5. Conclusions

The ignition of activated carbon beds used to treat volatile organic compounds has been the subject of observations under various conditions of use, storage or even transport. These accidents and incidents can be explained by the feeding of adsorbers with high VOC concentrations (C ₀ > 100 mg/m ³ ) and by an exothermic adsorption reaction generating hot spots and triggering oxidation chain reactions. The study of ignition mechanisms shows that the local increase in temperature leads to oxidation of the activated carbon and/or oxidation of the adsorbed VOC. In the particular case of ketones, oxidation reactions of the VOC to peroxide produce rapid, highly exothermic reactions leading to ignition of the porous carbonaceous material. Oxygen content, humidity, activated carbon type, ash content and...