Variable Cross-Section Cylinder-Type Corona and Combined Corona–Dielectric Barrier Discharge Precipitators for Fly-Ash Particles

Abstract

This article is aimed at evaluating three designs of cylindrical-type electrostatic precipitators that might be installed at the output of household boilers in order to reduce the pollution due to burning wood or fossil fuels. The first design is the “standard” precipitator, which consists in a thin copper wire (0.16 mm in diameter), coaxial with a cylindrical aluminum cylinder, 345 mm in length, of constant radius (20 mm). The second and third designs, equipped with a similar wire electrode, are characterized by the same global length, but are divided into three sections, two having the same cross-section as the “standard” precipitator, while the third section, 20 mm in length and located between them, has a smaller radius (11.5 mm). The reduction of the diameter in this central section of the precipitator is done by introducing an aluminum ring, covered by a sleeve made of either aluminum (design #2) or polyvinyl chloride (design #3). Together with the modification of the conditions for mechanical collection of particles, the more intense corona (design #2) or dielectric barrier discharges (design #3) generated in these sections of reduced diameter contribute to a significant increase of precipitation efficiency.

Keywords:

• Corona
• dielectric barrier discharge
• dielectrics
• electrostatic precipitators
• measurement
• particles