carbon vessels

Rental Carbon Adsorbers

PFPUSA offers Carbon Adsorbers to round out their rental fleet. The liquid phase adsorbers are prefabricated steel vessels engineered to remove contaminants from low pressure liquid streams at moderate flow rates. The steel adsorbers are provided with lifting lugs and are mounted on a fork truck mobile base for easy placement and carbon exchange service.

Full-Service Carbon Vessel Support

We can provide a total service package that includes utilizing trained personnel providing on-site carbon changeouts, packaging and transportation of spent carbon for recycling at our reactivation facilities, where the contaminants are thermally destroyed. We provide instructions on sampling the spent carbon and completion of our spent carbon profile form. Spent carbon acceptance testing can be performed at our certified laboratory. When requested, a certificate of reactivation will be issued.

Have questions? Reach out to us – we’re here to help!



Accessories & On-Site Support

We can supply you with the temporary Cargo Hose, Gate Valves, Tees, Elbows, Pump, Portable Containment, and many more to provide you a complete turnkey set up. We have service crews available to set up, monitor, and breakdown the temporary systems as well.

Emergency Treatment
Decolorization
Product Purification
Drinking Water Treatment
Wastewater Treatment
Groundwater Treatment
Well Water Treatment

Process Water Filtration
Vacuum truck emissions
Truck and rail car loading
Pipeline cleaning/pigging
Tank degassing and tank cleaning emissions
Refinery turnarounds

Adaptable – Adsorber is charged with the media best suited for the application: oil absorbent, filter media, virgin or reactivated carbon
Dependable – Operates continuously with minimal maintanence

Durable – Adsorber is heavy steel construction lined with a resistance and maximum service life

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does activated carbon last before it needs to be replaced?

Carbon life depends on contaminant load, flow rate, and contact time. In most industrial applications, carbon vessels are monitored using outlet sampling and breakthrough indicators. Once breakthrough occurs, carbon must be changed out or reactivated.

Can carbon vessels remove both organic contaminants and odors?

Yes. Activated carbon is highly effective at removing dissolved organic compounds, hydrocarbons, PFAS precursors, VOCs, taste/odor compounds, and other organics from water or process fluids. However, it does not remove solids or dissolved metals without upstream or downstream treatment stages.

What information is needed to size the correct carbon vessel for my project?

To select the right vessel, providers typically need flow rate, contaminant type, inlet concentrations, desired outlet limits, temperature, and expected operating duration. This ensures the proper carbon volume, contact time, and media grade.

Are rental carbon vessels suitable for emergency spill or contamination events?

Yes. Rental carbon adsorbers are frequently used for emergency response, spill cleanup, tank cleanouts, refinery turnarounds, and temporary water treatment setups. They can be deployed quickly and paired with pumps, hoses, and other temporary equipment.

How is spent carbon handled and disposed of?

Spent carbon is typically sent to a certified facility where it is either thermally reactivated or properly destroyed depending on the contaminant profile. Prior to transport, spent carbon characterization and acceptance testing are performed to meet regulatory requirements.

Want the most up to date information from PFP?