Patent ID: 6096118
Filing Date: 2000-08-01
Classification: B03C,Y10S

Abstract:
A two-stage electrostatic separator for separating particles from a particle laden gas stream, the separator comprising:a housing;a plurality of pairs of spaced-apart gas-permeable first and second oppositely charged electrodes in a zig-zag arrangement thereof, the first electrodes being grounded and positioned upstream from the second electrodes;a separating section defined between the first and second electrodes in each of said plurality of pairs of electrodes; anda pre-charging section in fluid communication with the separating section of each of said plurality of pairs of electrodes and positioned upstream therefrom;each of said plurality of pairs of electrodes having a first end and a second end;wherein said first electrodes of adjacent said pairs of electrodes comprise a conduit receiving the particle laden gas stream;wherein said second electrodes of adjacent said pairs of electrodes comprise a section expelling a clean gas stream;wherein the housing incorporates said plurality of electrodes and the pre-charging section and further has an inlet, a first outlet co-axial with the inlet, and a second outlet, substantially perpendicular to an axis connecting the inlet and the first outlet;wherein the housing further includes an entering section, a middle section and an exiting section;wherein the entering and the exiting sections of the housing respectively extend from the middle section in opposite directions and gradually narrow toward the inlet and the first outlet, respectively;wherein the particle laden gas stream enters into the separator through the inlet, flows into the entering section of the housing and diverges therein, thereby slowing down the motion thereof, and further slowly flows into the separating sections positioned in the middle section of the housing;wherein the particles in the particle laden gas stream are pre-charged to a certain charge in the pre-charging section prior to entering the conduit and penetrate through the first electrodes into the separating sections of said plurality of pairs of electrodes, such that the particles are separated from the particle laden gas stream therein;wherein a clean gas stream exits from the separating sections through the second electrodes;wherein the clean gas stream flows from the expelling sections toward a narrower end of the exiting section of the housing and exits the separator through the first outlet;wherein the particles separated from the particle laden gas stream are removed from each separating section with a bleed flow arranged through the second outlet;wherein a recirculation means directs the bleed flow from the second outlet toward the inlet of the separator and collects the particles carried by the bleed flow prior to entering the separator;the separator further including a row of front insulator sections and a row of rear insulator sections, wherein the first ends of respective adjacent said pairs of electrodes are affixed to a respective one of said row of front insulator sections, wherein the second ends of respective adjacent said pairs of electrodes are affixed to a respective one of said row of rear insulator sections;wherein the pre-charging section includes a plurality of ionizing electrodes each arranged upstream from and between the adjacent said front insulator sections, and a plurality of water-cooled tubes, each adjacent to a respective one of said front insulator sections;wherein the particle laden gas stream enters a plurality of said conduits through front edges thereof between adjacent of said plurality of front insulator sections; andwherein the clean gas stream exits a plurality of said expelling sections through rear edges thereof between adjacent of said plurality of rear insulator sections.