ELECTROSTATIC DUST SEPARATOR FOR PURIFYING AIR AND OTHER DIELECTRIC FLUIDS

Abstract

In order to improve the efficiency of purification of air or various dielectric gases and liquids with mechanical impurities, the housing of the proposed electrostatic dust separator comprises a plurality of collecting electrodes forming at least two electrically separated packages, and each package of collecting electrodes is configured to generate an inhomogeneous electric field upon application of high voltage.

Claims

1-24. (canceled)

25. An electrostatic dust separator for purifying dielectric fluids, the electrostatic dust separator comprising: a housing comprising at least three successive bundles of collecting electrodes, each bundle comprising at least one pair of electrically connected collecting electrodes, wherein the pairs of electrically connected collecting electrodes of adjacent bundles are electrically separated from each other and can be subjected to different potentials such that a strength of an electric field changes in a flow direction of a fluid, wherein adjacent bundles are spaced apart from each other by means of an elongated dielectric partition, wherein a first length of an elongated dielectric partition wall is larger or smaller than a second length of an elongated dielectric partition wall following in the flow direction, and wherein the first and second lengths of the elongated dielectric partition walls are respectively equal to or greater than first and second lengths of the respective packages lying closest to the elongated dielectric partition walls against the flow direction.

26. The electrostatic dust separator according to claim 25, wherein the dielectric fluid comprises air.

27. The electrostatic dust separator according to claim 25, wherein the first and second lengths of the elongated dielectric partition walls between adjacent bundles in the flow direction of the fluid increases or decreases.

28. The electrostatic dust separator according to claim 25, wherein a number of collecting electrodes in each bundle in the flow direction of the fluid increases, decreases or remains the same.

29. The electrostatic dust separator according to claim 25, wherein a length of the bundles of collecting electrodes in the flow direction of the fluid increases, decreases or remains the same.

30. The electrostatic dust separator according to claim 25, wherein a length of a bundle of collecting electrodes is greater than or less than a length of a closest bundle of collecting electrodes in a direction of flow.

31. The electrostatic dust separator according to claim 25, wherein the housing has high-voltage bushings for connecting adaptive high-voltage supply devices.

32. The electrostatic dust separator according to claim 25, wherein each collecting electrode has at least one longitudinal channel for a passage of the fluid.

33. The electrostatic dust separator according to claim 25, wherein adjacent collecting electrodes of a same bundle define a memory cell therebetween.

34. The electrostatic dust separator according to claim 31, wherein each longitudinal channel fluidly connects a pair of adjacent storage cells.

35. The electrostatic dust separator according to claim 25, wherein the housing comprises, adjacent to its respective end regions, a respective limiting plate which allows fluid, to flow through the housing, and which spaces the collecting electrodes from a wall of the housing and electrically insulates them.

36. A filtering apparatus comprising an electrostatic dust separator according to claim 25, and an adaptive high voltage source for supplying different high voltage DC electrical current to supply the bundles of collecting electrodes with different potentials.

37. A method of operating an electrostatic dust separator according to claim 25 for purifying dielectric fluids, comprising subjecting the collecting electrodes of pairs of electrically connected collecting electrodes to different electric potentials such that a strength of an electric field changes in the direction of the flow of the fluid.

38. A method of operating an electrostatic dust separator according to claim 25 for purifying dielectric fluids, comprising balancing the collecting electrodes of pairs of electrically connected collecting electrodes with different electric potentials such that a strength of an electric field changes in the direction of the flow of the fluid.

39. The method of operating according to claim 37, wherein the strength of the electric field increases or decreases in the direction of the flow of the fluid.

40. A purification method for purifying dielectric fluids, by means of an electrostatic dust separator according to claim 25, wherein the fluid flows through the bundles of the electrostatic dust separator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Exemplary embodiments are explained in more detail below with reference to the enclosed figures. Herein,

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal cross-section through a first embodiment of an electrostatic dust separator;

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal cross-section through a second embodiment of an electrostatic dust separator; and

[0039] FIG. 3 shows longitudinal cross-section through a third embodiment of an electrostatic dust separator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0040] FIG. 1 shows an electrostatic dust separator, which can also be referred to as an electrostatic precipitator. The electrostatic dust separator includes a housing 1 with nozzles for an inlet 2 and an outlet 3. The housing 1 has high-voltage bushings 4 and 5. Limiting plates 6 and 7 are provided in the housing 1 at respective end portions of the housing 1.

[0041] The electrostatic dust separator contains a plurality of bundles of collecting electrodes 8 in its housing 1. The bundles have a length c1 along the longitudinal direction of the housing 1. The collecting electrodes 8 of each bundle are separated by elongated dielectric partitions 11. The collecting electrodes 8 have longitudinal channels 9. Adjacent collecting electrodes 8 of the same bundle define storage cells 10 between them.

[0042] The collecting electrodes 8 of the adjacent bundles are separated from each other by elongated dielectric partitions 12 of length d1.

