Experimental study of a string-based counterflow wet electrostatic precipitator for collection of fine and ultrafine particles

Wet electrostatic precipitators (WESP) have been widely studied for collecting fine and ultrafine particles, such as diesel particulate matter (DPM), which deleterious effects on human health. Here, we report an experimental numerical simulation study a novel string-based two-stage WESP. Our new design incorporates grounded vertically aligned polymer strings, along thin films of water flow down. The beads, generated by intrinsic instability, travel down the strings collect charged particles in counterflowing gas stream. We performed experiments using two different geometric configurations WESP: rectangular cylindrical. examined WESP electrode bias voltage, air stream velocity, rate number-based fractional collection efficiency diameters ranging from 10 nm to 2.5 μm. improves with increasing voltages or decreasing airflow rates. At liquid-to-gas (L/G) low approximately 0.0066, our delivers over 70% even particles. cylindrical exhibit similar efficiencies under nominally identical conditions. also compare water-to-air mass ratio, per unit collector volume, those previously reported WESPs. present work demonstrates promising highly efficient, compact, scalable WESPs minimal consumption.Implications: Electrostatic Precipitators (WESPs) are effective exhaust streams various sources engines, power plants, oil refineries. However, their large-scale adoption has limited high usage reduced perform investigation characterize rate-dependence counterflow this offers >70% at rates volume 4.36 (m3/s)/m3 – μm, while significantly reducing usage. provides basis more compact water-efficient