Miniature pipe bundle heat exchanger for thermophoretic deposition of ultrafine soot aerosol particles at high flow velocities

The deposition of submicrometer soot aerosol particles in a miniature pipe bundle heat exchanger system has been investigated under conditions characteristic for combustion exhaust from diesel engines and oil or biomass burning processes. The system has been characterized for a wide range of aerosol inlet temperatures (390-510 K) and flow velocities (1-4 m s(-1)), and particle deposition efficiencies up to 45% have been achieved over an effective deposition length of 27 cm. Thermophoresis was the dominant deposition mechanism, and its decoupling from isothermal deposition was consistent with the assumption of independently acting processes. The measured deposition efficiencies can be described by simple linear parameterizations based on an approximation formula for thermophoretic plate precipitators. The results of this study support the development of modified heat exchanger systems with enhanced capability for filterless removal of combustion aerosol particles.