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Energy Technology Research Center and Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Prince of
Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand
2
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand
3
National Center of Excellence for Environmental and Hazardous Waste Management (EHWM)-Southern Consortium
Universities at Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand
ABSTRACT
A simple wire-plate electrostatic precipitator (ESP) was constructed in order to test the efficiency of collecting smoke
particles from combustion of rubber-wood that is used as a source of biomass energy. The ESP contains a maximum of 15
collection plate electrodes and 20 wire electrodes per row between plates. The maximum input voltage of the Wheatstone
bridge circuit using a high-voltage neon transformer was 13.5 kV (DC). The gap between plates and the distance between
wires were adjustable. Results from the field test in a furnace indicate that the device could be used for a period of about
one hour before cleaning the electrodes was required. The collection efficiency was decreased during the course of wood
burning as the dust loading increased. Maximum efficiency was near 80% during the initial period. The distance between
the collection plate electrodes had a greater influence on efficiency than the distance between the wire electrodes. The
cleaning system used in this experiment was made from a row of PVC pipes to allow water to discharge radially to the
plate electrodes on both sides. This system was equipped with the case of maximum collection efficiency that had a 50 mm
gap between collection plate electrodes and a 64 mm distance between wire electrodes. Efficiency was increased after 120
minutes and maintained a collection efficiency of about 60%. This ESP is suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) to alleviate the release of detrimental chemicals such as PAHs into the atmosphere.
Keywords: Wire and plate; Biomass; Wood burning; Natural rubber; High voltage.
INTRODUCTION
Biomass is currently a major source of renewable energy.
Wood is an important biomass fuel, and it has been
extensively used in direct combustion. Combustion of
firewood leads to pollution in the form of gases and smoke
particles, which are composed of various chemical
components. Incomplete combustion results in the formation
of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and other
chemical compositions (Furuuchi et al., 2006; Bai et al.,
2007; Tekasakul et al., 2008). PAHs include hundreds of
compounds that are carcinogenic, especially those that
contain four to six aromatic rings. This includes Benz (a, h)
anthracene, chrysene, and benzo (a, e) pyrene. Factory
workers who are exposed to PAHs may develop cancer and
experience other negative health effects (IARC, 1982;
Ruttanachot et al., Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 11: 9098, 2011
VTE Ac
Q
1 exp
91
(1)
neEC c
3d p
(2)
n nd n f
(3)
nd
d p kT K E d p C i e 2 N i t
ln 1
2kT
2K E e 2
(4)
2 4 K E e 1 K E eZ i N i t
(5)
Ni
Icd
Z i euVw ht
(6)
s
s
1.0
d 2c 0.18 exp 2.96 for 0.3
2
2
c
c
(7)
Ruttanachot et al., Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 11: 9098, 2011
92
(10)
Ic
0 Z i hL
cs 2 ln d r0
V w V w Vc
(8)
d
Vc r0 Ec ln
r0
(9)
0.864 105
Ec 32.2
r0
Ruttanachot et al., Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 11: 9098, 2011
Value
373
0.68
13.5
0.060.6
> 95
EXPERIMENT
The experimental setup to determine collection efficiency
of the ESP is shown in Fig. 4. The ESP was connected to
the wood combustion furnace where 4 kg of rubber-wood
was burned. Aerosol sampling was conducted at the
upstream and downstream locations of the ESP using
HEPA filters. The input voltage for the ESP was 220 VAC,
which is equivalent to the output of 13.5 kVDC. The
collection efficiency () can then be calculated from:
cexit
cinlet
93
(11)
Ruttanachot et al., Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 11: 9098, 2011
94
Distance
between wire
electrodes, dw
(mm)
85
64
85
64
Number
of wires
per row
Total
collection
electrodes
15
20
15
20
15
15
10
10
Table 3. Prediction of the numbers of charges and corona onset values from the designed ESP.
