YPT Carbon Regeneration Kilns

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Restoring Carbon Activity for Continuous Gold Recovery

YPT Carbon Regeneration Kilns

A Carbon Regeneration Kiln is a specialized thermal system designed to restore spent activated carbon to its original adsorption capacity.
In mineral processing (especially gold processing circuits employing the carbon-in-pulp (CIP) or carbon-in-leach (CIL) methods), activated carbon adsorbs dissolved gold (and other metals) from cyanide solutions.
Over time the carbon becomes “fouled” by organic and inorganic contaminants which reduce its activity (its ability to adsorb).
The regeneration kiln heats the spent carbon in a controlled environment—often under steam, inert gas or low-oxygen conditions—to remove or decompose the foulants, thereby re-activating the carbon and enabling reuse.

Areas of Application

  • In gold mining, within CIP/CIL circuits: after the loaded carbon is stripped of gold (via elution), the “barren” but fouled carbon is fed to a regeneration kiln rather than being scrapped. This restores activity and extends carbon life.
  • In other mineral-processing operations or industries where activated carbon is used for adsorption (e.g., water treatment, solvent recovery, chemicals) the same regeneration technology applies.
  • In tailings or waste-carbon streams where fouled carbon (from reagents, oils, organics) must be reclaimed for cost and environmental reasons.

Principle of Operation

  • Pre-treatment / feed preparation:

    Spent carbon may contain moisture, residual solution, organics and other foulants. Some systems will pre-dry or condition the carbon.

  • Heating in controlled atmosphere:

    The carbon is heated in a kiln—commonly a rotary drum or indirect kiln—to elevated temperatures (typically in the range of ~650-850 °C, or higher depending on design) to volatilise or decompose the adsorbed contaminants. Steam may also be injected to assist in desorption and to prevent combustion of the carbon.

  • Cooling and discharge:

    After the high-temperature treatment, the carbon is cooled, often quenched by water or cooled by indirect means, before being returned to the adsorption circuit.

  • Monitoring & control:

    Key parameters such as residence time, temperature profile, atmosphere (O₂/steam/inert gas), feed rate and carbon attrition must be controlled to maintain carbon activity and minimise carbon losses.

Proven Kiln Technology for Active Carbon Regeneration

YPT Carbon Regeneration Kilns Highlights

Thermal Efficiency Meets Metallurgical Precision

Design Criteria

Carbon throughput:

Tonnes per day of spent carbon to be treated. This sets the kiln size, drum length/diameter or vertical kiln dimensions.

Temperature and atmosphere:

The kiln must achieve sufficient temperature to remove foulants without damaging the carbon structure. Steam or inert atmospheres are frequently used to control oxidation.

Residence time:

The duration the carbon remains within the high-temperature zone is critical to allow desorption of contaminants. Design must allow sufficient time for regeneration.

Carbon attrition and physical degradation:

The regeneration process can cause carbon particle degradation (fines generation) which leads to loss of carbon and possibly gold loss. Kiln design should minimise mechanical stress and attrition.

Heat recovery and energy efficiency:

Because high temperatures are involved, design often includes heat-recovery (e.g., recycle ducts, steam generation) to reduce fuel/energy consumption.

Emission control and environmental compliance:

Volatilised contaminants and gaseous emissions must be treated via after-burners or scrubbers. The kiln atmosphere and discharge must meet emissions standards.

Material construction and wear:

The kiln components (drum, liners, seals) must tolerate high temperatures, corrosive/abrading carbon, steam, and inert gas cycling. Design must allow access for maintenance and pre-empt wear.

Technical Specifications

Operating
temperature

~650-850 °CDepends on foulant load and carbon type.

Carbon
throughput

~0.5 to ~20 t/day (or higher for custom units)

Carbon
attrition/loss

~5-10% per regeneration cycle

Steam injection
or inert
atmosphere:

Required to avoid carbon combustion

Heat
recovery
systems

Often included to reduce fuel consumptionEnergy-efficiency measure.

Important Considerations:

  • Carbon attrition during regeneration often contributes significantly to total carbon loss in the circuit; it may even surpass losses from the adsorption/handling stages.

  • Regenerated carbon may never achieve exactly the same activity level as virgin carbon, especially when heavily fouled (e.g., with flotation reagents); thus regeneration strategy should be aligned with circuit purity and make-up carbon allowance.

  • Kiln design must ensure no oxygen ingress above ignition temperature of carbon; otherwise carbon burn-out, fines generation and safety risks occur.

  • Heat-recovery and energy-integration (e.g., using waste heat, steam recycling) can significantly affect life-cycle cost of the regeneration unit – design should consider long-term energy cost, not just capital cost.

  • Maintenance of the carbon handling system (feeders, screens, conveyors) is critical – mechanical damage to carbon before or after kiln increases attrition and reduces metal-recovery efficiency.

  • Testing of carbon activity (iodine number, metal loading tests) before and after regeneration is essential to track performance and schedule kiln maintenance or replacement.