The performance of the electrostatic precipitator (ESP) is studied theoretically by using an advanced simulation model. The theory of the operation of the ESP was presented in the concepts of electric potential and the electric field and their role in creating the corona onset, which initiate the charging of the dust particles through the process of ionizations. The effective design and operative parameters are the main keys which play the important role to achieve good performances with demanded efficiencies. The ESPVI 4.0W computer code which owned and employed by the Environmental Protection Agency of USA (EPA), is used in this work to examine the effects of all operating parameters on the performance of an assumed ESP example. These calculations show the significant and usefulness of the computer simulations in designing ESPs, testing their operations and predicting the reasons of the defaults. Discharge electrodes spacing, wire – plate spacing, number of electrodes, number of sections, resistivity of dust particles, and particle distribution were studied versus the efficiency of the device. The particle size distribution may lower the performance of the ESP, especially when it lies in the region where the two-charging methods field and diffusion charge are not efficient. However, we conclude that good designing conditions not enough to perform successful electrostatic precipitation, if there is no optimization in these parameters in one hand, and with the operating parameters in other.

Published 01 August 2018

DOI: 10.14500/icpas2018.nmt106

http://dx.doi.org/10.14500/icpas2018.nmt106