In the application of coal based columnar activated carbon, it is best to evaluate and test the adsorption capacity using the actual proposed activated carbon, operating conditions, and specific treatment materials.

The adsorption capacity of coal columnar activated carbon, which refers to the amount of adsorbate adsorbed per unit of activated carbon, is also known as the activity of activated carbon in industry. There are two ways to express the activity:

Coal based columnar activated carbon - refers to the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent that reaches equilibrium.

Coal based columnar activated carbon refers to a fluid mixture passing through an activated carbon bed, where the adsorbate is adsorbed. After some time of operation, a certain amount of adsorbate begins to appear in the fluid flowing out of the activated carbon bed, indicating that the activated carbon bed has lost its adsorption capacity. At this point, the amount of adsorbate already adsorbed on the activated carbon is called its activity. It is the data required for designing a large, frequent, and important adsorption system.

The standard practical method for determining the adsorption capacity of activated carbon using the liquid isothermal line method can be used to determine the adsorption capacity of raw, reactivated, and powdered activated carbon.