Investigations of the collection efficiency of an electrostatic precipitator with turbulent effects

Abstract

Particle collection in an electrostatic precipitator mainly depends on the flow conditions and superimposed electrodynamic conditions, within the collecting channel. The flow field structure is decisively governed by the interactions between the gas phase and ionic wind. An improved model of an electrostatic precipitator was made from the particle convection diffusion equation, which takes into account the effects of the turbulent mixing on the particle transport by fluid mechanical and electrostatic forces. The theoretical expression of the turbulent mixing coefficient, a representation of the turbulent mixing effects, was directly developed on the basis of the mass transfer, Navier-Stokes, and Shaughnessy equations; this excellently agrees with observations published by Self and his co-workers (various studies) and Gross (1979). The comparison of the theoretical and experimental data published by Riehle and Löffler (1990) shows that the presented collection efficiencies are well identified with experimental results regarding the substantial case at an applied voltage of 35 kV, while the particle is collected in the range > 1 μm for the laboratory-scale precipitator. © 1994 Elsevier Science Inc.