Unit-5

1(a). What are the applications of electrostatic precipitators in various

industries?
Electrostatic Precipitator Applications
The applications of electrostatic precipitators include the following.
 The most common application of an Electrostatic precipitator is an
industrial application for a smoke. It looks like a gas; however, it is
basically an accumulation of hard elements floating in the atmosphere.
These elements can be excited, letting them be composed of enormous,
commercial precipitators.
 The dry electrostatic precipitators are used for collecting dry particles
like cement, ash, etc.
 The wet electrostatic precipitators are used for removing wet particles
like oil, tar, resin, acid, etc.
 Electrostatic Precipitators are used in steam plants for removing the
dust from flue gases.
 Electrostatic Precipitators are used in machine shops and chemical
plants for removing oil mists and acid mists.
 These are used to clean the blast or metallurgical heating system gases
 ESPs are used to remove the bacteria & fungus in the medical field.
 ESPs are used in air conditioning systems for sanitizing air
 ESPs are used to recover the materials in the flow of gas
 ESPs are used in zirconium sand for detaching the rutile in plants like
dry mills and rutile
1(b). With neat diagrams, explain the setting chambers.
Forced field settlers: These are those equipment’s that relies on field of forces
like gravitational, centrifugal and electric.
a) Gravitational settling chamber
b) Cyclones or centrifugal settlers
c) Electrostatic Precipitators
Gravitational Settling Chambers
Gravitational settling chambers are generally used to remove large, abrasive
particles (usually >50 μm) from gas stream. It provides enlarged areas to
minimize horizontal velocities and allow time for the vertical velocity to carry
the particle to the floor. The usual velocity through settling chambers is between
0.5 to 2.5 m/s.
Cyclones or centrifugal settlers
A cyclone separator consists of a cylindrical shell, conical base, dust hopper and
an inlet where the dust-laden gas enters tangentially. Under the influence of the
centrifugal force generated by the spinning gas, the solid particles are thrown to
the wall of the cyclone as the gas spirals upward at the inside of the cone. The
particles slide down the walls of the cone and into the hopper. The operating
efficiency of a cyclone depends on the magnitude of the centrifugal force
exerted on the particles. The greater the centrifugal force, the greater the
spreading efficiency.
2(a). What is a fabric filter? Describe the function of Bag house.
Fabric Filters/Bag House
Filters In a fabric filter system, the particulate-laden gas stream passes through a
woven or felted fabric that filters out the particulate matter and allows the gas to
pass through. Small particles are initially retained on the fabric by direct
interception, inertial impaction, diffusion, electrostatic attraction, and
gravitational settling. After a dust mat has formed on the fabric, more efficient
collection of submicron particle is accomplished by sieving. Filter bags usually
tubular or envelope-shaped, are capable of removing most particles as small as
0.5μm and will remove substantial quantity of particles as small as 0.1_μm.
Filter bags ranging from 1.8 to 9 m long, can be utilized in a bag house filter
arrangement. As particulates build up on the inside surface of the bags, the
pressure drops increases. Before the pressure drop becomes too severe, the bag
must be relieved of some of the particulate layer. Fabric filter can be cleaned
intermittently, periodically, or continuously.

Fabric Filter System: Fabric filter systems typically consist of a tubular bag or
an envelope, suspended or mounted in such manner that the collected particles
fall into hopper when dislodged from fabric. The structure in which the bags are
hanged is known as a bag-house. Generally, particle laden gas enters the bag at
the bottom and passes through the fabric while the particles are deposited on the
inside of the bag. The cleaning is accomplished by shaking at fixed intervals of
time.
2(b). With a neat sketch explain the principle, construction, and working of
a cyclone separator.
Principle of Cyclone separator
In a cyclone separator, centrifugal force is used to separate the solids from
fluids. The separation process depends not only on the particle size but also on
the density of particles. Depending on the fluid velocity, the cyclone separator
can be used to separate all types of particles. It is also possible to allow fine
particles to be carried by the fluid.
Construction of Cyclone separator
The construction of a cyclone separator is shown in Figure. It consists of a short
vertical, cylindrical vessel with a conical base. The upper part of the vessel is
fitted with a tangential inlet. The outlet (solid outlet) is arranged at the base. A
fluid outlet is provided at the center of the top portion, which extends inwardly
into the separator. Such an arrangement prevents the air from short-circuiting
directly from the inlet to the outlet of the fluid.
Working of Cyclone separator
The solids to be separated are suspended in a stream of gas (usually air). Such a
feed is introduced tangentially at a very high velocity so that rotary movement
takes place within the vessel. The centrifugal force and vortexing throw the
solids to the walls. As the speed of air diminishes, the particles fall to the
conical base and are discharged through the solid outlet. The fluid (air) can
escape from the central outlet at the top.
3(a). Explain with neat sketch
i. Baffle type separator
ii. Louvre type separator
iii. Dust traps
1. Baffle type separator
A baffle or vane type separator consists of a number of baffle plates, which
cause the flow to change direction a number of times as it passes through the
separator body. The suspended water droplets have a greater mass and a greater
inertia than the steam; thus, when there is a change in flow direction, the dry
steam flows around the baffles and the water droplets collect on the baffles.
Furthermore, as the separator has a large cross-sectional area, there is a resulting
reduction in the speed of the fluid. This reduces the kinetic energy of the water
droplets, and most of them will fall out of suspension. The condensate collects
in the bottom of the separator, where it is drained away through a steam trap.

