Movement of Dust Between Electrodes in an Electrostatically Augmented Fabric Filter

An electric field normal to a fabric filter is used to improve the performance of the filter, but unfortunately, this field provides a force tending to pull previously deposited dust off from the filter. This electrostatic force is very small compared to the pressure drop through the filter, and so it had been assumed that the pressure drop through the filter would hold dust on the fabric. Evidence is given that, under some conditions, agglomerations of dust may be pulled off and moved to the opposite electrode. Currents due to this motion are measured, and motion pictures show large agglomerations of dust moving between electrodes.