[0043] Using the high voltage inputs 4 and 5, the corresponding positive and negative potentials are supplied to each bundle of collecting electrodes 8 from a high voltage DC source not shown in detail. These high voltage values are adjusted in adaptive power supplies for the dielectric medium to be purified, depositing the required range of particle sizes of impurities in the corresponding bundle of collecting electrodes 8.

[0044] The electrostatic dust separator works as follows:

[0045] The flow of a contaminated dielectric medium, for example air or liquid, is fed into the electric purifier through the inlet 2. When a potential difference exists at each bundle of collecting electrodes 8, correspondingly optimized inhomogeneous electric fields appear in the channels, under whose action the impurities are pulled along from the main flow of the medium into the storage cells 10 and deposited on the collecting electrodes 8 of the bundles. The purified medium exits through the outlet 3.

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a uniform configuration for assembling bundles of collecting electrodes 8, wherein the value of the length d1 of the elongated dielectric partitions is equal to or greater than the length c1 of the bundles. The length of all the bundles is identical and equal to the length c1.

[0047] FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal cross-section of an electrostatic dust separator 1 having an increasing number of collecting electrodes 8 in each bundle. The reference signs in FIG. 2 are identical to the reference signs in FIG. 1, although, in addition to the elongated dielectric partitions 12, further elongated dielectric partitions 13 with length d2 are arranged.

[0048] In the increasing configuration of the bundles of collecting electrodes 8, the length d2 of the further elongated dielectric partitions 13 is greater than the length d1 of the elongated dielectric partitions 12. Furthermore, the corresponding value of the length d1 or d2 of the elongated dielectric partitions 12, 13 is equal to or greater than the length c1 or c2 of the bundle located in front of the respective partition 12, 13. The length of the next bundle is greater than that of the previous bundle (c1 > c2, c2 > c3).

[0049] The following conditions shown in Table 1 apply to the increasing configuration of bundles of collecting electrodes:

TABLE-US-00001 Bundle number No. Length Condition Bundle elongated dielectric partitions 1 c.sub.1 d.sub.1 (d.sub.1 ≥ c.sub.1) < c.sub.2 & c.sub.2 > c.sub.1 2 c.sub.2 d.sub.2 (d.sub.2 ≥ c.sub.2) < c.sub.3 & c.sub.3 > c.sub.2 .Math..Math..Math. .Math..Math..Math. .Math..Math..Math..Math..Math..Math..Math..Math. .Math..Math..Math..Math..Math..Math..Math. n-1 c.sub.n-1 d.sub.n-1 (d.sub.n-.sub.1 ≥ c.sub.n-.sub.1) < c.sub.n & c.sub.n > c.sub.n-1 n c .sub.n --------------- c .sub.n > c .sub.n-1

[0050] FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal cross-section of an electrostatic dust separator 1 with the structure of a decreasing number of collecting electrodes 8 in each bundle. The reference signs in FIG. 3 are identical to the reference signs in FIG. 2.

[0051] In a decreasing configuration of the bundles of collecting electrodes 8, the length d2 of the further elongated dielectric partition 13 is smaller than the length d1 of the elongated dielectric partition 12. The length d1 or d2 of the elongated dielectric partitions 12, 13 is equal to or greater than the length c1 or c2 of the bundle located in front of the respective partition 12, 13. The length of the next bundle is less than that of the previous bundle (c1 < c2, c2 < c3).

[0052] The following conditions shown in Table 2 apply to the decreasing configuration of bundles of collecting electrodes:

TABLE-US-00002 Bundle number No. Length Condition Bundle elongated dielectric partitions 1 c.sub.1 d.sub.1 (d.sub.1 ≥ c.sub.1) > c.sub.2 & c.sub.2 < c.sub.1 2 c2 d.sub.2 (d.sub.2 ≥ c.sub.2) > c.sub.3 & c.sub.3 < c.sub.2 .Math..Math..Math. .Math..Math..Math. .Math..Math..Math..Math..Math..Math..Math..Math. .Math..Math..Math..Math..Math..Math..Math. n-1 c.sub.n-1 d.sub.n-1 (d.sub.n-1 ≥c.sub.n-1) > c.sub.n & c.sub.n < c.sub.n-1 n c.sub.n -------------- c .sub.n < c .sub.n-1

[0053] With the described electrostatic dust separator, the dielectric medium, for example air or liquid, can be purified using inhomogeneous electric fields in each bundle of collecting electrodes, with the electric field optimized for particles of the required size depending on the purification task at hand, so that the purification efficiency increases significantly.

[0054] Testing of the electrostatic dust separator conducted by the applicant showed that with the designs of the electrostatic dust separator as described herein, the efficiency of the electrostatic dust separator and its productivity increased by 35% to 45%.

[0055] While at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the exemplary embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms “comprise” or “comprising” do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms “a” or “one” do not exclude a plural number, and the term “or” means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.

TABLE-US-00003 List of reference signs: 1 housing 2 inlet 3 outlet 4 high-voltage bushing 5 high-voltage bushing 6 limiting plate 7 limiting plate 8 collecting electrode 9 longitudinal channel 10 storage cell 11 partition 12 partition 13 partition