Improvement of an In-Duct Two-Stage Electrostatic Precipitator via Diffusion Charging

An in-duct two-stage electrostatic precipitator (ESP) improved by ion diffusion effect was studied. We increased the collection efficiency of a two-stage electrostatic precipitator without additional energy input by adjusting the space arrangement of the charger and the collector, which increased the particle diffusion charging time. The collection efficiency and the particle charge were systematically investigated according to the occurrence of diffusion charging and electric field charging in the charger as generated by the negative ions. The collection efficiency of the separated two-stage ESP was 39% higher, on average, than the theoretical efficiency at the same power consumption. Through simulation, it was verified that the ions generated in the carbon fiber ionizer penetrated the charger. We proposed a modified charging mechanism assuming that the penetrated ions cause additional particle charge. The optimal separation distance between the charger and the collector, which showed the maximum collection efficiency, was derived through the modified charging model. Therefore, the in-duct two-stage ESP developed in this study is a promising energy-efficient and cost-saving design for indoor air management.

Automated summary

An in-duct two-stage electrostatic precipitator (ESP) improved by ion diffusion effect was studied. The collection efficiency of the ESP was increased by adjusting the space arrangement of the charger and the collector. The study proposed a modified charging mechanism and derived the optimal separation distance between the charger and the collector for maximum collection efficiency. The developed ESP design shows potential for energy efficiency and cost savings in indoor air management.