Activated Alumina Balls

Demonstrating our ongoing commitment to innovation and product enhancement, we have expanded our portfolio of filtration and purification solutions to include activated alumina spheres. These spheres are characterized by their high water adsorption capacity and extensive surface area, rendering them a highly efficient solution for oil filtration, the dehydration of compressed air and gases, and the removal of fluoride from aqueous solutions. Their inherent durability ensures a prolonged service life, contributing to their overall cost-effectiveness.

Activated alumina balls are primarily made of aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), also known as alumina. The manufacturing process involves the dehydroxylation of aluminum hydroxide at high temperatures. This process creates a highly porous material with a vast internal surface area, often exceeding 200 m²/g. The specific manufacturing can involve rapid dehydration methods followed by granulation, hydration, activation (calcination), and sieving to achieve the desired ball size and properties. Additives like silicon dioxide (SiO₂) and sodium oxide (Na₂O) might be present in small amounts depending on the specific grade and intended use. The key characteristic of activated alumina is its high porosity, forming numerous “tunnel-like” pores at a microscopic level. These pores provide a large surface area for adsorption and desiccation. The material is typically white, spherical, odorless, non-toxic, and insoluble in water. It also possesses high mechanical strength and thermal stability.

Activated alumina balls are highly versatile due to their strong adsorption capabilities and are utilized in a wide range of applications, including:

• Desiccant: Their primary use is as a desiccant to dry gases and air streams by adsorbing water vapor. This is crucial in compressed air systems, natural gas processing, and instrument air drying, achieving very low dew points. The adsorption process is reversible, and the alumina can be regenerated by heating to release the trapped water.  
• Adsorbent: They are effective adsorbents for removing various contaminants from liquids and gases. This includes the removal of fluoride, arsenic, and selenium from drinking water, as well as the adsorption of H₂S, SO₂, HF, and other pollutants in gas streams. They can also be used for decolorization and odor removal in industrial effluents.
• Catalyst and Catalyst Support: Activated alumina serves as a catalyst in some chemical reactions, such as the production of hydrogen peroxide. Its high surface area and controlled porosity make it an excellent support material for other catalytic agents (like noble metals) in various chemical processes, including polyethylene production and sulfur removal.  
• Filtration Media: Their granular form and chemical inertness make them suitable for use as a filtration medium to remove particulate matter from liquids and gases.
• Purification: They are used in the purification of various chemicals, including hydrogen peroxide, and in the removal of impurities from pyrolysis gas, ethylene, and propylene.  
• Vacuum Systems: Activated alumina can be used in fore-line traps in high-vacuum systems to prevent oil backstreaming from rotary vane pumps.

In summary, activated alumina balls, made from porous aluminum oxide, are highly effective adsorbents and desiccants with a wide range of applications in drying gases, purifying liquids, supporting catalysts, and removing specific contaminants due to their large surface area, controlled porosity, and chemical stability.