Vibration of Discharge Electrode in Electrostatic Precipitation (II)

Currently used electrodes in a electrostatic precipitator (EP) mostly consist of long and slender wire, the vibration of which induces fatigue of the material and depresses its precipitating function. Structural modification of discharge electrodes is important for the best efficiency and the safe operation of EP. The subject of the present work is to investigate the method of the restraint of vibration by the use of the plate type EP which has zigzag arranged discharge electrodes. The amplitude of the vibration was measured as a function of the applied voltage, the displacement of discharge electrode and the number of discharge electrodes. The behavior of Ionic Wind was also obserbed by the use of Schrieren method. The experimental results indicate that the amplitude of electrode vibration in the modified system decreases in comparison with that of the plate type EP whose electrodes are mounted in its center. This effect can be explaind in terms of, firstly, the disordered electric field due to the Coulomb force and force of corona point, and, secondly, the attractive force acting on the discharge electrode. It is concluded that the vibration of the discharge electrode is restrained by the force described above.