###### Abstract
Regarding the collection electrodes, the most susceptible to corrosion are plates adjacent to the chamber outer walls or hoppers, where the gas temperature can drop below the dew point for acid condensation [17]. The upper parts of the collection and discharge electrodes can be exposed to the infiltration of cold air through the supporting insulators. Electrodes can also be eroded by excessive electrical breakdowns or electrical coronas due to the misalignment of the electrodes, sharp edges remaining after their fabrication, or thermal bending [17]. The erosion of metal surfaces caused by bombardment by a stream of solid particles conveyed by the flowing gas was investigated numerically by [PERSON] [1]. The collision of such particles with the metal surface can remove microscopic fragments of material from the surface. In the case of electrostatic precipitators, the most heavily loaded areas are the duct sidewalls, vanes, and baffles, where the gas velocity is of several m/s. The author assumed that a solid particle approaches the metal surface at an impingement angle, \(\gamma\) (the angle between the surface and incident trajectory), with velocity \(V_{p}\). It was also assumed that the particle is much harder than the metal surface, the particle does not break up after collision, and the metal surface deforms plastically. The model of erosion was based on that provided by [PERSON] [18], which is valid for ductile materials:  
\[E=kV_{p}^{n}f(\gamma) \tag{1}\]  
where \(E\) is the volume of material removed by a single abrasive particle, \(k\) is a constant depending on the hardness of eroding metal and the mass of the particle, \(V_{p}\) is the velocity of the impinging particle, \(n\) is the coefficient determined experimentally, \(\gamma\) is the impingement angle, and \(f\) is the dimensionless wear function, depending on the impingement angle \(\gamma\). The objective of this article was to investigate the mechanisms of discharge electrode degradation in an industrial electrostatic precipitator operating downstream of an industrial waste incinerator. The analysis discusses the most plausible mechanisms leading to the observed degradation results. These mechanisms have been reconstructed ex-post, because the operating conditions of the incinerator, the chemical composition of exhaust gasses, and the PM content are not known and can largely vary in real exploitation conditions. To this end, the traces of elements remaining in the electrode material were analyzed as potential markers of the corrosion process. The main goal of this article was to address the main mechanisms of the discharge electrodes' degradation in an electrostatic precipitator operating under harsh conditions of an industrial waste incinerator, which are significantly different from those characteristic of coal-fired power plant boilers. This paper presents novel insights into the potential mechanisms of electrode degradation under real-world, harsh operational conditions. The provided information will assist in selecting appropriate electrode material and/or implementing protection against the action of various factors, in order to extend the maintenance period.