Sintered Activated Carbon Rod Water Filter Ф38×57

This is a sintered activated carbon rod filter with a nominal outer diameter of 38 mm and length of 57 mm, made by Oltaven. It filters chlorine, odours, colour and heavy metals such as lead and mercury from drinking water, and includes food-grade ion exchange resin for scale reduction. It is designed for domestic reverse osmosis systems, water dispensers, refrigerators and commercial coffee machines, and can be customised in size and end-cap design for OEM projects.

From Media to Finished Filter

A filter's performance is set by two things: the media inside it and the way that media is formed into a finished part. The carbon rod starts with high-iodine coconut shell activated carbon, chosen for its fine pore structure and strong adsorption of chlorine and organic compounds. Food-grade ion exchange resin is added to soften water and help capture heavy metals. These powders are then sintered — heated under pressure without melting — into a rigid, porous rod. The sintering step locks the particles together so the rod holds its shape and does not shed black powder into the water. Pleating, framing and sealing are not part of this rod's construction; instead, the rod is a solid block with end caps that can be welded to suit the housing. Oltaven sells the finished filter, not just the media, so the forming process is controlled in-house from start to finish.

What Decides Finished Performance

Three factors determine how a finished carbon rod behaves in service: the media, the forming and the sealing.

Media choice sets the adsorption capacity. Coconut shell carbon with a high iodine number offers more surface area and a higher capacity for chlorine and taste-and-odour compounds. Adding ion exchange resin extends the filter's function to scale reduction and heavy-metal capture. The ratio of carbon to resin is adjusted to balance flow and capacity.

Forming controls resistance and filtration accuracy. The sintering temperature and pressure determine the pore size and the strength of the rod. A tighter pore structure gives higher filtration accuracy and longer contact time, which improves chlorine removal, but it also raises pressure drop. Oltaven tunes the process so that the rod has uniform micropores, high initial flow and high filtration accuracy without loose carbon fines. The result is a filter that removes more than 90% of residual chlorine while keeping resistance within the range expected by the appliance.

Sealing and end caps ensure that water passes through the carbon rather than bypassing it. End caps can be customised with different connection types, and the seal between the cap and the rod is critical to avoid leakage or bypass. Oltaven offers end-cap welding to match the housing design, so the finished filter fits the device correctly and performs as specified.

Because these three factors interact, two filters of the same size can perform differently. A filter made with lower-grade carbon or a looser bind will have lower resistance but shorter life and lower chlorine removal. Oltaven's process control aims to deliver a consistent balance: high adsorption capacity, long service life and no carbon fines.

Applications

The Ф38×57 carbon rod is commonly used as a pre-filter (CTO) or post-filter (T33) in household reverse osmosis systems, where it protects the RO membrane from chlorine and improves taste. It is also used in point-of-use water dispensers, double-door refrigerators with built-in water filters, and commercial coffee machines where consistent water quality affects beverage taste. Because the rod can be customised in length, diameter and end-cap design, it can be adapted to many other water-treatment devices. Oltaven supplies finished filters to appliance makers and filter brands, and can develop a rod to match your flow, pressure and lifetime targets.

Technical Specifications

The Oltaven Factory and Certifications

Oltaven has more than 20 years of experience in filtration product development and manufacturing, and has exported to Europe, the United States, Japan and South Korea for over two decades. We support OEM/ODM projects and have developed more than 1,000 filtration solutions. Our production base covers 50,000 m², including six cleanrooms with a combined area of 20,000 m². The factory operates multiple automated production lines with a monthly capacity of millions of pieces. Quality is managed through IQC, IPQC and OQC at every stage. Our in-house laboratory is accredited by CNAS and can issue test reports on filtration efficiency, dust-holding capacity and resistance. The company holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certifications, and was awarded IATF 16949 in 2024. Products comply with REACH and RoHS environmental regulations, and compliance documents are available on request. Our address is Zhongshan, Guangdong, China.

OEM/ODM Workflow

1. Inquiry: share your device model, required dimensions or drawing, and target flow rate, pressure drop and chlorine-removal life.
2. Evaluation: our engineering team reviews the request and recommends a carbon grade, resin ratio and forming parameters.
3. Sampling: we produce samples for your testing, typically within 7–10 working days for custom specifications.
4. Validation: you test the samples for flow, pressure drop and chlorine removal; we can supply CNAS test reports to support your validation.
5. Tooling and end caps: we develop moulds for custom sizes and end-cap designs, including welding if required.
6. Production: after approval, we manufacture in our cleanrooms under IQC, IPQC and OQC controls.
7. Delivery: standard items ship in 7–15 days; custom orders typically take 25–35 days, depending on quantity and packaging.

Start a Custom Project

To discuss a finished carbon rod filter for your product, please contact us with the following details: your device or vehicle model, the required size or a drawing, the airflow or water flow, the operating conditions (such as inlet chlorine level, temperature and pressure), and the estimated quantity. Our team will respond with a proposal and samples. Send your inquiry and let's build a reliable filtration solution together.