BEA CARBON “New Generation”
An innovation in marine aquarium filtration, designed to offer an advanced solution for aquarium enthusiasts.
The use of L carbon in water filtration is a very old practice which, in our sector too, has been around since the hobby began.
Despite its importance, widespread use, and high adsorption capacity, research in our sector seems to have been at a standstill for several years.
Apart from a few minor variations and improvements in the selection of source materials and choice of pellet, there have been no major innovations in the past twenty years.
Recently, however, thanks to stricter environmental regulations and the resulting development of new filtration technologies specifically for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, we have seen the engineering of activated carbon-based products.
Similarly, advances and improvements in production techniques have led to the emergence of innovative composite products, developed for advanced technical applications requiring high performance.
We therefore decided to embark on the development of a new composite material, with the aim of fully harnessing the technical potential of new research and offering a modern take on a must-have in aquarium keeping and fluid purification.
Designed to overcome the limitations of traditional filtration systems and offer an optimized experience for reef aquarium enthusiasts, we are excited to introduce BEA Carbon "New Generation".
It is a composite material cube with a honeycomb internal structure.
Measuring 5x5x5 cm, it fits perfectly into the most common filtration systems and is set to redefine adsorbent standards.
Advantages of Extrusion:
Although this involves an additional processing step, the choice to work with an extruded product is not related solely to the product’s structure, but also to its adsorption capacity.
The extrusion process allows us to obtain a product that is technically superior, while also enabling us to use balanced blends of different carbon-based materials and incorporate specific ions, thereby optimizing the distribution of pores within the cube and its adsorption capacity.
We did not want to limit the product's adsorption capabilities by using just one material, so we chose to work with different blends to balance the proportion of micro-, meso-, and macropores by varying the percentages of the different components (lignin, coconut, mineral) and combining them with specific ions.
This has enabled us to create an extremely versatile product with superior efficacy.
Advanced Composition:
The composition of BEA Carbon "New Generation" is the result of meticulous selection of the best carbonaceous materials.
Based on the most important international assessment indices, including iodine/methylene blue/phenol/benzene numbers, surface area (BET), and total pore volume, we selected the best raw materials (lignin, coconut, mineral) and combined them in carefully studied proportions to maximize and optimize pore distribution, improving the adsorption of the most common contaminants in the reef aquarium sector.
Pretreatments, thermal activation of the individual components, and engineering with specific ions and functional groups enrich the blend, further enhancing its ability to retain contaminants.
Honeycomb Internal Structure:
What immediately fascinated us about these new composites and prompted us to develop a version specifically for use in the reef aquarium sector was their very honeycomb internal structure.
This configuration maximizes the available adsorbent surface area, facilitating water flow and elegantly overcoming the classic problem of preferential channels followed by water when using pellets or granules.
This not only increases water flow through the material, but also optimizes the available surface area, adsorption rate, retention capacity, and overall product effectiveness.
Molecular Engineering and Ionic Modifications:
Lolecular engineering is a field of engineering and materials science that focuses both on designing and manipulating molecular structures to create innovative materials with specific functions, and on modifying existing materials to improve their performance or give them new properties.
Although common in other sectors that require advanced technical solutions for fluid filtration, this practice is still rarely used in our field.
In BEA Carbon "New Generation", the ions, specific functional groups, pores, and transport channels have been optimized to capture a wider range of harmful substances.
This includes, in addition to some heavy metals (Hg, Pb, Cd, As, Cr, …), environmental organic pollutants, allelochemicals, organic compounds and toxic metabolites produced by corals and other organisms.
Advantages over traditional activated carbons:
In summary, BEA Carbon "New Generation" represents a significant technological innovation that offers numerous benefits in terms of efficiency, effectiveness and ease of use.
Reduced preferential channels:
The honeycomb design of BEA Carbon "New Generation" prevents the formation of preferential channels through which water could flow without effectively interacting with the adsorbent material, increasing overall filtration efficiency.
Greater adsorbent surface area:
Thanks to its unique internal honeycomb structure, the contact surface available for adsorbing contaminants is maximized.
This enables more effective and rapid removal of toxins and pollutants.
Optimized pore distribution:
The extrusion technology and careful selection of materials produce a balanced distribution of micropores, mesopores and macropores.
This balance ensures the adsorption of a much wider range of molecules, from small organic pollutants to heavy metals, offering greater versatility than traditional activated carbons.
Extended performance:
Lolecular engineering and the ionic modifications made to BEA Carbon "New Generation" optimize its adsorption capabilities, ensuring sustained performance over time.
This translates into a greater adsorption capacity before replacement is needed, reducing maintenance frequency and associated operating costs, especially when used in “slow intake” mode.
High versatility and compatibility:
The cube's size and shape have been designed to ensure easy integration into the most common filtration systems used by hobbyists.
This makes the BEA Carbon "New Generation" an affordable option that can be easily integrated into a wide variety of filtration systems.