CARBONISING AND/OR ACTIVATING CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL

A method is provided for carbonizing and activating carbonaceous material , which comprises supplying the material to an externally fired rotary kiln maintained at carbonizing and activating temperatures, the kiln having a dow nward slope to progress the material as it rotates, the kiln having an atmos phere substantially free of oxygen provided by a counter-current of steam or carbon dioxide, and annular weirs being provided at intervals along the kil n to control progress of the material. There may further be provided an exte rnally fired rotary kiln for carbonizing and activating carbonaceous materia l having a hollow rotary body that has a downward slope towards a discharge end thereof, and which is provided at intervals along its length with annula r weirs for controlling progress of the carbonaceous material. In embodiment s, there is also provided a process is for producing discrete solid beads of polymeric material e.g. phenolic resin beads having a mesoporous structure, which may be useful as feedstock for the above mentioned carbonization/acti vation process or which may have other utility e.g. as ion exchange resins. The process may produce resin beads on an industrial scale without aggregate s of resin building up speedily and interrupting production. The process com prises the steps of: (a) combining a stream ofa polymerizable liquid precurs or e.g. a novolac and hexamine as cross- linking agent dissolved in a first polar organic liquid e.g. ethylene glycol with a stream of a liquid suspensi on medium which is a second non-polar organic liquid with which the liquid p recursor is substantially or completely immiscible e.g. transformer oil cont aining a drying oil; (b) mixing the combined stream to disperse the polymeri zable liquid precursor as droplets in the suspension medium e.g. using an in -line static mixer; (c) allowing the droplets to polymerise in a laminar flo w of the suspension medium so as to form discrete solid beads that cannot ag glomerate; and (d) recovering the beads from the suspension medium. There is also provided apparatus for forming discrete solid beads of polymeric mater ial, said apparatus comprising: a first line for conveying s stream of a pol ymerizable liquid precursor; a second line for conveying a stream of a dispe rsion medium with which the polymerizable liquid precursor is substantially or completely immiscible; an in-line mixer configured to receive a combined flow from the first and second lines and to dispe