by the number of angle plates welded with each other. It absorbs all the
vibrations through the vibration resisting bush fixed at each leg of supporter and
forces of other parts during the working condition.
3.1.9 Shaft:
23

24. Fig 3.6
A shaft is a rotating machine element which is used to transmit power from one place
to another. The power is delivered to the shaft by some tangential force and the
resultant torque setup within the shaft permits the power to be transferred to various
machines linked up to the shaft. In this equipment the power from the motor is
transmitted to the gear box by the transmitting shaft. The transmitting shaft is made
of mild steel and is of cylindrical in shape. The diameter of the shaft used here is of
20mm. The length of the shaft used is about 850mm.
3.10 Worm Gear:
The worn gears are widely used for transmitting power at high velocity
ratios between non-intersecting shafts that are generally but not necessarily at right
angles. It can give velocity ratios as high as 300:1 or more in a single step in a
minimum of space but it has lower efficiency. The worm gearing is mostly used as
speed reducer which consists of a worm and a worm wheel. In this equipment the
worm gear used is of cylindrical or straight worm and can obtain a velocity ratio of
15:1.
3.11 Bearing:
A bearing is a machine element which supports another moving machine
element. It permits a relative motion between the contact surfaces of the members,
while carrying the load. In order to reduce frictional resistance and wear and in some
24

25. cases to carry away the heat generated a layer of fluid may be used. The lubricant
used to separate the journal and bearing is usually a mineral oil refined from
petroleum, but vegetable oils, silicon oils, greases etc, may be used.
3.12 Pulleys:
Two pulleys made up of cast Iron one is fitted on the motor shaft and other
on the gear box. This in turn fitted heavily with the shafts with use of keys.
TABLE 3.1
NAME ,MATERIALS AND DIMENSIONS USED
25

26. 26
SL.NO
NAME OF
THE PART
MATERIALS AND DIMENSIONS USED
1. Gear Box
housing
Mild steel
 125 * 125 * 5 (mm)
2. Bearings Mild steel
(I.D.=12mm,OD=32mm
W=12mm) =>4 in Nos.
(I.D.=30mm,OD=72mm,W=19mm)
3. Worm &
Worm Wheel
Steel worm 77mm dia, single start
Cast iron Worm shell 154mm dia No. of
teeth=>40
4. Shafts Worm shafts:
1st
step: OD = 40mm; L=49mm.
: ID=16mm; L=38mm.
2nd
step: OD = 30mm; L=9mm.
3rd
step: OD = 26mm; L=131mm.
Worm Wheel shafts
1st
step: 12mm dia, L=21mm.
2nd
step: 16mm dia, L=120mm
3rd
step: 12mm dia, L=121mm
5. Screw
Conveyor
Mild steel pipe
OD = 30mm; L=650mm.
Mild steel plates
OD=106mm;ID =30mm,T=2mm.
6. Coupling
shaft
Mild steel shaft
1st
step: OD = 50mm, L = 70mm,
ID = 32mm, L = 45mm,
2nd
step: OD = 36mm, L = 50mm
ID = 12mm, L = 50mm.
7. Bush OD = 48mm, ID = 32.5mm,

27. 10
.
Hopper barrel Mild steel pipe L = 200mm
OD = 120mm: Id = 112mm
10
.
Hopper Total height = 300mm
Truncated pyramid Ht = 190mm
Top width = 300mm
Inner width = 150mm
11
.
Bend pipe Od = 140mm, ID = 132mm
L = 95mm, Straight line Length = 60mm, Bend
end = 260mm and 220mm
12
.
Supporter Mild steel: Langles
Section: 35 * 5mm & 25 * 3mm
Mild steel flat: 15 * 5mm
Bolt & Nut = ½” * 2” –6 nos,
½” * 1 ½” – 8 nos.
13
.
Panel Board 18 G sheets, Dp switches –2 nos,
16 amps –240V fuse –2 nos,
16 amps indicator –4 nos,
Energy regulator – 240V – 3 nos.
320 wire – 7mts.
CHAPTER 4
27

