Modification of gas flow by charged particles

The effect of micron-diameter charged particles on gas flow characteristics in an uniform electric field is experimentally investigated in rectangular electrostatic precipitator duct at 0.8 m/s and flow Reynolds number of 2600. Particles are uniformly distributed in the flow at 10^-5 kg/m³. Hot film measurements of streamwise gas flow characteristics, including mean velocity, turbulence intensity, and energy spectra, of a particle-free flow are compared to those of the gas-particle flow. Effects of uncharged particles and charged particles subject to no electric field and 5.5 kV/cm are evaluated. Results show that at these concentrations, charged particles do not modify the gas flow. Comparison of test conditions to particle concentrations at the exit of industrial electrostatic precipitators indicates that charged particle induced turbulence is also negligible in these devices. Efforts to reduce electrically generated turbulence in precipitators should continue to focus on control or the ionic body force acting on the gas