Patent Application
20080307973
The present application relates to apparatus for filtering particulate matter from gasses and more particularly to electrostatic filters which are adapted to remove particles by charging gas-borne particles by means of an ioniser arrangement and thereafter precipitating the charged particles in a collector section with differently charged parallel plates. Typically these filters will be used to remove particulate from air streams.
The prior art includes filters using the principle of electrostatics for removing particles from various gasses; normally air, at velocities up to 10 m/s. The principle here employed is as follows. The air is propelled through an electric field where particles in the air receive an electric charge. The charged particles move into a collector section where each alternate plate is charged with the same polarity as the particles, and repels them. The other set of plates are grounded, which collect the particles. The remaining air, cleaned of the majority of particles, is then re-introduced into the environment. Washing cleans the contaminated plates, normally by water/detergent, high-pressure air or other means. The particles can be charged positively or negatively depending on the environment and the location of the filter.
While the electrostatic filter has evolved over the years there remain two basic operational problems. In the event of the filter collector section being shorted out or electrically discharging, the ioniser loses its charge. When this happens, the filter loses the ability to collect particulate for the time that the ioniser is discharged. In the event that the collector section is shorted, then the collector, ioniser and associated filter cells are discharged and fail to collect particulate matter.
Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to provide an improved electrostatic filter for the filtering of gaseous borne particulate.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved electrostatic filter, which may be easily assembled.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved electrostatic filter, which may be easily tested for proper assembly.
It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved electrostatic filter whose elements are not easily broken.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an improved electrostatic filter, which may be installed with cost savings.
It is another object of the invention to make an electrostatic filter function with little maintenance.
The above mentioned objects are obtained by the provision of an apparatus such as defined in the appended independent claim 1. Favourable embodiments of the invention appear from the dependent claims.
Referring to
As particles pass through the corona 4, they are given a charge, which has the same potential as that of the ioniser blades 3. As the particles pass into the collector section 6, the conduction plates 2 have the same induced charge as the particles. This has the effect of repelling the particles towards the conduction plates 1 that are connected to ground. When the particles come into contact with the ground conduction plates 1, the ground conduction plates 1 hold the particles.
The filter cell 6, 7 has an ionising charge on its ioniser blades 3. This induces a, charge in some of the plates 2 in the collector section 6 of the cell. Should the collector discharge, then only that particular cell is affected. Should one set of collector/ground plates be shorted to ground, then only this part of the cell is affected and the ionising part continues to charge the particles as they move through the corona. Some of these particles then pass into the shorted section of the collector. In this part both plates are at ground. Therefore both plates will attract particles, which come within the field of attraction. In the rest of the collector section, operation may continue unaffected.
All plates and blades are conductive, preferably made of a metal.
The ioniser blade shown in
In
So, every other plate 1 in the collector section 6 is connected to ground, while the remaining collector plates 2 are without any electrical connection. Preferably, each ioniser blade 3 lies substantially in the same plane as a grounded collector plate 1. Preferably, the ground blades 9 in the ioniser section 7 lie substantially in the same planes as every other grounded collector plate 1, while the non-connected remaining plates 2 for inductive charging in the collector section 6 lie in alternate planes between the planes defined by the ioniser blades 3 and the ground blades 9.
Preferably, the ioniser blades 3 are supported by stays that act at the same time as electrical conductors for high voltage to the blades 3.
The system uses a high ionising voltage to induce a voltage in the collector section. The size of the collecting voltage depends on the depth of the ioniser and size of the voltage. A 50 mm ioniser gives say 4 kV, while a 65 mm ioniser gives 6 kV for the same ionising voltage.
The filter apparatus of the patent invention is tolerant to having water in contact with the collector section without damage to the filter or the collector section. Further, the inventive filter apparatus is more economical to use than non-induction voltage filters. The filter apparatus of the invention requires less maintenance than non-induction voltage filters. Also, on being discharged to earth, the filter apparatus does not affect other cells which can be connected electrically to the ioniser section of the discharged cell. And, importantly, the filter apparatus still retains the ability to remove particles from the air even when the collector section is discharged to earth.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 5113 | Nov 2005 | NO | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/NO2006/000378 | 10/17/2006 | WO | 00 | 7/31/2008 |
