Agriculture and Farming

Activated carbon filtration is a highly effective treatment for a range of agricultural and farming odours, such as those emitted by fertiliser production, pet and animal feed production, and slaughterhouses. DESOTEC’s mobile AIRCON filters are in place at agricultural businesses across Europe and North America, treating odorous molecules including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), mercaptans and ammonia. They may be installed rapidly if your company receives odour complaints, and can handle the varying concentrations and flow rates that are common in this sector. 

Many farms and agricultural businesses are successfully using activated carbon filtration to purify their wastewater or rainfall run-off of contaminants, including those resulting from pesticides or chlorinated cleaning products. These pollutants are often measured together as chemical oxygen demand (COD), while specific molecules include adsorbable organic halogens (AOX), persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and substances of very high concern (SVHCs). DESOTEC’s MOBICON filters purify this water so it can be discharged, reused, or accepted by wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). 

Activated carbon can purify biogas and biomethane, controlling odours, protecting occupational health, and avoiding damage to downstream technology such as combined heat and power (CHP) engines and biomethane upgrading equipment. Activated carbon adsorbs odorous molecules such as terpenes and ammonia, as well as abrasive siloxanes. Specially impregnated carbon removes hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), which is odorous, poses a risk to human health, and causes corrosion and oil acidification. Two DESOTEC filters may be placed in series, one filled with regular activated carbon and one with impregnated carbon, to ensure the biogas is purified from VOCs and H2S. They are often used as a pre-treatment for membrane technology, or as a polishing step with scrubbers. 

If your farm or agribusiness produces animal feed or human food supplements, activated carbon filtration can help you reach the high product quality standards that are essential in this sector. It removes impurities such as organic nitrogen, detected as colour, from amino acids, as well as amine odours from fish oils, among other applications. With DESOTEC filters, all carbon is handled off-site, ensuring that your food or feed production facility remains pristine.

Activated carbon filtration is a Best Available Technology (BAT) for many treatment applications, including upgrading biogas into biomethane, and is often the most cost-effective and sustainable option – but it does depend on various factors.

For example:

• Where air flow is discontinuous, activated carbon is generally more cost-effective than alternatives such as thermal oxidisers (RTOs).
• If space is tight, DESOTEC filters have a smaller footprint than most alternatives.
• For short-term usage, our filters are mobile and rental – unlike more permanent installations such as RTOs.
• If treatment is needed immediately, our filters can be delivered fast and are plug-and-play – some alternatives have a lengthy lead-in time.
• If your needs might change in the future, our systems are modular – other technology might be less adaptable.
• Where pristine facilities are essential, DESOTEC filters may be cleaner than some alternatives as they do not require emptying or filling at customers’ sites. 
• For small farming businesses, DESOTEC filters may be a better solution than some alternatives as they require no on-site operators. 

DESOTEC is keen to help customers find the best treatment for their needs, and our experts will tell you if they think an alternative technology might be more suitable than activated carbon. 

Activated carbon is a very versatile technology, so there are many ways to optimise set-ups – e.g. placing filters in series, using different carbon grades, or combining filters with complementary technology such as scrubbers.

DESOTEC’s experts carry out testing, advise on set-up design, and offer ongoing support as part of our full-service solution. Our activated carbon filtration solutions have a low total cost of ownership (TCO): they have minimal capex costs, and our service includes maintenance, upgrading, and sustainable carbon waste handling. Thanks to our circular approach, waste carbon is reactivated wherever possible, reducing your TCO and your carbon footprint.