Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, June, 2005. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 75-76)

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, June, 2003. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 71-72).

D.Ing. (Mechanical Engineering) / Most coal fired power stations in South Africa are equipped with Electrostatic Precipitators (ESP's). With the ongoing reduction of allowable emissions, as negotiated with the Chief Air . Pollution Control Officer (CAPCO) of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT), ways to reduce emissions are sought. In the case of emission levels exceeding the values set by the controlling authority load losses are required for compliance. This however has the effect of plant operating inefficiently and a loss of revenue will result. Specifically in times of growing demand, when more and more of the currently installed generation capacity is required to satisfy the demand, forced load reductions are not desirable. Performance enhancement of ESP's can be achieved by means of system optimisation. Research was initiated to achieve the capability of modelling important dynamic aspects of ESP performance using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). This modelling capability would create the opportunity to investigate the different influencing factors which govern the dust collection efficiency. In the past ESP flow has been modelled by means of mathematical modelling with various degrees of success world-wide. It was found that the accuracy of flow modelling as presently carried outby researchers world wide, is not sufficient to represent the complex inlet flow. Commercially available performance simulation software is based on empirical modelling principles and do not include the complexity of flow fields and re-entrainment and thus results have been limited in accuracy. Computational fluid dynamics software is commercially available and widely used to simulate industrial flow for plant design and optimisation. This technology has been applied with increasing confidence and success in the past. However, often the physical phenomena relevant for the performance simulation of the plant is not integrated into the code and specialised user routines are created to achieve a valid performance model. This research study introduces a unique integrated simulation methodology based on a commercial CFD code. The work focuses on the accurate modelling of fluid flow and collection dynamics in an ESP. User subroutines have been created to simulate particle charging, collection and re-entrainment. The results of the simulations are compared to measurement at actual plant.

No description available.

Thesis (M. Tech. Mechanical engineering -- Vaal University of Technology / Strict emission legislation has forced industry in general to seriously consider the negative impact it has on the environment, specifically concerning emissions from burning fossil fuel into the atmosphere. In cases where emission levels exceed the allowable limit, companies are forced to operate at lower operating conditions and these load losses can result in a significant loss of revenue. This has forced companies to improve their ash filtering capabilities by optimising electrostatic precipitation systems. One of the main factors impacting on the efficiency of such a system is the distribution of the flow across the collection plates. The design of the inlet diffuser plays a major role in the ultimate distribution of the flow through the precipitator. Porous screens are positioned in the diffuser in order to distribute the flow across the total flow area with the aim to achieve a uniform distribution of the flow. CFD is widely used in industry to simulate the flow through precipitators in order to optimise the flow distribution and thus increase the efficiency of the system. It was found however that the current methods used to simulate these screens in CFD models were not well researched and employed fixed resistance values that could not reliably compensate for changes in the resistance coefficient due to a change in the angle of incidence. This study investigates advanced numerical methods for the simulation of porous screens in applications where the angle of incidence changes continuously across the face of the screen. New methods are introduced where the resistance of the screen is calculated as a function of the changing angle of incidence. The methods currently used are also investigated and compared with results from the new methods. Extensive experimental work was required to supply empirical data for the validation of the numerical methods that are proposed. For this reason, the first part of this study focused on the design construction and commissioning of a low speed wind tunnel. Results are presented and discussed for flow profiles through wide-angle diffusers at different angles and also for a number of different screens positioned in the centre of the diffuser. This study also investigates the sensitivity of a CFD simulation code to factors such as numerical discretisation schemes, turbulence models and solution relaxation specifically for wide-angle diffusers. These factors were tested for diffusers at different angles and included tests on open diffusers and also with screens positioned inside the diffuser. It was concluded that the current methods used are not adequate to capture the true flow profiles for a range of different screen geometries. Although the proposed models did improve on the limitations of the current methods, it was found that the applicability of these models is still limited and that further research would be required to develop numerical methods that are valid for a wide range of applications. / Vaal University of Technology, The National Research Foundation (NRF) and Eskom TSI

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 1982. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ENGINEERING / Includes bibliographical references. / by Mark C. Zaretsky. / M.S.

