Characteristics of Made Composite Filter Material of Coal Fly Ash and its Application in Phenol Removal

Composite filter material was developed mainly with coal fly ash in the shape of spherical particles, and was used as an absorbent for phenol removal from water. The characteristics of this filter material were explored and its application parameters in phenol adsorption were measured. Physical characteristics data from mercury porosimeter indicated total pore area and porosity above 1.5 nanometer were 66.8 m(2)/g and 60.1% respectively. The adsorption process was influenced by operational parameters such as contact time, solution pH and temperature. The appropriate contact time should be controlled at 90 minutes to 105 minutes with removal ratio above 95%. Phenol was weak acid and the increase in solution pH would affect its removal. When pH was adjusted from 3 to 1 1, removal ratio fell from 92.7% to 89.6%. Temperature increase favored phenol adsorption. When temperature was changed from 288 K to 318 K, phenol removal ratio improved from 89.8% to 94.0%. The behavior of phenol adsorption didn't comply with Langmuir model. There was a linear relationship between phenol adsorption capacity and equilibrium concentration. Consequently this filter material made of coal fly ash is efficient and cost effective in phenol adsorption.