Efficiency evaluation of a lab-scale photoelectric precipitator for particulate matter emission reduction

The importance of studying particulate matter lies in its detrimental impact on human health and the environment. Industrial emissions often carry substantial dust content, necessitating the reduction of their environmental release. This study introduced a laboratory-scale photoelectric precipitator to assess its effectiveness in curbing particle emissions under varying temperature, humidity, and residence time conditions. This device operates in two stages: firstly, it charges particles by exposing copper wire surfaces to ultraviolet rays, generating photoelectrons in the airflow; secondly, it utilizes a positively charged collector surface for absorption and collection. Assessment under different temperature, residence time, and humidity conditions revealed that the system designed for 10 μm diameter particles displayed the highest efficiency. At 150℃, the removal efficiency was 39.55%, rising to 41.34% at 60% humidity and 43.58% with an 18-second residence time. Furthermore, increasing energy consumption from 144 j/l to 720 j/l resulted in a 10.93% efficiency increase, highlighting the correlation between energy input and system efficiency. High particulate matter levels diminish visibility, harm the climate, ecosystems, materials, and contribute to respiratory and cardiovascular ailments. These findings underline the photoelectric precipitator’s potential in mitigating particulate matter’s adverse effects on health and the environment. However, further research is warranted to optimize system design and explore additional parameters’ impact on performance, ensuring its effectiveness in industrial processes to reduce particulate matter emissions.