28. 4.1 Design
4.1.1 Motor (AC):
Speed (N) = 1440rpm
Power = 0.376 KW = 0.5 hp
4.1.2 Gear Box:
Input Speed = 1440 rpm
No of stages in reduction = >2.
4.1.3 Worm Gear & Worm Wheel:
4.1.3.1Worm gear:
1.Reference diameter d1 = q*mx =11*1.4
= 16mm
2.Tip diameter da1 =d1 + 2*f0*mx = 16+2*7*1.4= 36mm
Where f0 is the height factor here it is taken as 7.
3.Tip relief radius r1 = 0.1*mx = 0.1*1.4
= 0.14mm
4.Root relief radius r2 = 0.2*mx = 0.2*1.4
= 0.28mm
5.Nominal tooth thickness reference to dia in axial section:
S =Π x mx/2 = Π x 1.4/2
28

29. = 2.199 mm
6.Nominal tooth thickness reference to diameter in normal section:
Sn = Π/2 x mx x Cos ɣ
Ɣ = tan⁻¹ [ z/q ]
= tan⁻¹[1/11] = 5.19
Sn = Π/2 x 1.4 cos(5.19)
= 2.190 mm
4.1.3.2 Worm wheel:
1.Referance diameter d2 = Z x mx= 28 x 1.4
= 39.2 mm
2.Tip diameter da2 = ( Z + 2x7+2x ) x 1.4
= 58 mm
3.Pitch diameter d2´ = d2
= 39.2 mm
Where as ɣ= tan⁻ [ 1/q ]
29

30. = tan⁻ [ 1/11 ]= 5.1944
Sn = (Π/2) x 1.4 x Cos (5.1944)
= 2.1901 mm
4.1.4 Efficiency of a system:
Η = ( 0.95 x tanɣ ) / { tan ( ɣ + ρ ) }
Ρ = tan⁻ (μ)
Μ = Ratio according to slicing velocity(Vs)
Vs = V1 / Cosɣ
Here,
V1 = ( Π x d1 x N1 ) / 60000
= 1.206 m/sec.
∴Vs = 1.206 / Cos (5.1944)
= 1.210 m/sec.
According to Vs = 2 m/sec (approx.)
Value of μ = 0.03
Η = { (0.95 x tan 5.1944) / [ tan (5.1944+1.718) ] }
Ρ = tan⁻ (μ) = 1.718
30

31. Η = 81.10 % ≤ 90 %
( Hence it is possible )
4.1.5 Speeds in gear box:
Measured Specifications:
N1/N2 = D2/D1 = Z2/Z1
Where,
N1 =Input speed to the gearbox = 1440rpm
N2 =Output speed from the gearbox
D2 =Diameter of the worm wheel = 50mm
D1 =Diameter of the worm gear = 36 mm
Z1 =Number of starts in the worm gear =1
Z2 =Number of teeth on worm wheel
=40 Nos.
∴ N2 = (Z2/Z1) x N1
= ( 40/ 1) x 1440 = 36 rpm
4.1.6 Design of pulley:
Dimensional specifications:
Diameter of the Driver Pulley D1 =23 mm
Diameter of the Driver Pulley D2 =23 mm
Input Speed N1 = 1440
rpm
Rated Power Rp =0.188Kw
Calculation of Speed Ratio:
31

32. D1/D2= N2/N1
N2 = (D1/D2) x N1
= (23/23) x 1440
= 1440rpm
Speed ratio of the pulley (i') = 1:1
Speed ratio of the gear box ( i) = N1/N2
= 1440/36 = 40
Centre distance (C1):
C1 = 225 mm (Measured dimension)
Length of belt drive (L):
L = 2C1+[Π/2( D1 + D2)] +{(D2-
D1)²/4C1)}
= ( 2 x 0.225 ) + [Π/2 ( 0.023 + 0.023)]
+ { (0.023-0.023)² / ( 4 x 0.285) }
= 522.629 mm
A = L/4 - { Π (D1+D2) } / 8
= 522.629/4 – { Π (23+23) } / 8
= 112.59 mm
B = (D1- D2)² / 8 = ( 23 – 23 ) / 8
= 0
C = A + √ ( A² - B )
32

