The effective collection of fly ash at pulverized coal-fired plants.

The effective collection of fly ash in pulverized coal-fired plants which utilize electrostatic precipitators depends primarily on the effect of coal sulfur content, the gas temperature, and the carbonaceous content of the fly ash on the precipitator electrical power input. While the majority of precipitator installations are effective fly ash collectors, an abnormal change in any of the above factors can sometimes adver~cly affect collector performance. A knowledge of the interaction of these three factors and the ability of the mechanical collector to alter precipitator electrical characteristics will often enable the operator to explain and possibly correct a decrease in precipitator efficiency. The purpose of the paper is to discuss these phenomena.