Novel Compact Electrostatic Precipitators for Small-Scale Biomass Combustion Facilities

Abstract

Electrostatic precipitation is an effective pollution control technology for reduction of particulate emissions from small-scale biomass combustion facilities. The electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) ensure high mass and fractional collection efficiency at low-pressure drop and have low operation costs. The aim of the current work is the development and experimental study of a compact ESP for reduction of particle emissions from wood combustion facilities with heat capacity of 4–100 kW. In the designed ESP, particle charging takes place in a corona discharge double electrode system. Particle precipitation takes place under the influence of corona discharge electric field in the ionizing zones and under the influence of electro-hydrodynamic, space charge, thermophoretic and gasdynamic phenomena in the ash box, installed in the bottom part of the ESP casing. The compact ESP assumes manual cleaning of collected fly ash. The results of the study of the influence of gas flow rate, corona discharge power consumption and particle concentration on the ESP mass collection efficiency are discussed. The compact ESP ensures mean mass collection efficiency of 76%.