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Abstract Electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) are considered as cost-effective technology for separating the charged particle from flue gas. In this paper, a modified ESP model was developed to investigate the effects of charged particle on the electric field, ion density, particle charging and migration regarding various particle concentrations. Coupled processes of corona discharge, flow field, particle charging and transport were considered. Results showed that the particle space charge presented trajectory-dependent effects on the distributions of electric field and ion density in the gas flow direction. With the particle concentration increasing from 0 to 200 mg/m3, the electric field strength on the electrode surface was inhibited from 1.32 × 106 to 1.24 × 106 V/m, while the electric field strength on the plate surface was raised from 7.1 × 105 to 8.3 × 105 V/m. By contrast, the ion density within the whole domain decreased when particle space charge considered, and it decreased by more than 40% when the particle concentration was 50 mg/m3. The particle charging rate decreased due to particle space charge effects and consequently the overall particle charge decreased by 45.7% as particle concentration increased to 200 mg/m3. The correlation between collection efficiency and corona current was discussed, and it showed that the two didn't vary synchronously with the increasing concentration. A criterion for efficiency deterioration, under corona suppression conditions, was first proposed for instructing ESP design and operation. Graphical abstracts Unlabelled Image Highlights • A modified ESP model was established to study the particle space charge effects. • Corona discharge, flow field, particle charging and transport were coupled. • Correlation between corona current and collection efficiency was analyzed. • A criterion for ESP performance deterioration was first proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The severe current reduction and a significant drop in collection efficiency appear when containing ultrafine particles. In this study, a comprehensive model was developed to investigate the role of optimizing the corona wire arrangement in the electrostatic precipitator (ESP) performance enhancement. The total current increased initially and then decreased with the increase in wire-wire distance (without PM 0.1). The decrease in the wire-plate distance could enhance the corona discharge. The collection efficiencies for 1, 2.5, and 5 μm enhanced by 58.1%, 45.2%, and 37.4% when the wire-plate distance decreased from 300 mm to 100 mm (without PM 0.1), respectively. Compared with the wire-wire distance optimization, the ESP performance enhancement was more obvious for wire-plate distance optimization when containing ultrafine particles. The collection efficiency of 5 μm particles could increase by 323.2% when the PM 0.1 concentration reached 50 mg/m3. Meanwhile, some potential methods were proposed to improve ESP performance in treating ultrafine particles. [Display omitted] • A comprehensive model considered particle space-charge was developed. • The role of corona wire arrangement in corona discharge and particle motion was quantified. • Variation of ESP performance when containing ultrafine particles was analyzed. • Some potential methods were proposed to relieve corona suppression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A modified wet ESP model was established to study the particle space-charge effect. • The role of ultrafine particles in collection performance was investigated. • A combined wet ESP was developed and compared with the common wet ESP. • The correlation between precharging and particle charging was analyzed. • The contribution of precharging to particle precipitation was quantified. The collection performance of wet electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) considerably deteriorates in the presence of ultrafine particles, which confer difficulties in realizing the ultra-low emission of particulate matter (PM). In this work, the use of a wet ESP combined with a perforated precharger was proposed to investigate its electrical and collection characteristics in flue gas containing ultrafine particles and compared these characteristics with those of the common wet ESP. Results indicated that the distributions of ion density and electric field were affected by ultrafine particle loadings. With increased PM 0.1 concentration from 0 mg/m3 to 100 mg/m3, the average ion density of the common wet ESP decreased by more than two orders of magnitude. Meanwhile, the particle charging and transport performance deteriorated, even for large particles (10 μm), and migration velocity sharply decreased by more than 85 %. The corona electrostatic field was significantly improved by installing the precharger. The combined wet ESP can be operated well even under problematic conditions. Additional electrons were generated by the corona discharge of the precharger, which contributed to subsequent particle capture. When the applied voltage of the precharger exceeded 15 kV, the electrostatic precipitation of 1 μm particles only slightly weakened with increased PM 0.1 concentration to 40 mg/m3, and the capture of >5 μm-diameter particles was nearly unaffected by ultrafine particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) separate particles from flue gas by corona discharge and accompany by the generation of ionic wind. In this work, a Computational Fluid Dynamics model was presented to investigate the effects of ionic wind on flow field and particle precipitation in a honeycomb ESP in terms of the coupled processes among corona discharge, gas flow, particle charging and transport. Results indicated that the electric field and ion charge density around the needle tips were highest and respectively reach 2.5 × 106 V/m and 0.164 C/m3 in the gas without suspended particles, which played a key role in corona-electrostatic field. The maximum velocity of ionic wind could reach 13.81, 11.74 and 9.42 m/s under the applied voltage of 27, 21 and 15 kV, and ionic wind velocity sharply decreased away from the needle tip. Meanwhile, the flow field could be divided into three regions (ionic wind affected region, vortex and back flow region) according to the direction of gas flow velocity. When the electrically neutral particles with a spherical shape were injected into ESP at the entrance, the charged particles were transported by drag force and electric force, and inhomogeneous distribution of the deposited particle has occurred because of ionic wind. More intense vortices were formed with the increase in applied voltage, and promoting the particle precipitation process. Moreover, higher applied voltage enhanced the aggregation of particles in the upstream, and reduced the dead zone of deposited particles in the downstream. The ionic wind generated by corona discharge strongly disturbed the flow field and particle precipitation process. Image 1 • A 3D spike-honeycomb ESP model was established to study the role of ionic wind. • The distributed pattern of the electric field and ion charge were investigated. • High velocity ionic wind was generated near the tips and could reach 13.81 m/s. • The flow field of gas phase was divided into three regions because of ionic wind. • The correlation between the ionic wind and particle precipitation were analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]