Even minimal improvements in particle collection efficiency of electrostatic precipitators significantly reduce dust emission from fossil-fuelled power stations and reduce pollution. Yet current designs rely on the Deutsch collection theory, which was developed for tubular precipitators and has been applied to wire-plate precipitators on the assumption that the inter-electrode electric fields at the same discharge distance in both were similar. Differences in geometry and associated collector electric fields and current density non-uniformity have not been taken into account, although the collector electric field and current density of the wire-plate precipitator are not uniform. And observations show that precipitated dust patterns and the distribution of collector current density are interrelated. Investigations revealed a simple square law relationship between the collector electric field and the collector current density in the space charge dominated coronas. Applying this relationship to the Deutsch collection theory led to a current-density-based collection formula that takes into account the non-uniform collector current density distribution. The current-density-based collection formula is then used to assess the impact of collector current density on collection efficiency, the results closely following published measurements. Applying the current-density-based collection formula to estimate the dust accumulation shows that most of the dust accumulates at collector locations facing the corona wires. The effect of the non-uniform precipitated dust layer on collection performance is assessed using the distributed corona impedance - the ratio of the inter-electrode voltage and the non-uniform collector current. Re-distribution of the collector current profile as dust builds up is also compatible with published measurements. Finally this is applied to optimize the wire-plate precipitator collection performance. This shows that optimal collection performance is obtained with the wire-wire spacing less than the wire-plate distance, once again confirming published experimental results. This is the first analytical approach to show better collection performance can be achieved at the ratio of wire-wire spacing/wire-plate distance not equal to unity, which has been the standard industry practice since 1960.

