The Electrostatic Precipitator: Application and Concepts A filtration device used to purify the air by removing particles like fine dust and smoke from flowing gas is known as an Electrostatic precipitator (ESP). Commonly used in steel plants and thermal energy plants, this device takes care of air pollution. The first ESP was patented by Fredrick Gardner Cottrell, a chemistry professor, in the year 1907. He used it to collect lead oxide fumes and sulphuric acid mist, the byproducts of several smelting and acid-making processes. Working Principle of an ESP An ESP has a relatively simple working principle. It essentially consists of two electrode-positive and negative. While the positive electrodes exist in the form of plates, the negative electrodes form a wire mesh. These are vertically placed alternating each charge. A high voltage DC source's negative terminal gets used to connect the negative electrodes and the positive terminal to connect the positive plates. A specific distance is maintained between the negative, positive, and DC source, which results in a high voltage gradient and helps ionize the medium. The medium, in this case, is air. Due to the high negativity of the negative charges, corona discharge can form around the wire mesh and electrode rods. The whole system is enclosed in a metallic container. The container also includes an inlet for flue gases and an outlet for filtered gases. Since the electrodes get ionized, many free electrons interrelate with dust particles of the gas and negatively charge them. This further makes the positive electrodes heavier, and they fall off due to the gravitational pull. After this last step, the flue gas gets separated from the dust particles. It then gets flown through the ESP and discharged via a chimney. Applications of an Electrostatic Precipitator Although most commonly used in factories, an ESP has several other day-to-day applications. Here mentioned are some of those. ●
Two-stage plate electrostatic precipitator gets used in engine rooms of shipboards since the gearbox produces oil mist, which can be flammable in nature. The collected oil is later used as a lubricating system in the gear.
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Thermal plants use dry ESPs to clean the air in air conditioning and ventilation systems.
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Medical fields usually use ESPs to remove bacteria and fungus.
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It can get used in zirconium sand to detach rutile from plants.
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Metallurgical industries use electrostatic precipitators to clean the blast.
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