Precursor suitability and pilot scale production of super activated carbon for greenhouse gas adsorption and fuel gas storage

•Physical properties define the suitability of coke as activated carbon precursor.•Super activated carbon showed superior adsorption property for fuel gas (H2 & CH4).•Low cost and excellent adsorbent for CO2 sequestration and separation.•Pilot scale production and pelletizing are demonstrated for commercial application.•Mechanically strong carbon pellets showed enhanced CH4 storage (112 cm3 cm−3).

Raw and calcined petroleum cokes of Indian origin were characterized and screened as a carbon precursor for the preparation of activated carbon on medium and pilot scale by chemical activation method. Raw petroleum coke (RPC) was found more suitable precursor for preparation of activated carbon, whereas the enhanced graphitic arrangement limits the applicability of calcined petroleum coke. The suitability of petroleum coke as activated carbon precursor was correlated with its physical properties. Super activated carbon (SAC) obtained from RPC exhibited very high specific surface area (3578 m2 g−1) with ultra-microporosity ranges from 0.4 to 0.7 nm. The equilibrium adsorption of CO2, CH4, CO, and N2 measured on powder SAC at different temperatures evidenced its applicability for gas separation through high adsorption capacity and selectivity. SAC also showed the high fuel gas storage capacity, H2 (26.67 mmol g−1 at 77 K and 3000 kPa) and CH4 (10.87 mmol g−1 at 303 K and 3700 kPa) due to its high specific surface area and microporous textural property. The production of SAC was also demonstrated for pilot scale and examined for CH4 storage. The transformation of powder SAC into pellets using bentonite clay as a binder to provide better mechanical strength with enhanced CH4 adsorption (on a volume basis) made it viable for practical application.

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