Automotive industry

Activated carbon is widely used by companies across the automotive supply chain to treat air emissions containing:

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and solvents such as styrene, siloxanes, and terpenes;
• Nitrogen oxides (NOx) and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S);
• Substances of very high concern (SVHCs) such as N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP);
• Highly volatile carbonic acid esters such as dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and ethylmethyl carbonate (EMC).

These compounds are emitted by processes such as the manufacture and usage of rubber, plastics and composites, paints and coatings, biogas, and lithium batteries. 

DESOTEC’s AIRCON filters are a sustainable, modular and adaptable technology to purify air emissions from all the above industrial processes and others.

Activated carbon can treat wastewater and process water from cleaning and rinsing processes containing: 

• High chemical oxygen demand (COD) levels;
• Non-ionic surfactants from rubber, oils and metals;
• Chlorinated cleaning products. 

DESOTEC MOBICON filters purify this water for acceptance by wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) or reuse in industrial processes. 

Activated carbon filtration is a versatile and reliable treatment for polluted air and water generated by the automotive shredding and scrap sector. 

In terms of air emissions, the shredding of rubber tires and metal bodywork releases VOCs and H₂S. Battery recycling also generates air emissions, often at low flow rates but with high concentrations of evaporated electrolytes including EMC and DMC. DESOTEC’s filters remove all these to protect air quality.

Wastewater containing traces of cleaning chemicals, oil hydrocarbons, metal particulates, and electrolytes is generated by the rinsing of shredded parts and battery components, as well as by rainfall run-off from scrap stored in the open air. These are measured together as chemical oxygen demand (COD). DESOTEC’s water filters reduce COD to levels that are safe for discharge to WWTPs or reuse in industrial processes. 

Activated carbon filtration is a reliable technology to help your automotive company ensure that all air and water emissions meet occupational health and environmental regulations. Legislation is likely to become stricter, making it important for companies to future-proof their businesses by putting reliable treatment in place now. DESOTEC filtration solutions are modular, so can be expanded if parameters or laws change. We include compliant filtration waste handling in our full-service solution, sparing your company hassle. 

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

For example:

• Where production 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.

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 or dust filters. 

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. They enable your business to continue production uninterrupted, and save you the cost of specialist wastewater disposal. Thanks to our circular approach, waste carbon is reactivated wherever possible, lowering not only your costs, but also your carbon footprint.