Parameter
Nit (ions/m-3 s)
nd
nf
n
Ec (V/m)
Vc (V)
Ic @13.5 kV (mA)
dc = 50 mm
dw = 64 mm
8.1808 1014
69.48
77.89
147.37
3.718 106
7,981.4
2.760
dc = 50 mm
dw = 85 mm
6.1546 1014
67.32
77.85
145.17
3.718 106
7,977.9
2.080
dc = 75 mm
dw = 64 mm
4.6000 1014
65.11
51.86
116.97
3.718 106
9,056.1
0.870
dc = 75 mm
dw = 85 mm
3.2756 1014
62.53
51.85
114.38
3.718 106
8,787.1
0.716
Ruttanachot et al., Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 11: 9098, 2011
(a)
95
(b)
Fig. 5. Collection efficiency of the ESP for constant gap between collection plate electrodes (dc) and variable distance
between wire electrodes (dw) (a) dc = 75 mm, dw = 85, and 64 mm. (b) dc = 50 mm, dw = 85 and 64 mm.
gap between collection electrodes was constant at 75 mm,
and the distances between electrode wires were 85 mm and
64 mm, respectively. After 300 minutes, the efficiencies
were reduced to 8.7% and 9.7%, respectively. When the
gap between collection electrodes was constant at 50 mm,
and the distances between wire electrodes wires were 85
mm and 64 mm, the collection efficiencies at 30 minutes
after initiation of the experiment were 81.7% and 82.1%.
They were reduced to 15.5% and 16.1%, respectively, after
300 minutes.
Results from the variable gap between collection
electrodes provide a clear distinction about the distance
between wires electrodes of 85 and 64 mm, respectively,
which are shown in Figs. 6(a) and (b). When the gap was
reduced, the collection efficiency improved. The trend
remained constant for the entire duration of 300 minutes
and became clearer for the smaller distances between wires.
The smaller distances between wires may have caused a
higher concentration of ions, even at the dust-loaded
condition.
(a)
(b)
Fig. 6. Collection efficiency of the ESP for constant distance between wire electrodes (dw) and variable gap between
collection plate electrodes (dc) (a) dw = 85 mm, dc = 50 and 75 mm. (b) dw = 64 mm, dc = 50, and 75 mm.
96
Ruttanachot et al., Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 11: 9098, 2011
Ruttanachot et al., Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 11: 9098, 2011
(a)
97
(b)
Fig. 10. Pictures of the collection electrodes (a) before the cleaning, and (b) after the cleaning.
CONCLUSION
The maximum collection efficiency of the designed ESP
was found to be near 80% during the initial period. The
collection efficiency decreased as the dust loading
increased. Results show that the gap between the collection
plate electrodes has a greater influence on efficiency than
the distance between the wire electrodes. In practice,
minimal distance between the collection plate electrodes
should be about 50 mm for safe and efficient operation.
The efficiency was reduced from about 80% to 70% when
cvt was about 2 kg/m2, which corresponds to about two
hours of operation. The efficiency of the cleaning system
increased after 120 minutes. Electrode cleaning is required
after every hour in order to ensure sufficient collection
efficiency, which is a process that maintains a level of
about 60%. The ESP used in this study is suitable for the
small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) using wood
combustion for production because it is low in cost and the
efficiency is sufficient to alleviate emissions of detrimental
chemicals like PAHs into the atmosphere.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research study was financially supported by the
NRCT-JSPS (National Research Council of Thailand
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science) Joint Research
Program and the Graduate School of Prince of Songkla
University, Hat Yai, Thailand.
REFERENCES
Bai, Y., Firuuchi, M., Tekasakul, P., Tekasakul, s.,
Choosong, T., Aizawa, M., Hata, M. and Otani, Y.
(2007). Application of Soft X-rays in the Decomposition
of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Smoke
Particles from Biomass Fuel Burning. Aerosol Air Qual.
Res. 7: 7994.
Chang, J.S., Looy, P.C. and Webster, C. (1998). The Effect
of Dust Loading on the Collections of Fine Particles by
an Electrostatic Precipitator with DC or Pulse Energized
Prechargers. J. Aerosol Sci. 29: 11271128.
Chomanee, J., Tekasakul, S., Tekasakul, P., Furuuchi, M.
and Otani, Y. (2009). Effects of Moisture Content and
Burning Period on Concentration of Smoke Particles
98
Ruttanachot et al., Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 11: 9098, 2011