Seoul Water Institute, First Domestic Development of Technology Related to 'Activated Carbon Management'

Technologies Required for Producing High-Quality Tap Water

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] The Seoul Water Institute announced on the 26th that it has developed the country's first "Automatic Activated Carbon Expansion Rate Measurement Device" necessary for quality control of granular activated carbon (charcoal) during the tap water production process. With the introduction of advanced technology for the maintenance of granular activated carbon, which is essential for producing high-quality tap water, the tap water production process is expected to become cleaner and safer.

The "Automatic Activated Carbon Expansion Rate Measurement Device" developed by the institute is a device that can automatically determine the adequacy of the washing level of granular activated carbon through light, offering high accuracy and unmanned operation.

Seoul City disinfects with ozone, a strong oxidizer, and filters with granular activated carbon (charcoal), which has strong adsorption power, through an advanced water purification process to effectively remove unpleasant taste and odor substances from raw tap water. During this process, backwashing is performed to maintain the performance of the activated carbon. The degree to which the activated carbon settled in the water rises to the surface during backwashing is called the "expansion rate," which should be maintained within the range of 20-40% to minimize activated carbon loss while achieving optimal performance.

Previously, staff were deployed on-site to measure the expansion rate visually using a manual rod-type measuring device, but real-time accurate measurement was difficult, and there were safety issues due to falls and exposure to residual ozone gas used for disinfection.

The newly developed "Automatic Activated Carbon Expansion Rate Measurement Device" by the institute operates on the principle of automatically measuring the expansion rate by measuring the light transmittance inside the activated carbon bed using an LED sensor. Compared to manual work, it offers more accurate measurement and real-time remote monitoring, and it is expected to enhance the precision and safety of water purification.

During the development of this product, the institute secured core technology by completing registration of two patents. In the future, it plans to expand pilot applications at Seoul City water purification centers and continuously improve performance based on field demand.

Son Jeongsu, Director of the Seoul Water Institute, stated, “We will continue to develop technologies suitable for the 4th Industrial Revolution era so that citizens can drink Arisu with greater confidence,” adding, “If necessary, we also plan to actively promote technology transfer so that other local governments can utilize the technologies we have developed.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.