Apparatus for producing high surface area active carbon

An apparatus for the production of active carbon through activation of a carbonaceous material with an alkali metal hydroxide which comprises

• a container conveying means connecting, in the order recited, a material feeding means, an inlet side gas replacement chamber, a tunnel kiln, a cooling means, a water injection chamber, an outlet side gas replacement chamber, and a reaction mixture discharge means, the material feeding means being connected to the reaction mixture discharge means to form a closed circuit,
• the material feeding means for feeding a carbonaceous material and an alkali metal hydroxide-water mixture to empty containers,
• the inlet side gas replacement chamber disposed at the inlet of the tunnel kiln and capable of deaeration and supplying inert gas,
• the tunnel kiln equipped with heating means and inert gas inlet means and enabling dehydration and activation of the carbonaceous material during the passage therethrough of the containers after loading,
• the cooling means disposed at the outlet of said tunnel kiln and equipped with cooling means and inert gas inlet means,
• the water injection chamber disposed at the outlet of said cooling zone and equipped with a water injector and an inert gas inlet means,
• the outlet side gas replacement chamber disposed at the outlet of the water injection chamber and capable of deaeration and supplying inert gas,
• the reaction mixture discharge means for discharging the reaction mixture from the containers,
• pusher means for pushing the containers so as to allow the containers to follow the container conveying means and
• water seal means for releasing the gases from the tunnel kiln and water injection chamber.