Author(s)

Y. S. Khodorkovsky & M. R. Beltran

Abstract

Drift velocity of particulates in an electrostatic precipitator: comparison of modelling with experiments Yakov S. Khodorkovsky & Michael R. Beltran Beltran, Inc., U.S.A. Abstract The evaluation of drift velocity of charged particulates in a laboratory scale electrostatic precipitator (ESP) will be discussed. The collection efficiency of an ESP depends on a large number of electrohydrodynamic parameters. The main mass transfer parameter in an ESP is the drift velocity of particulate which is determined by gravitational force, Coulomb force, drag force, inertial force of added mass, and lift force. The calculated migration velocity, using the fundamental motion equations of particles in an electrohydrodynamic field, differs very much from the effective drift velocity obtained experimentally. In the paper we develop a new concept of drift velocity calculation using the theory of dimensional analysis and the experimental data of collection efficiency in a laboratory scale ESP. As a result we obtained a universal relationship between drift velocity and a proposed ESP similarity number. Introduction The electrostatic precipitator (ESP) is a very complex device the performance of which depends on the interaction between a high-strength electric field, a turbulent gas flow field, and the motion of particulates. The values of the drift velocity of the particulates are very much influenced by the turbulence intensity of the gas flow, especially by the corona-generated turbulence production and generation of secondary flows in the ESP. Studies of ESP performance in industrial conditions show that the drift velocity, which is one of the main factors influencing ESP efficiency, depends essentially on:

Keywords