Thesis (MScEng (Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the primary circuit components of high temperature reactors, various unwanted particles have been found. These particles include, for example, graphite and silver- 110 (110mAg). The silver-110 (110mAg) particles are radioactive, with a half-life of 253 days. The presence of radioactive particles in the primary circuit components constitutes an unwanted maintenance problem from a radiation hazard point of view. The development of a method to remove these particles from the helium stream is therefore needed. This thesis consideres two possible methods of removing silver from the helium stream, namely laser ablation of microparticles and electrostatic precipitation. These methods require the generation of silver ions or charged particles, the deflection of these particles in a helium gas stream passing through an electric field and the subsequent plate-out of these particles onto deflection electrodes. To find a suitable method of generating ions, various methods to generate the silver ions were investigated and evaluated. These methods include existing ion sources, thermionic, field and photoelectric emission and laser ablation of microparticles. No existing ion sources could be found which could be utilised in helium at high pressure. From calculations it was concluded that thermionic, field and photoelectric emission could also not be used to raise the energy of the emitted electrons sufficiently to ionize silver in a helium flight path. These methods were found not to be feasible ion sources in helium at high pressures. However, laser ablation of microparticles was found to constitute a feasible technology. Laser ablation was successfully utilised by Nichols et al. (2000) to deflect silver nanoparticles in an electric field across a two bar helium stream. An apparatus, similar to the one developed by Nichols et al. (2000), was designed and built. The apparatus included a silver insertion mechanism and tests with this apparatus were called the microparticle tests. To determine the efficacy of the silver insertion mechanism, the microparticle tests were done without the use of a laser. It was found that a laser was not necessary as microparticles collected on both the deflection electrodes. Dielectrophoresis was proposed as a possible explanation for the deflection and the plate-out of the mcroparticles. To theoretically model the deflection of the silver particles, two models were proposed, namely the deterministic and the stochastic deflection models. The latter describes the deflection of atoms, ions and polarized particles by using probability theory. From this model it was found that the Brownian motion force is far larger that the force created by the polarizibility of the atom due to an electric field. The deterministic deflection model describes the deflection of larger particles in a continuum. From this model it was found that a silver microparticle with a radius of 3 mm in a helium stream with bulk velocity of 0.0198 m/s would deflect 4.6 mm per helium flight path length of 140 mm. From these calculation it was found that the apparatus which had been built was not long enough to deflect and plate-out all the silver microparticles. The dielectrophoresis force on nanoparticles cannot be calculated, as the theory of dielectrophoresis is only valid for particles with diameter larger than 1 mm. Changes were therefore made to the apparatus to generate nanoparticles as their mobility is larger than that of microparticles. The nanoparticles were created by means of an arc discharge in helium; therefore tests with this modified apparatus were called the arc discharge test. The nanoparticles so created, deflected and deposited on both deflection electrodes. With the use of an atomic force microscope some of the particles could be classified as microparticles. According to the deterministic deflection model they should not have deflected. Combined with the fact that oxygen was in the plasma, due to the oxidation of the electrodes, a hypothesis of bipolar charging was thus proposed. The deterministic deflection model was used and supplemented with field and diffusion charging calculations, to support this hypothesis. A reasonable correlation between the theoretical model and this experimental results was obtained. Based on the arc discharge test, electrostatic precipitation was proposed as the indicated means of scrubbing silver and other particles such as graphite from a helium stream. It is recommended that a new apparatus be built and that the deterministic deflection model be used to predict the deflection of the particles. With this apparatus the uncertainties of breakdown voltage, the effect of thermionic emission and the size of the particles, all of which have been identified as being important, can then also be determined. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die primêre komponente van die kringloop van hoë temperatuurreaktors, was verskillende ongewenste partikels soos grafiet en silwer-110 (110mAg) teenwoordg. Silwer- 110 (110mAg) is radioaktief met ’n halfleeftyd van 253 dae. Vanuit ’n radiasie-risiko oogpunt word daar onderhoudsimplikasies geskep deur die teenwoordigheid van radioaktiewe partikels in die primêre komponente. Die ontwikkeling van ’n metode om hierdie partikels uit die heliumstroom the verwyder was dus nodig. Hierdie tesis ondersoek twee moontlike metodes van verwydering van silwer uit die heliumstroom, naamlik laser-ablasie van mikropartikels en elektrostatiese presipitasie. Hierdie metodes benodig die generasie van silwer ione of gelaaide partikels, die defleksie daarvan in ’n heliumstroom wat deur ’n elektriese veld vloei en die platering van die partikels op defleksie elektrodes. Om ’n geskikte metode the vind wat ione genereer was, verskillende metodes om die silwer ione te verkry, ondersoek en geëvalueer. Hierdie metodes sluit in bestaande ioonbronne, termioniese, veld en fotoëlektriese emissie en laser-ablasie van mikropartikels. Geen ioonbronne was gevind wat gebruik kan word in helium by hoë druk nie. Die gevolgtrekking is gemaak vanaf berekeninge dat termioniese, veld en fotoëlektriese emissie ook nie gebruik kan word om die energie van die voortgebronge elektrone genoeg te verhoog om silwer in ’n heliumstroom te ioniseer nie. Daar was gevind dat hierdie metodes nie geskik is as ioonbronne in helium by hoë druk nie. Daarenteen was laser-ablasie van mikropartikels gevind om ’n geskikte tegnologie voor te stel. Laser-ablasie van mikropartikels was suksesvol deur Nichols et al. (2000) gebruik om silwer nanopartikels te deflekteer in ’n elektriese veld oor helium van twee bar. ’n Apparaat soortgelyk aan Nichols et al. (2000) se eksperiment, was dus ontwerp en gebou. Die apparaat het ’n silwer insitmeganisme bevat en toetse met hierdie apparaat was die mikropartikel toetse genoem. Om die effektiwiteit van die insitmeganisme te bepaal, was toetse gedoen sonder opstelling van die laser. Daar was eksperimenteel gevind dat die laser nie nodig was nie, omdat mikropartikels op beide defleksie elektrodes geplateer het. Dielektroforese was voorgestel as ’n moontlike verduideliking vir deflektering en platering vir die silwer mikropartikels. Om die defleksie van silwer partikels teoreties te moduleer was twee modelle voorgestel, naamlik deterministiese en stogastiese defleksiemodelle. Laasgenoemde beskryf die defleksie van atome, ione en gepolariseerde partikels deur gebruik te maak van waarskynlikheidsteorie. Die stogastiese defleksiemodel dui aan dat die Brownian bewegingskrag veel groter is as die krag wat geskep word deur die polarisasie van ’n atoom as gevolg van ’n elektriese veld. Die deterministiese defleksiemodel beskryf die defleksie van groter partikels in ’n kontiuum. Met hierdie model was gevind dat silwer mikropartikels met ’n radius van 3 mmin ’n heliumstroom van snelheid van 0.0198 m/s, 4.6 mm sal deflekteer per 140 mm van heliumstroom lengte. Dit bewys dat die apparaat wat gebou was, se lengte onvoldoende was om al die silwer mikropartikels te deflekteer en te laat neerslaan. Die dielektroforese krag van nanopartikels kan nie uitgewerk word nie, omdat die dielektroforese model slegs geldig is vir partikels groter as 1 mm. Veranderings was dus aan die apparaat gemaak om nanopartikels te genereer omdat hul mobiliteit hoër is as die van mikropartikels. Die nanopartikels was geskep deur gebruik van ’n boogontlading in helium; daarom was toetse met hierdie gemodifiseerde apparaat die boogontladingstoets genoem. Die nanopartikels wat so geskep was, het gedeflekteer en het op beide elektrodes neergeslaan. Met die gebruik van ’n atomiese krag mikroskoop was dit gevind dat sommige van hierdie partikels mikropartikels was. Volgens die deterministiese defleksiemodel moes hul nie gedeflekteer het nie. Gekombineerd met die feit dat daar, weens oksidasie van die elektrodes, suurstof in die plasma was, was ’n hipotese van bipolêre lading voorgestel. Die deterministiese defleksiemodel is saam met die veld- en diffusielading gebruik om hierdie hipotese te staaf. ’n Redelike korrelasie tussen die teoretiese en eksperimentele data was gevind. Gebaseer op die boogontladingstoets, was elektrostatiese presipitasie voorgestel as ’n metode om silwer en ander partikels soos grafiet uit ’n heliumstroom te verwyder. Daar word voorgestel dat ’n nuwe apparaat gebou word en dat die deterministiese defleksiemodel gebruik word vir die bepaling van defleksie van die partikels. Deur die nuwe apparaat te gebruik kan die onsekerhede van deurslagspanning, effek van termioniese emissie en grootte van die partikels wat geidentifiseer is as belangrik, ook bepaal word.

