Oltaven Sintered Activated Carbon Stick Filter Ф40×195 for Water Purifiers and Refrigerators

The Oltaven Ф40×195 sintered activated carbon stick is a solid carbon block filter made from high-iodine-value coconut shell carbon with an integrated food-grade ion exchange resin layer, formed by sintering rather than glued compression. It reduces chlorine and chloramine taste and odour, removes discolouration and odour, softens water to limit scale, and captures harmful heavy metals such as lead and mercury. It is built for appliance and water-treatment brands that fit cartridges inside household reverse osmosis purifiers, direct-drinking dispensers, side-by-side refrigerator water systems and commercial coffee machines.

From Media to Finished Filter

Carbon is sold in many forms — loose granules, powdered carbon, carbon-impregnated nonwovens, compressed blocks and sintered sticks. Each behaves differently once water passes through it. A sintered stick is the result of taking carbon particles of a chosen mesh, blending them with a small amount of binder, shaping the mix into a hollow or solid cylinder and heating it until the particles fuse into a rigid, porous body.

That forming step is what turns media into a product. The carbon's iodine value, particle size distribution and the resin loading set the ceiling for adsorption capacity. The sintering temperature, pressure and dwell time decide how tightly the particles bond, which fixes the pore network that water must travel through. The finished stick therefore has a structure that media alone cannot deliver: uniform micro-pores, a stable pressure drop as flow rises, and enough mechanical strength to resist cracking under line pressure. Oltaven sells this finished filter, not the raw carbon, because the performance a customer measures at the tap is decided at forming.

What Decides Finished Performance

Media selection

High-iodine coconut shell carbon gives a large internal surface area for chlorine, volatile organic compounds and taste-and-odour molecules. Blending in food-grade ion exchange resin adds a softening function and heavy-metal capture inside the same cartridge, so one stick performs two jobs.

Particle size and pore structure

Finer carbon particles create a denser pore network: better interception of fine particles and no black carbon fines escaping downstream, but a higher initial resistance. Coarser particles keep initial flow high at the cost of some fine-particle capture. The balance is chosen per application, which is why sticks of identical outer dimensions can behave differently.

Framing and sealing

The end caps and the way the block is joined to them determine whether water actually passes through the carbon or slips around it. Oltaven supports end-cap welding and custom end-cap structures to match the interface of a specific purifier, refrigerator or coffee machine. A well-formed joint keeps the full flow inside the media and prevents bypass.

Dimensions

Outer diameter and length set the media volume and therefore the capacity and service life. The Ф40×195 format is one reference size in a family that also includes Ф60×130, Ф62×240, Ф37.5×75, Ф38×57, Ф51×127, Ф32×126 and Ф32×106. Diameters from Ф30 to Ф60 can be tailored, and length, wall proportion and end-cap design follow the host device.

Applications

Household reverse osmosis purifiers use sintered carbon sticks as the CTO stage ahead of the membrane, protecting the RO element from chlorine, and as a T33-style post-filter for final taste polishing. Direct-drinking dispensers and water coolers use the same construction where a compact, high-capacity cartridge is needed. Side-by-side refrigerators with built-in water dispensers accept slim sticks sized to the internal housing. Commercial coffee machines use carbon filtration to remove chlorine and odour that would otherwise affect extraction and machine scale.

Because the stick holds its shape and does not release carbon fines, it suits tight hydraulic circuits and appliances where a loose carbon bed would migrate. The integrated resin is useful where incoming water is hard and scale on heating elements or membranes is a concern.

Technical Specifications

The Oltaven Factory and Certifications

Oltaven supports OEM and ODM programmes and has developed more than 1,000 filtration solutions across two decades of research and manufacturing. Production runs in a 50,000 m² plant in Zhongshan, Guangdong, China, which includes six cleanrooms totalling 20,000 m². A CNAS-recognised laboratory issues test reports on filtration efficiency, dust holding capacity and resistance, so a customer's specification can be checked against measured data rather than assumed.

The plant holds IATF 16949, awarded in 2024, alongside ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. Products comply with REACH and RoHS, and compliance documents are available. Quality control follows incoming, in-process and outgoing inspection stages. Oltaven has exported to Europe, the United States, Japan and Korea for more than 20 years.

OEM/ODM Workflow

1. Share the device model, cartridge size or a drawing, together with the required water flow and operating conditions.
2. Oltaven's engineering team reviews the fit and proposes media grade, resin loading, diameter and end-cap structure.
3. Samples are produced and tested in the CNAS-recognised laboratory for flow, resistance and chlorine reduction.
4. The customer validates the sample in the host appliance and approves the specification.
5. Tooling, end-cap welding and packaging — including logo and box design — are finalised.
6. Production runs on automated lines with full inspection, and compliance documents are issued with the shipment.

Start a Custom Project

To quote accurately, tell us the purifier, dispenser, refrigerator or coffee machine model, the cartridge size or a drawing, the water flow or flow rate you need, the operating pressure and water quality, and your order quantity. Send these details through the contact page and our team will respond with a specification proposal.