Process for selective adsorption of naphthalenic hydrocarbons from water containing same using activated carbon

摘要

Naphthalenic hydrocarbons are selectively removed from a waste water stream (e.g. from a petrochemical operation) by contacting the waste water stream (6) containing naphthalenic hydrocarbons with a bed (8) of activated carbon which is, or has become, saturated with respect to non-naphthalenic hydrocarbons. Relatively short contacting times, e.g. 3 to 10 minutes, selectively reduce the concentration of naphthalenic hydrocarbons to a predetermined concentration, e.g. not exceeding 2 ppm, in the waste water effluent stream (9) leaving the bed (8). The contacting is continued until the waste water effluent stream (9) has a naphthalenic hydrocarbon content exceeding the predetermined concentration whereupon the flow of incoming waste water (6) is interrupted and the activated carbon of the bed (8) is regenerated.