EHD FLOW VISUALIZATION IN THE WIRE-PLATE AND BARBED PLATE ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR

A barbed plate precipitator minimizes corona discharge tuft spacing and, thus, current inhomogeneities within the precipitator flow channel. Visualization of the interelectrode flow gives physical insight into the structure of the electrohydrodynamic flow. Still photographs of the flow are interpreted in light of measured current-voltage relationships, turbulence intensities, integral length scales, and eddy diffusivities. Comparison with gas flow in the wire-plate precipitator indicates that increases in turbulence intensity in the barbed plate geometry are offset by reductions in the scale of the electrically induced flow. As a result, gas diffusivities are diminished.