33. = 113.279 + √ ( 113.279² - 351.125)
= 226.558 mm
The volume of cylinder
Πr2
h =3.14*72*
65
=1.00 m3
Rate of discharge =( A×h ) ∕ T
=1 ∕ (15×60)
=1.11×10-3
m3
/s
4.1.7 Screw conveyor
Capacity of conveyor
Q= v×ρ
= (π/4)×D2
×ρ×n×ψ×δ×c
= 7.76 ρ, for coconut shell ρ=600 kg/m3
=4.656kg
33

34. CHAPTER 5
5.1 Fabrication
5.1.1 Fabrication Procedure:
The fabrication starts along with the parts such as bushes, among the
extruder sides then all the flanges are connected each other using five bolts and nuts.
Then finally the total assembly was placed have been carried out. We have purchased
all materials related to our project for assembling and to get full working of the
project. Materials involved in our project are;
Sheet metal (1.5mm thick)
Steel pipe (9.5mm thick)
Copper sheets (1mm thick)
In this project first the sheet metal was cut into 300*300mm length and
Height and welded using carbon are welding. A pipe of diameter (140mm) have been
gas cut to a hole and welded with hopper and inner dia of flange (140mm) also to be
welded. Then an extruder was turned and faced using lathe. Then two flanges were
also welded at the two sides of the extruder.
A bend pipe of (1.5mm) of thickness was manufactured by welding of two
pipes with each other and another side of bent pipe was welded with the flange.
The flange has five holes use to attach with each other parts. Then the panel box is
purchased and a hole was made by gas cutting for arrangements of switches and
indicators. Then panel box was welded with the stand. The stand of (700mm) height
was made with (2.5mm) thick L-angles and welded with each other.
Finally the location of motor, gearbox, hopper, extruder passage is located
and drilling operation on stand has been done.
Screw conveyor was made by cutting 1mm thick by gas cutting of diameter
of screw (100mm dia). Thus all the gas cutted parts were joined each other among
34

35. the hollow pipe of 25mm diameter and those was allowed inside. Bushes wee located
at two ends of pipe passage. Finally welding was done for mishap among the base
plate and joined by nuts and bolts.
Then motor was placed at the place so that the drive is to be given to
the conveyor – for the reduction through the gear box. The shaft in the gear box and
conveyor shaft was joined using adjustable bracket. Then motor drive was given by
means of (7470 no) Vee-belt. Then copper plates was bended around for diameter
(dia 140 mm)-3 in Number which has filament that is to be brazed among them for
supply of current to give heat for extruder.
Then power supply of (15 amp) was given so that the heat was
generated; with the use of say (3000watts) to heat coil copper plates. The above
procedure completes the fabrication of our project.
Fig 5.1
5.1.2 Parts Fabricated:
HOPPER:
i) Material: SHET METAL.
ii) Size (300*300*70) Length*Breadth*height)
iii) Welding process.
35

36. EXTRUDER:
i) Material: steel pipe.
ii) Size: (length and breadth)
iii) Process: welding, lathe work.
BEND PIPE:
i) Material: steel metal.
ii) Size: 140mm diameter.
iii) Process: welding.
STAND:
i) Material: steel Plate (L-angle)
ii) Size: 2mm thick.
iii) Process: welding.
GEARBOX:
i) Material: steel plate (2mm thick).
ii) Size: (110*100mm) (length * width)
iii) Process: cutting process.
GEARS:
i) Material: Worm & Worm wheel both of cast iron.
ii) Size: worm (40mm) worm wheel (60mm)
iii) Process: Hobbing process and milling process.
SHAFTS:
i) Material: mild steel.
ii) Size: dia 25mm.
iii) Process: lathe work.
36

