Browsing by Author "Askal, Haile"

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    Decolorization of Cane Syrup by Activated Carbon Produced From Peanut Shell
    (Addis Ababa University, 2019-06) Askal, Haile; Shimelis, Kebede (PhD)
    Sugar colourants are water soluble compounds present in sugar process products and the most impurities in sugar industry. Syrup decolorization can be achieved by sulphitation process. However, at the same time the formation of fine precipitate of CaSO4 become difficult to eliminate trace of SO2 in final sugar. The aims of this research were to produce activated carbon from peanut shell using KOH as an activating agent for syrup decolorization with lower color and lower residual sulfur dioxide levels and as an alternative waste management method. In this study, the first stage was producing granular activated carbon from peanut shell at different parameters such as: activation temperature (500 o o o C, 600 C and 700 C), KOH concentration (25, 50 and75%wt.) and particle size (0.5, 1.5 and 2.5mm). Low ash content (1.28%) with high percent of methylene blue adsorption (79.4%) of activated carbon was obtained having 0.5mm particle size, 0.26%wt. KOH, and 600 o C of activation temperature was with 0.965 desirability chosen as optimal activation parameter. The activated carbon at optimal condition was characterized in term of ultimate and proximate analysis, FT-IR and methylene blue adsorption efficiency. Using activated carbon, the effect of various process parameters like temperature, activated carbon dosage and time on decolorization of cane syrup was investigated. Under the experimental conditions of 45 o C, 1.4g activated carbon dosage for 75min was found to be the optimal condition for maximum cane syrup decolorization efficiency (75.5%). Consequently, the experimental results indicated that the peanut shell has a potential to be used as an activated carbon for decolorization of cane syrup.