Optimization Process of Carbon Mono Oxide (CO) Gas Emission Adsorption using Activated Carbon from Rice Husk

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the optimum conditions of CO emission adsorption by activated carbon from rice husk and to select the process conditions from combination of activated carbon mass, activator concentration, and the exit gas velocity to adsorption time and CO adsorption. Rice husk was carbonized in the tube furnace at 400 °C for 1.5 hours followed chemically activated using citric acid as an activator. The activated carbon formed was further tested for its ability to adsorb CO emissions on the adsorption tube connected to the motorcycle exhaust. CO emissions from motorcycles were analysed using E-Instrument E8500 while the optimum adsorption of CO gas emission was analysed using Design Expert 6.0.8 software with Box-Behnken Design. The results concluded that variables of activated carbon mass, activator concentration, and exit gas velocity influence to the adsorption time and CO gas adsorption. Base on the optimization analysis using regression quadratic model obtained that optimum condition of the CO emission adsorption process will be achieved at 30 g of activated carbon, activator concentration (citric acid) of 0.47 M, and at a flow rate of 20 m/s. In this optimum condition, the adsorbed CO gas obtained was 55.02 ppm which occurred for 1266 seconds.