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KnowledgeBase
The Neundorfer KnowledgeBase is an
industry-leading information resource about
electrostatic precipitators. The Introduction to
Precipitators is a great starting point for
background information, or proceed directly to
specific topic areas of interest.
The downloadable manuals at the right are
made available by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) at www.epa.gov and
provide detailed information about
electrostatic precipitator design, operation
and maintenance.
About Electrostatic Precipitators
Introduction to Precipitators
Basic Principles
About Precipitator Operating Theory
Design & Performance Requirements
Process Variables
About Precipitator Components
Discharge Electrodes
Collecting Plates
Power Supplies and Controls
Gas Distribution Systems
Rapping Systems
Hoppers and Dust Handling
Ductwork
Heaters and Purge Air Systems
Thermal Insulation
About Precipitator Performance
Gas Distribution
Re-entrainment
Corona Power
Performance Improvements
Equipment Improvements
Combustion Process Improvements (Power
Plants)
Flue Gas/Fly Ash Conditioning (Power Plants)
Available Documents
Precipitator Tutorial
1 - ESP Operation
2 - ESP Components
3 - ESP Design Parameters
4 - ESP Design Review
5 - Industrial Applications for ESPs
6 - ESP Operation & Maintenance
Product Manuals
Smart Purge Theory of Operation
Power/Electric
Cement
Chemicals
Metals
Paper
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Discharge Electrodes
Power Components
Precipitator Controls
Rapping Systems
Purge Air Systems
Flue Gas Conditioning
Precipitator sizing
The sizing process is complex as
each precipitator manufacturer has a
unique method of sizing, often
involving the use of computer models
and always involving a good dose of
judgment. No computer model on its
own can assess all the variables that
affect precipitator performance.
Collecting Efficiency
Based on specific gas volume and
dust load, calculations are used to
predict the required size of a
precipitator to achieve a desired
collecting efficiency.
Power Input
Power input is comprised of the
voltage and current in an electrical
field. Increasing the power input
improves precipitator collecting
efficiency under normal conditions.
Process Variables
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2.
3.
4.
5.
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1. Voltage control
Automatic voltage control varies the
power to the transformer-rectifier in
response to signals received from
sensors in the precipitator and the
transformer-rectifier itself. It monitors
the electrical conditions inside the
precipitator, protects the internal
components from arc-over damages,
and protects the transformer-rectifier
and other components in the primary
circuit.
The ideal automatic voltage control
would produce the maximum
collecting efficiency by holding the
operating voltage of the precipitator at
a level just below the spark-over
voltage. However, this level cannot be
achieved given that conditions
change from moment to moment.
Instead, the automatic voltage control
increases output from the
transformer-rectifier until a spark
occurs. Then the control resets to a
lower power level, and the power
increases again until the next spark
occurs.
Automatic Voltage Controllers (for Electrostatic
Precipitators)
An electronic device used to control the application of
D.C. power into a field of an electrostatic precipitator.
(PIC OF MVC4 FACE PANEL AND PIC OF
INTERFACE BOARD)
Theory
performance.
1. Transformer-Rectifiers
The transformer-rectifier rating should
be matched to the load imposed by
the electrical field or bus section. The
power supply will perform best when
the transformer-rectifiers operate at
70 - 90% of the rated capacity,
without excessive sparking. This
reduces the maximum continuousload voltage and corona power
inputs. Practical operating voltages
for transformer-rectifiers depend on:
o Collecting plate spacing
o Gas and dust conditions
o Collecting plate and
discharge electrode geometry
At secondary current levels over 1500
mA, internal impedance of a
transformer-rectifier is low, which
makes stable automatic voltage
control more difficult to achieve. The
design of the transformer-rectifier
should call for the highest possible
impedance that is commensurate with
the application and performance
requirements. Often, this limits the
size of the electrical field or bus
section.
It is general practice to add additional
impedance in the form of a currentlimiting reactor in the primary circuit.
This reactor will limit the primary
current during arcing and also
improve the wave shape of the
voltage/current fed into the
transformer-rectifier.
2. Corona current density
Corona current density should be in
the range of 10 - 100 mA/1000 ft2 of
plate area. (Calculate this using
secondary current divided by
collecting area of the electrical field or
bus section.) The actual level
depends upon:
o Location of electrical field or
bus section to be energized
o Collecting plate area
o Gas and dust conditions
o Collecting electrode and
discharge wire geometry
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Electric vibrators
Electric solenoid piston drop rappers
Pneumatic vibrating rappers
Tumbling hammers
Sonic horns (do not require
transmission assemblies)
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About Ductwork
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About Re-entrainment
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Particles:
Low cohesiveness
Low adhesion to
collecting plates
Particle size
Low resistivity
Voltage
Controls:
Design:
Collecting plate
design
Discharge electrode
design
Rapping
System:
Electrical
Field:
Plate spacing
Frequency
Intensity
Duration (if
applicable)
Hopper:
Sneakage
Hopper design
Leakage (hopper
valve)
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Uniformity
Particle size
Resistivity
Plate spacing
Rapping
System:
Frequency &
intensity
Support
Insulator:
Fly Ash:
Voltage
Controls:
Design:
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Improvement or optimization of precipitator
operation can result in significant savings.
Many specific situations encourage a review
of precipitator operation:
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4.
5.
6.
7.
Re-entrainment
Discharge Electrodes
Collecting Plates
Power Supplies
Gas Distribution
Rapping Systems
Hoppers and Dust Handling
Ductwork
Combustion Process Improvements for
Power Plants (Back to top)
Combustion process conditions mainly affect
the corona power level. The primary
contributors to combustion process conditions
and their effects include:
Coal
Flue gas flow rate
Flue gas moisture content
Fly ash resistivity
Fly ash inlet loading
Fly ash particle size
Coal mills
Fly ash particle size
Unburned carbon (LOI)
Furnace
Base load/swing load operation
Flue gas flow rate
Burners
Flue gas temperature
Fly ash resistivity
Unburned carbon (LOI)
Air pre-heaters
Rotation
Gas flow pattern
Gas temperature pattern
SO3 distribution pattern
Coal
Bituminous coals from Eastern mines, subbituminous and lignite coals from Western
mines, and lignites from Texas mines are
substantially different from each other in the
combustion process. Coal blending is now
used for operational and financial benefits.
This results in a wide range of boiler and
precipitator operating conditions.
Precipitating fly ash from difficult coals can be
improved with conditioning systems.
However, the furnace and its associated
equipment can still cause problems in the
precipitator, particularly coal mills, burners,
and air pre-heaters.
Coal Mills
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