2. Louvre type separator

The louver dust separator is an inertial-
type separator. It is characterized by a
stream of dust-laden air incident upon a
row of blades or vanes which form the
louver face. The larger portion of the air
stream, clean air, turns and passes through
the blades and the .smaller portion of the
air stream, blowdown, continues in its
original direction without passing through the louver-face. The blades are so
arranged that the dust because of its high inertia is unable to pass through the
blades and is concentrated in the blowdown air stream.
3(b).Explain with a neat sketch, the construction and working of pipe-type
electrostatic precipitator. When is it preferred?
Pipe type :
In the pipe type electrostatic precipitators, a nest of parallel pipes form the
collecting electrodes, which may be round, or square. Generally the pipe is
about 30 cm in diameter or less. Most commonly a wire with a small radius of
curvature, suspended along the axis of each pipe, is used. The wires must be
weighted or supported to retain proper physical tension and location, electrically
insulated from the support grid and strong enough to withstand rapping or
vibration for cleaning purpose. The gas flow is axial from bottom to top.
The pipe electrodes, may be 2-5 m high. Spacing between the discharge
electrode and collecting electrode ranges from 8-20 cm. Precipitation of the
aerosol particles occurs on the inner pipe walls, from which the material can be
periodically removed by rapping of pipes or by flushing water. The pipe type
precipitator is generally used for the removal of liquid particles.
4(a). Describe with a neat sketch the principle and working of a centrifugal
separator.
It features an inlet, outlet, and separator. The liquid-solid, solid-liquid, or gas-
solid mixture is pumped into a cone-shaped working apparatus in the separator.
The separator produces a spinning vortex, which leads to the filtration of solids
from liquids. The separated solids are collected at the bottom of the separator,
and they are purged from there. High-density liquid flows out of the separator,
along with the contaminant, and low-density component will remain inside.
Water is one of the denser liquids, so it flows outside, and is removed through a
discharged outlet. However, lower density fluids such as oil will remain at the
center of the vortex. Segregated oil can be easily recovered from the suction
orifice of the separator.
The efficiency of centrifugal separation will depend on the difference between
the specific gravity of the liquid and the solid being filtered. This separation
efficiency will increase if the difference is large. The separation efficiency is
also affected by the particle size. For most separators, 40 microns is considered
the visibility threshold.
5. What are the general applications of the following equipments?
i. Cyclones
ii. Fabric filters
iii. electrostatic precipitator
1.Cyclones
Cyclone separators are mechanically simple, relatively cheap to purchase,
install, and run, are compact and require little maintenance.In the dairy industry,
cyclone separators are used for gas-solid and gas-liquid separations. The key
example of cyclone separation of gas-solid mixtures is the separation of powder
particles from the outlet air from spray dryers and fluidized bed dryers, both to
increase yield and to minimize air pollution.
3.Electrostatic precipitator
Very large power plants may have multiple precipitators for each unit, whereas
residences may have a single precipitator, which is often only slightly larger
than a household vacuum cleaner.
They have been used in the following industrial and household applications:
 Removing dirt from flue gases in steam plants
 Removing oil mists in machine shops
 Removing acid mists in chemical process plants
 Cleaning blast furnace gases
 Removing bacteria and fungi in medical settings and pharmaceutical
production facilities
 Purifying air in ventilation and air conditioning systems
5(b). Write about various types Wet and Dry Scrubbers.
Wet scrubber types differ in how they expose the exhaust gas to the liquid. These
variations of wet scrubbers include the following types:
 Packed bed scrubbers
 Venturi scrubbers
 Spray towers
 Cyclone spray chambers
 Orifice scrubbers
Dry scrubbers do not use wet products to treat the exhaust gas. Instead, these
systems use a dry reagent called a sorbent to either neutralize or separate the
acids from the gas. As in wet scrubber systems, dry scrubbers need to maximize
surface area contact between the sorbent and the gas to remove as much acid
from the exhaust as possible. Filters in the system filter out particulate matter
the sorbent cannot impact. After the sorbent passes through the gas, it becomes
a hazardous material that requires special disposal.