37. CHAPTER 6
6.1 Working principle
Waste products taken from wood industries are dried for two to three days.
The heating chamber switch was switched ON so that the regulator has to be adjusted
gradually to reach the maximum temperature. Then it was allowed to heat up to five
minutes. Then wooden waste dried is taken and mixed with Nacl with proportionate
rate of 1:4.
Then motor was switched ON. Thus screw conveyor rotates. Then
proportionate mixture of sodium chloride and wood dust was put inside the hopper.
The conveyor has taken it inside the hopper.
Inside the extruder more heat is generated because the heat is transferred from
heat chamber to the extruder. Thus the wooden waste burnt inside the extruder with
Nacl. The Nacl prevents the wooden dust from forming of ash while heating. The
heat produced around is 200^c.
The sawdust is burnt completely and taken away as deactivated carbon by the
conveyor. The carbon is fed down through the bend pipe.Then the carbon getting out
have to be dipped inside the Conc.Hcl hydrochloric acid which was mixed with water
with permanent proportionate rate of (1:10). Thus it will now form as diluted Hydro
Choloric Acid. The deactivated carbon was dipped in the acid for few seconds. Thus
the chloride content present in carbon is removed by chlorine present inside the HCl.
Thus it was taken and dried and the resultant product obtained was known as
“Activated carbon”.
37

38. CHAPTER 7
7.1 Thermal analysis
Fig7.1
38

39. CHAPTER 8
8.1 Results and discussion
The apparatus was found to be working well and activated carbon was
manufactured by using coconut shell .
It was found, through literature survey, that the activated carbon produced from
coconutshell has much better characteristics than that is produced from coal and other
sources. The details of the characteristics are given below.
Activated carbons produced from coconut shells typically have a tighter,
more microporous pore structure than their coal-based counterparts. This is due to the
inherent pore structure of the raw material coconut shell as compared to raw material
coals. This microporosity lends itself towards certain applications where activated
carbon is used.
Also, coconut shell-based carbons tend to be harder, more resistant to
abrasion, and lower in ash than similar grades of coal-based carbons. A quick
comparison of standard specification measures on coconut shell carbons versus coal
carbons is as follows:
39

40. Table 8.1
Comparison between coal and coconut shell
40
Aqueous Phase Vapor Phase
Parameter Coal
-
Base
d
Coco
nut-
Base
d
Coa
l-
Bas
ed
Coc
onut
-
Base
d
Iodine No., mg/g 900-
1000
1100
-
1200
- -
Butane Activity - - 22-
25
23-
28
Carbon
Tetrachloride
Number
- - 55-
64
60-
71
Abrasion
Number
75-
80
80-
85
- -
Hardness
Number
- - 90-
95
95-
98
Ash, Wt. % 10-
15
4-6 12-
15
4-6
Apparent
Density, g/cc
lb/ft3
0.46
-
0.63
29 -
39
0.45-
0.52
28 –
32.5
0.47
-
0.53
29 -
55
0.45-
0.52
28
-32.5

41. CHAPTER 9
9.1 Conclusion and scope for future work
9.1.1 Conclusion
41

42. The design, analysis and fabrication of Activated carbon facturing plant have been
done with utmost care. The thermal analysis for the heater area reveals the
temperature variations with respect to time. Activated carbon was obtained with the
use of coconut shell and sawdust using this equipment as carbon from these sources
found to be superior when compared to other common sources . The sawdust was
burned during the movement of Screw Conveyor in the Heating Chamber.It Recovers
Deactivated Carbon. It is then dipped to get activated carbon with the use of diluted
HCl. This unit may be further developed by incorporating appropriate arrangements.
9.2 Scope for future work
Activated carbon is used in gas purification, decaffeination, gold
purification, metal extraction, water purification, medicine, sewage treatment, air
filters in gas masks and respirators, filters in compressed air and many other
applications.
One major industrial application involves use of activated carbon in the
metal finishing field. It is very widely employed for purification of electroplating
solutions. For example, it is a main purification technique for removing organic
impurities from bright nickel plating solutions. A variety of organic chemicals are
added to plating solutions for improving their deposit qualities and for enhancing
properties like brightness, smoothness, ductility, etc. Due to passage of direct current
and electrolytic reactions of anodic oxidation and cathodic reduction, organic
additives generate unwanted breakdown products in solution. Their excessive build
up can adversely affect the plating quality and physical properties of deposited metal.
Activated carbon treatment removes such impurities and restores plating performance
to the desired level.
9.2.1 Analytical chemistry applications
Activated carbon, in 50% w/w combination with celite, is used as stationary
phase in low-pressure chromatographic separation of carbohydrates (mono-, di-
42

