Flow visualization inside a wire-plate electrostatic precipitator

A flow visualization study was performed in a wire-plate precipitator with a plate-plate spacing of 20.32 cm and wire-wire spacing of 20.32 cm. Smoke was used as the flow tracer, where injection and illumination were accomplished by two different techniques. In one method smoke was released from a single heated probe and illuminated by electronic flash. The other method employed a uniform smoke flow made visible by a laser sheet. The latter technique proved to be superior, providing well-defined views of the flow in both streamwise and spanwise planes over a wide range of velocities (0.2-2 m/s) and current densities (0-0.5 mA/m). The illuminated flow patterns were recorded by still 35 mm photography and color video taping. Of particular interest was the interaction between the precipitator gas flow and the corona-generated electric wind for both polarities of discharge. Results showed that positive corona discharge produces a stable two-dimensional smoke flow with negligible turbulent dispersion for precipitator velocities greater than 0.7 m/s. Lower velocities allowed the electric wind to dominate producing unstable, recirculating flow with widespread turbulence. Negative discharges were inherently unsteady and three-dimensional at all operating conditions but displayed extreme instability and recirculation (similar to positive polarity) for precipitator velocities less than 0.7 m/s