Sub-microsecond impulsive corona discharges for electrostatic precipitation applications

Abstract

The present paper discusses the development of the impulsive micro-electrostatic precipitation technology (μ-ESP), which uses superposition of sub-microsecond high field pulses and DC electric field. Short impulses allow the application of higher voltages to the ionisation electrodes of a precipitation system without the initiation of breakdown. These higher levels of electric field generate higher ionic concentrations, resulting in more efficient charging of the airborne particles and can potentially improve precipitation efficiency. The present work is focused on analysis of the behavior of impulsive positive corona discharges in coaxial reactor designed for precipitation studies. The efficiency of precipitation of coarse and fine particles has been investigated using the different DC and impulse voltage levels in order to establish optimal energisation modes.