Electrostatic Precipitator

Principle of operation of Electrostatic Precipitator

The gas carrying dust particles, when passed
between oppositely charged conductors, gets ionized, as
the voltage applied (30kv) and spacing between
conductors, is adjusted that a strong electric field exists
between them.
The ionized gas is further passed through the
collecting unit which consists of a set of vertical metal
plates.
The alternate plates are positively charged and
earthed. The spacing and voltage are so adjusted that high
electric field exists between the plates which exert force
on the ionized particles.
The positively charged dust particles are attracted
towards the grounded plates.
The deposited dusts particles are removed from
the collecting plates by tumbling hammers and is
collected in the dust hoppers.
It has two sets of electrodes, insulated from each
other that maintain an electrostatic field between them at
high voltage. The flue gases are made to pass between
these two sets of electrodes. The electric field ionises the
dust particle; that pass through it attracting them to the
electrode of opposite charge. The other electrode is
maintained at a negative potential of 30,000 to 60,000
volts. The dust particles are removed from the collecting
electrode by rapping the electrode periodically. The
electrostatic precipitator is costly but has low
maintenance cost and is frequently employed with
pulverised coal fired power stations for its effectiveness
on very fine ash particles and is superior to that of any
other type.
The principal characteristics of an ash collector is
the degree of collection.
= Degree of collection

where
Gl = Quantity of ash entering an ash collector per unit
time (kg/s)
G2 = Quantity of uncollected ash passing through the
collector per unit time (kg/s)
Cl = Concentration of ash in the gases at the inlet to the
ash collector (kg/m3)
C2 = Ash concentration at the exist (kg/m3).
Depending on the type of fuel and the power of
bailer the ash collection in industrial boilers and thermal
power stations can be effected by mechanical ash
collectors, fly ash scrubbers and electrostatic
precipitators.
For fly ash scrubbers of large importance is the
content of free lime (CaO) in the ash. With a high
concentration of CaO the ash can be cemented and impair
the operation of a scrubber.
The efficiency of operation of gas cleaning devices
depends largely on the physico-chemical
properties of the collected ash and of the entering waste
gases.
Following are the principal characteristics of the fly ash:
(i) Density (ii) Dispersity (Particle size)
(iii) Electric resistance (For electrostatic precipitators)
(iv) Coalescence of ash particles.
Due to increasing boiler size and low sulphur high
ash content coal the problem of collecting fly ash is
becoming increasingly complex. Fly ash can range from
very fine to very coarse size depending on the source.
Particles colour varies from light tan to grey to black. Tan
colour indicates presence of ion oxide while dark shades
indicate presence of unburnt carbon. Fly ash particles size
varies between 1. micron (l ) to 300 . Fly ash
concentration in flue gases depends upon mainly the
following factors :
(i) Coal composition. (ii) Boiler design and capacity.
Percentage of ash in coal directly contributes to
fly ash emission while boiler design and operation
determine the percentage retained in the furnace as
bottom ash and fly ash carried away by flue gas. Fly ash
concentration widely varies around 20-90 g/mm3
depending on coal and boiler design. Fly ash particle size
distribution depends primarily on the type of boiler such
as pulverised coal fired boiler typically produces coarser
particles then cyclone type boilers. Electrostatic
precipitator (ESP) is quite commonly used for removal of
fly ash from flue gases.