Activated carbon Ashing

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For practical purposes most people ash at 600 - 650C overnight in an electric muffle furnace, using a gas fired furnace will lead to losses due to the light ash blowing out the furnace exhaust.

The most important aspect of ashing is the depth of the carbon bed, if it is deeper than around 1 cm you will blanket the carbon with ash and the reaction will need rabbling of the bed at intervals to get complete ashing.

The door of the furnace is cracked open about 1 cm to allow the air access needed for ashing to proceed.

Always best to use coarse piece activated carbon as per what the gold industry uses, fine powder type carbon will adsorb gold quickly but is very prone to blanketing during ashing.

Asking is usually done in 316 ss trays with edge turn ups of around 1 cm.

You can layer the trays keeping about 40mm spaces between trays, use 25mm ss tube lengths as spacers at each corner of the trays.

Deano
Hello Deano, Where can I get the details of your Pyrolization vessel?
 
Hi
I have access to about 5 tons of spent activated carbons a month. I would like some ideas how l can ash a decent volume. Say around 200 to 250kgs at a time. I would like to purchase a commercial furnace set up but my budget won't allow it. I will be using Cyanide leaching to process ash.

What l would like to know
Any ideas on building and designing an ashing oven to do 250kgs plus at a time.
Something that can be built at a diy level.

Regards
Arwzim
Hi I am in Zim can we link
 
thank you for the info, Yggdrasil. But I do want to Check out the pyrolyzing vessel. I used a pottery Kiln For my Activated Carbon Ashing. One could also Use a Pizza oven to ash activated carbon, It just takes a little Imagination.
Do a pizza oven get hot enough?
Some 600C is needed for proper ashing and trays with no more then 1-2 cm depth.

Pyrolizing ==> No oxygen
Ashing ==> Plenty oxygen
 
Do a pizza oven get hot enough?
Some 600C is needed for proper ashing and trays with no more then 1-2 cm depth.

Pyrolizing ==> No oxygen
Ashing ==> Plenty oxygen
Thank you. I want to see how the Pyrolysis vessel would help me smelt Aluminum. I converted the Pizza oven into a muffle furnace. Also, when Ashing loaded Activated Carbon, make sure that the activated Carbon is Completely Dry; otherwise, when you get to ashing temperature, your wet metals will Vaporize.
 
Thank you. I want to see how the Pyrolysis vessel would help me smelt Aluminum. I converted the Pizza oven into a muffle furnace. Also, when Ashing loaded Activated Carbon, make sure that the activated Carbon is Completely Dry; otherwise, when you get to ashing temperature, your wet metals will Vaporize.
The pyrolizing vessel is just a passive container and would not be practical nor suitable for melting Aluminum.
Bye the way, why do you want to?

Wet should not cause neither vaporizing nor heavier losses. Since the ashes are heated slowly.

But if wet they may be harder to ash since they may be more compact and as such restrict the access to Oxygen.

Edited to add space
 
Last edited:
The pyrolizing vessel is just a passive container and would not be practical nor suitable for melting Aluminum.
Bye the way, why do you want to?

Wet should not cause neither vaporizing nor heavier losses. Since the ashes are heated slowly.

But if wet they may be harder to ash sincethey may be more compact and as such restrict the access to Oxygen.
I precipitate Palladium and Copper out of Waste Aqua Regia. because Magnesium aluminum alloy in Hydrochloric acid Gives off a Large amount of Hydrogen Gas
 
The pyrolizing vessel is just a passive container and would not be practical nor suitable for melting Aluminum.
Bye the way, why do you want to?

Wet should not cause neither vaporizing nor heavier losses. Since the ashes are heated slowly.

But if wet they may be harder to ash sincethey may be more compact and as such restrict the access to Oxygen.
Okay thanks
 
I precipitate Palladium and Copper out of Waste Aqua Regia. because Magnesium aluminum alloy in Hydrochloric acid Gives off a Large amount of Hydrogen Gas
Yes and why are you melting it?
Better use Copper, then you will leave the Copper in solution alongside all other metals.
And pure metals will be better than alloys for cementing.
 

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