43. trisaccharides) using ethanol solutions (5–50%) asmobile phase in analytical or
preparative protocols.
9.2.2 Environmental applications
Activated carbon is usually used in water filtration
systems.Carbon adsorption has numerous applications in removing pollutants from
air or water streams both in the field and in industrial processes such as:
Spill cleanup
Groundwater remediation
Drinking water filtration
Air purification
Volatile organic compounds capture from painting, dry cleaning, gasoline dispensing
operations, and other processes.
In 2007, UGent (Ghent University, Belgium) began research in water treatment after
festivals. A full scale activated carbon installation was built at the Dranouter music
festival in 2008, with plans to utilize the technology to treat water at this festival for
the next 20 years.
Activated carbon is also used for the measurement of radon concentration in air.
9.2.3 Medical applications
Activated carbon is used to treat poisonings and overdoses following oral ingestion. It
is thougT to bind the poison and prevent its absorption by the gastrointestinal tract. In
cases of suspected poisoning, medical personnel administer activated carbon on the
scene or at a hospital's emergency department. Dosing is usually 1 gram/kg of body
mass (for adolescents or adults, give 50–100 g), usually given only once, but
depending on the drug taken, it may be given more than once. In rare situations
activated carbon is used in Intensive Care to filter out harmful drugs from the blood
stream of poisoned patients. Activated carbon has become the treatment of choice for
many poisonings, and other decontamination methods such as ipecac-induced
emesis or stomach pumping are now used rarely.
9.2.3.1 Activated charcoal for medical use
43

44. While activated carbon is useful in acute poisoning, it has been shown to not
be effective in long term accumulation of toxins, such as with the use of toxic
herbicides.
Mechanisms of action:
Binding of the toxin to prevent stomach and intestinal absorption. Binding is
reversible so a cathartic such as sorbitol may be added as well. It interrupts
the enterohepatic and enteroenteric circulation of some drugs/toxins and
their metabolites.
Incorrect application (e.g. into the lungs) results in pulmonary aspirationwhich can
sometimes be fatal if immediate medical treatment is not initiated. The use of
activated carbon is contraindicated when the ingested substance is an acid, an alkali,
or a petroleum product.
For pre-hospital (EMT) use, it comes in plastic tubes or bottles, commonly 12.5 or
25 grams, pre-mixed with water. The trade names include InstaChar, SuperChar,
Actidose, Charcodote, and Liqui-Char, but it is commonly called activated charcoal.
Ingestion of activated carbon prior to consumption of alcoholic beveragesappeared to
reduce absorption of ethanol into the blood. 5 to 15 milligrams of charcoal per
kilogram of body weight taken at the same time as 170 ml of pure ethanol (which
equals to about 10 servings of an alcoholic beverage), over the course of one hour,
seemed to reduce potential blood alcohol content. Yet other studies showed that this
is not the case, and that ethanol blood concentrations were increased because of
activated charcoal use.
Charcoal biscuits were sold in England starting in the early 19th century, originally as
an antidote to flatulence and stomach trouble.
Tablets or capsules of activated carbon are used in many countries as an over-the-
counter drug to treat diarrhea, indigestion, and flatulence. There is some evidence of
its effectiveness to prevent diarrhea in cancer patients who have
received irinotecan. It can interfere with the absorption of some medications, and lead
to unreliable readings in medical tests such as the guaiac card test. Activated carbon
is also used for bowel preparation by reducing intestinal gas content before
44

