At the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Describe the purpose of a precipitator
- Identify and describe the major components of an electrostatic precipitator
- Describe the function of plate-wire precipitators
- Identify performance problems associated with precipitators
- Describe typical auxiliary and support systems of precipitators
- Identify and describe the safety hazards and safe work practices associated with precipitators
The following key questions are answered in this module:
What is the purpose of an electrostatic precipitator?
The purpose of an electrostatic precipitator is to remove particulate matter from discharged industrial gases.
How do electrostatic precipators capture particles?
Electrostatic precipitators impart negative charge to incoming particles. The negatively charged particles are removed from the gas stream when they are attracted to positively charged collection plates.
How are captured particles removed from an ESP?
Captured particles form a layer of dust on the collection plates. The plates are rapped or shaken to loosen the dust so it can fall to the bottom of the precipitator.
Can ESP's remove all pollution from a combustion gas stream?
ESPs can only remove particulate matter, pollutant gases such as sulfur dioxide pass through.
What kind of electricity is used in an ESP?
Electrostatic precipitators operate on very high direct current (DC) voltage.
Below is a transcript of the video sample provided for this module:
ESPs work on the principle that opposites attract to each other. In plate wire precipitators, exhaust gas flows through parallel plates of sheet metal. Between each row of plates hangs a row of high voltage electrode. This design allows many flow lanes operating in parallel. Therefore, they are well suited to handle large volumes of exhaust gas. As the exhaust gas passes between the plates, high voltage applied to the electrodes cause the particulate in the gas stream to become negatively charged. The negatively charged particulate is attracted to the positively charged plates and is collected on the plates. Wrappers shake lose particulate from the plates, which falls into collection hoppers for removal.
Use the additional resources and links below to learn more about this topic: