When you look at a hard, brittle and lustrous piece of anthracite coal, it is hard to imagine that it is one of the best natural filters. It is commonly used to filter municipal drinking water, industrial wastewater, seawater, brackish water, process water and swimming pool water.

Here’s why it is a popular choice for filtration:

Excellent Filtration: Anthracite is extremely porous and has a large surface area which enables it to remove a wide variety of impurities from water, including suspended particles, organic matter and certain dissolved contaminants. Sand or garnet is often used in an anthracite filter bed which has a layered structure. This structure further enhances the ability to capture both small and large particles.

Longevity and Durability: Anthracite is naturally hard and chemically stable which is why the filters are long lasting. What’s more, they are resistant to degradation and don’t need to be replaced frequently, thus making them an economical choice.

Reduced Chemical Usage: Chemical coagulants are usually added to the pre-treatment process to make the removal of suspended particles easier. But because of anthracite’s natural filtration properties, the need for coagulants can be reduced, making the filtration process more natural and also less expensive.

Stability: Anthracite is chemically inert and does not react with water or common water treatment chemicals. This inertness ensures that the filtration process remains stable and does not introduce additional contaminants or alter the chemistry of the treated water in any way.

Easy Maintenance: Another advantage of an anthracite filtration system is that it is easy to operate and maintain. The backwashing process in filtration is also straightforward and efficient, requiring less water.

In summary, when it comes to water treatment, anthracite is a practical choice because it combines effective filtration, longer lifespan, reduced chemical usage as well as cost-effectiveness.