L'objectif de ce travail est l'étude de l'efficacité de collecte des particules submicroniques d'un électrofiltre deconfiguration fil-tube carré en utilisant une Décharge à Barrière Diélectrique (DBD). Les expériences sont faites avec desparticules de fumée d'encens ayant une taille moyenne d'environ 0,32 pm. La répartition en taille des particules à la sortie del'électrofiltre est mesurée grâce à un spectromètre d'aérosols à lumière blanche. L'efficacité de collecte est estimé pour diversestensions et fréquences appliquées (gammes : 4-30 kV, de 0,3 à 1000 Hz) à un débit d'air fixe.Le premier volet de l'analyse a consisté en une caractérisation électrique et granulomètrique de l'électrofiltre de configurationcarré dit de référence. Les résultats obtenus ont montré que le comportement électrique de l'électrofiltre de géométrie carré estsimilaire à celui de géométrie cylindrique. Aussi, l'utilisation de la DBD pour la précipitation donnait de très bons résultats enconfiguration fil-tube carré (plus de 99% d’efficacité). Le second volet de notre étude a été consacré à l'optimisation géométrique de l'électrofiltre de référence. Les résultats ont montré que le diamètre du fil, le nombre des faces collectrices ont une influence minime sur la précipitation. Tandis que, la section du tube et la largeur de la contre électrode et sa discrétisation ont une influence importante. L'analyse de l'effet de la présence d'une deuxième Barrière Diélectrique (BD) a montré qu'à la différence de la simple BD ou le mode de décharge est assez homogène, la décharge a un comportement filamentaire dans le cas de la double BD. Aussi, l'efficacité de collecte des particules pour les deux con / The objective of this work is the study of the collection efficiency of submicron particles with wire-to-square tubeElectroStatic Precipitator (ESP) using a Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD). The experiments are performed with incense smokeparticles having a mean size of about 0.32 μm. An aerosol spectrometer is employed for characterizing the size distribution ofthese particles at the outlet of the ESPs. The collection efficiency is estimated for various applied voltages and frequencies(ranges: 4–30 kV, 0.3–1000 Hz) at a fixed air flow rate.The first step of our study consisted of an electrical characterization of the reference precipitator and the evaluation of itscollection efficiency performances. The results have shown that electrical behavior of the wire-to-square tube configuration issimilar to the wire-to- cylinder configuration. Furthermore, it reveals that the square configuration charged with a DBD gives verygood results (more than 99% of efficiency). The second step of the study was devoted to the geometrical optimization of thesquare ESP. The obtained results have established that the wire diameter, the number of faces has a minimal effect on electrostatic precipitation. However, the tube section, the width of the ground electrode and its discretization have an important effect. Also, the analysis of the effect of the presence of a second Dielectric Barrier (DB) has shown that in the case of the single DB, the discharge mode is rather homogeneous. In contrast, the discharge has a filamentary behavior in the case of the double DB. Results show that the particle collection efficiency of both ESPs is higher at high applied voltages and within a certai

