活性炭的吸附原理是：在zai其qi顆ke粒li表biao麵mian形xing成cheng一yi層ceng平ping衡heng的de表biao麵mian濃nong度du，再zai把ba有you機ji物wu質zhi雜za質zhi吸xi附fu到dao活huo性xing炭tan顆ke粒li內nei

，使shi用yong初chu期qi的de吸xi附fu效xiao果guo很hen高gao。但dan時shi間jian一yi長chang，活huo性xing炭tan的de吸xi附fu能neng力li會hui不bu同tong程cheng度du地di減jian弱ruo，如ru果guo水shui族zu箱xiang中zhong水shui質zhi混hun濁zhuo，水shui中zhong有you機ji物wu含han量liang高gao，活huo性xing炭tan很hen快kuai就jiu會hui喪sang失shi過guo濾lv功gong能neng。所suo以yi
，活huo性xing炭tan應ying定ding期qi清qing洗xi或huo更geng換huan。活huo性xing炭tan顆ke粒li越yue小xiao，過guo濾lv麵mian積ji就jiu越yue大da。粉fen末mo狀zhuang的de活huo性xing炭tan總zong麵mian積ji最zui大da，吸xi附fu效xiao果guo最zui佳jia，但dan粉fen末mo狀zhuang的de活huo性xing炭tan很hen容rong易yi隨sui水shui流liu入ru水shui族zu箱xiang中zhong
，難nan以yi控kong製zhi，很hen少shao采cai用yong。顆ke粒li狀zhuang的de活huo性xing炭tan因yin顆ke粒li成cheng形xing不bu易yi流liu動dong，水shui中zhong有you機ji物wu等deng雜za質zhi在zai活huo性xing炭tan過guo濾lv層ceng中zhong也ye不bu易yi阻zu塞sai，其qi吸xi附fu能neng力li強qiang

，攜xie帶dai更geng換huan方fang便bian。活huo性xing炭tan過guo濾lv器qi在zai水shui質zhi預yu處chu理li係xi統tong中zhong，能neng夠gou吸xi附fu前qian級ji過guo濾lv中zhong無wu法fa去qu除chu的de餘yu氯lv以yi防fang止zhi後hou級ji反fan滲shen透tou膜mo受shou其qi氧yang化hua降jiang解jie，對dui水shui中zhong異yi味wei
、重金屬離子等有較明顯的吸附去除作用。