Wet Electrostatic Scrubbing for gas cleaning applications – a critical review

Abstract

Wet electrostatic scrubbing is a gas-cleaning process based on on gas ionization and/or spray electrification. This technique is emerging as a promising solution for fine and ultrafine particle collection, with the additional advantage of simultaneously absorbing soluble gases. This work presents a critical review of its application to particle capture, analysing recent literature to explore: (i) the models developed to describe the underlying physics of the process, (ii) the design of key components, and (iii) the findings from both modelling and experimental studies evaluating the performance of wet electrostatic scrubbers across various gas cleaning applications. The literature survey highlights that wet electrostatic scrubbing is an efficient technology, characterized by low pressure drops, reduced energy consumption, and a wide range of possible designs. Now approaching technological maturity, this technique offers a versatile and scalable solution for air pollution control, suitable for both standalone systems and retrofit applications.