Particle migration and collection in a high-temperature electrostatic precipitator

Abstract

An experimental-scale electrostatic precipitator (ESP) was built to investigate the characteristics of corona discharge, particle migration, and particle collection at various temperatures ranging from 300K to 900K. The variations in particle collection efficiencies and migration velocities with temperature, applied voltage, current density, energy consumption density, particle concentration, and flue gas velocity were obtained. Both onset and spark voltages decreased with an increase in temperature and resulted in a decrease in particle collection efficiency and particle migration velocity. At the same voltage, a large current was generated at high temperature; particle charging was enhanced, and high particle collection efficiencies and particle migration velocities were obtained. At the same current and energy consumption densities, the particle collection efficiencies decreased because of the low electric field intensity. The increase in particle concentration was favorable to particle collection and improved the particle migration velocities. The increase in flue gas velocity reduced the particle collection efficiencies and had minimal influence on the particle migration velocities.