ACF can be produced from several raw materials. Coal-pitch ACF is said to be the most cost-effective with the highest carbon content of 99 percent compared to GAC with 90% net of the 10% ash content. The higher carbon content offers a better yield rate from raw material and a higher chlorine removal performance. Thus, given its high carbon content, ACF is considered as the more superior quality over traditional granulated activated carbon. 

 

 

To explain the fundamental chlorine removal mechanism of ACF, the amount of chlorine removed increases as temperatures rise since the amount of organic compounds, which may block the reaction site on the carbon, decreases in higher temperature water, causing the higher adsorption volume. As specific surface area increases, active sites for those reactions increase and result in higher removal. ACF’s fibrous form provides a larger physical contact area than GAC making it one of the most promising adsorbents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tests were performed between ACF and GAC to evaluate their chlorine removal capability (short term) and to determine the real life of their filter material (long term) based on water temperature, pressure, flow rate, and influent chlorine levels. Moreover, following the strict standard procedure followed in Japan, instead of using an on-off cycle flow used for faucet-mount water filtration devices (per NSF Standard 42), continuous flow was used to place greater pressure on the filter material.

 

 

 

 

From the test results, the chlorine removal cost based upon the chlorine amount removed with the cost of materials used was estimated and, clearly, ACF outdoes the traditional GAC filter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACF filter with a larger pore size is being effectively used for trihalomethane reduction for faucet-mount water treatment devices. At elevated levels, these chemical compounds have been associated with negative health effects such as cancer and adverse reproductive outcomes,

 

Very fine and uniform micropores are dominant on the ACF surface and offer a higher adsorption rate for various contaminants, whereas macro and micropores co-exist on the surface of granulated activated carbon, which adsorbs a wider range of contaminants than ACF.  Meanwhile, ACF molded elements, which typically offer 15-to-20-µm filtration, must be combined with carbon blocks to meet cyst and some other removal standards for compliance with NSF Standard 53.

 

To sum it up, ACF, which is the same filtration media used by SJ Wave in its faucet filters,  is the more preferred filtration media for a number of reasons. In Japan alone, where quality products and services are of highest standards, activated carbon fiber is the preferred choice for water filter devices because of the following key factors:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The faster adsorption rate and higher capacity combined with a smaller size is of particular interest in the Japanese market where taste and odor control are of primary interest.