45. abdominal radiography to visualize bile and pancreatic and renal stones. A type
of charcoal biscuit has also been marketed as a pet care product.
9.2.4 Fuel storage
Research is being done testing various activated carbons' ability to store natural
gas and hydrogen gas. The porous material acts like a sponge for different types of
gases. The gas is attracted to the carbon material viaVan der Waals forces. Some
carbons have been able to achieve bonding energies of 5–10 kJ per mol. The gas may
then be desorbed when subjected to higher temperatures and either combusted to do
work or in the case of hydrogen gas extracted for use in a hydrogen fuel cell. Gas
storage in activated carbons is an appealing gas storage method because the gas can
be stored in a low pressure, low mass, low volume environment that would be much
more feasible than bulky on board compression tanks in vehicles. TheUnited States
Department of Energy has specified certain goals to be achieved in the area of
research and development of nano-porous carbon materials. All of the goals are yet to
be satisfied but numerous institutions, including the ALL-CRAFT program, are
continuing to conduct work in this promising field.
9.2.5 Gas purification
Filters with activated carbon are usually used in compressed air and gas purification
to remove oil vapors, odors, and other hydrocarbons from the air. The most common
designs use a 1 stage or 2 stage filtration principle in which activated carbon is
embedded inside the filter media. Activated carbon is also used inspacesuit Primary
Life Support Systems. Activated carbon filters are used to retain radioactive gases
from a nuclear boiling water reactor turbine condenser. The air vacuumed from the
condenser contains traces of radioactive gases. The large charcoal beds adsorb these
gases and retain them while they rapidly decay to non-radioactive solid species. The
solids are trapped in the charcoal particles, while the filtered air passes through.
9.2.6 Chemical purification
45

46. Activated carbon is commonly used to purify solutions containing un-wanted colored
impurities such as during a recrystallization procedure in Organic Chemistry.
9.2.7 Distilled alcoholic beverage purification
Activated carbon filters can be used to filter vodka and whiskey of organic impurities
which can affect color, taste, and odor. Passing an organically impure vodka through
an activated carbon filter at the proper flow rate will result in vodka with an identical
alcohol content and significantly increased organic purity, as judged by odor and
taste.
9.2.8 Mercury scrubbing
Activated carbon, often impregnated with sulfur or iodine, is widely used to trap
mercury emissions fromcoal-fired power stations, medical incinerators, and
from natural gas at the wellhead. However, it is often not recycled.
Disposal after absorbing mercury
The mercury-laden activated carbon presents a disposal dilemma. If the activated
carbon contains less than 260 ppm mercury, United States federal regulations allow it
to be stabilized (for example, trapped in concrete) for landfilling. However, waste
containing greater than 260 ppm is considered to be in the high-mercury subcategory
and is banned from landfilling (Land-Ban Rule). This material is now accumulating
in warehouses and in deep abandoned mines at an estimated rate of 1000 tons per
year.
The problem of disposal of mercury-laden activated carbon is not unique to the
United States. In the Netherlands, this mercury is largely recovered and the activated
carbon is disposed of by complete burning.
REFERENCES
46

47. [1] Zhonghua hu *, m.p. srinivasan ,preparation of high-surface- area activated
carbons from coconut shell
Department of chemical engineering, national university of singapore,
[2] Production of activated carbon from coconut shell:optimization using
response surface methodology by
m.k.b.gratuito, t.panyathanmaporn b,r.-a. Chumnanklang,n.
Sirinuntawittaya, a. Dutta
[3] Heat and mass transfer by r.k. rajput
[4] Machine design by r.s.khurmi
[5] Manufacturing process and workshop technology by Hajra
choudhry.
[6] Cameron carbon inc(activated carbon and related technology)
[7] Mechanicalengineersblog.com
47

48. 48