Inertial-electrostatic wet precipitator

Abstract

An inertial-electrostatic wet precipitator for removing particulate contaminants from a gaseous stream passing through a collector tube having a discharge electrode assembly coaxially disposed therein to establish an electrostatic field between the assembly and a liquid film on the inner surface of the tube which acts to ionize the particles in the gas. Liquid for flushing the particles is fed through a pipe spiralled about the precipitator tube, the pipe terminating in a nozzle ejecting the liquid tangentially into the inlet section of the tube to impart cyclonic motion thereto. As a result, liquid is caused to flow against the inner surface of the tube in a helical path to produce the liquid film which flows toward the outlet section of the tube and is discharged into a sump. The gaseous stream to be purified is also introduced tangentially in the same sense and direction into the inlet section of the tube to impart a cyclonic motion thereto causing the gas to flow in a helical path impinging on the liquid film and imposing a pneumatic pressure thereon serving to maintain the liquid film against the inner surface even when the tube is angled with respect to the vertical. Because of centrifugal forces produced by the cyclonic motion, the particles carried by gas passing through the tube are caused to migrate toward the liquid film, such migration being further promoted by electrostatic forces acting on the ionized particles whereby gas emerging from the outlet section is substantially free of contaminants.