La lutte contre la pollution atmosphérique est un enjeu majeur de ce XXIème siècle. Le centre deMarcoule du CEA développe différents procédés de traitement de déchets issus du nucléaire parincinération/vitrification qui génèrent des gaz de combustion nécessitant un traitement. Pour cefaire, le CEA utilise la précipitation électrostatique, technique de traitement d’effluents gazeuxemployée pour la filtration des particules fines.Cette thèse est consacrée à l’optimisation des performances d’un électrofiltre alimenté parhautes puissances pulsées. L’un des objectifs est de dimensionner et réaliser une nouvelle électrodeémissive adaptée au développement d’un nouveau procédé d’incinération. Cette nouvelle électrodecouplée à son alimentation HT, dont les paramètres électriques ont été optimisés, ont permisd’obtenir des rendements de filtration maximum durant des temps de fonctionnement enadéquation avec des applications industrielles. L’impact des caractéristiques physico-chimiques despoussières sur l’efficacité de filtration a été analysé.Une étude spécifique a également porté sur l’évolution des différents régimes de décharge quise développent dans l’électrofiltre de manière à identifier les phénomènes responsables de la chuted’efficacité du procédé. Les bénéfices de l’électrode émissive et d’un générateur hybride, combinantdes impulsions de tension superposées à un fond continu, ont clairement été mis en évidence parleurs effets sur l’initiation des "back corona" et par conséquent sur la durée de fonctionnement àrendement optimal. / The fight against air pollution is a major issue in the twenty-first century. The center of Marcouleof CEA develops different waste treatment processes by incineration / vitrification that generatecombustion gases requiring treatment. To do this, the CEA uses the electrostatic precipitation, atechnical waste gas treatment employed for thin particles filtration.This thesis is dedicated to optimizing the performance of an electrofilter supplied by high pulsedpowered. One of the goals is to size and achieve a new emissive electrode adapted to thedevelopment of a new incineration process. This new electrode coupled to its High Voltage (HV)power supply, which electrical parameters were optimized, allowed to obtain maximum filtrationefficiency during operating times in line with industrial applications. The impact of thephysicochemical characteristics of dusts on the filtration efficiency was analyzed.A specific study also focused on the evolution of different discharge conditions that develop inthe electrofilter to identify the phenomena responsible for the process efficiency fall. The intake ofthe emissive electrode and a hybrid generator, combining a continuous background voltagesuperimposed with impulses, has clearly been demonstrated by their effects on back coronainitiation and therefore on the optimal efficiency operation duration.