Focusing electrodes for high-intensity ionizer stage of electrostatic precipitator

摘要

An improved electrode assembly for a high-intensity ionizer array utilized as the first stage in a two-stage electrostatic precipitator. Each ionizer unit employs a pair of co-axial electrodes to create a high-intensity electric field across the path of a particulate-laden gas stream. As the gas passes through the field, it is intensely ionized and the particulate becomes highly charged. The ionizer anode comprises a venturi diffuser through which the gas stream flows immediately prior to entry into a precipitator stage which removes the charged particles. The ionizer cathode is a disk co-axially mounted within the venturi throat and having an arcuate periphery. A high voltage power supply connected between the anode and cathode establishes a high-intensity corona discharge in the annular region formed between the edge of the cathode disk and the surrounding cylindrical anode surface. Focusing electrodes at cathode potential are positioned on either side of the cathode disk and intensify the electric field along the anode wall at the fringes of the current flux band upstream and downstream from the corona discharge plane. This substantially reduces the width of the anode surface subjected to corona current and minimizes anode cleaning requirements by reducing the particle deposition area.