Performance evaluation of novel wet vibrational precipitator

This study reports the development, construction, and initial testing of a novel vibrational precipitator (VP), patented at Ohio University in 2016, that uses vibrating metal cables with water running over them to capture particulate matter in an exhaust stream. Unlike traditional electrostatic precipitators relying on electric energy to capture particles, this new system uses the concept of vortex shedding to produce vibrations in vertical cables running perpendicular to an exhaust stream. Collisions between particles in the exhaust stream and these vibrating cables cause the particles to land onto a thin film of flowing water around the cables, which carries the particles downward for collection and removal. Initial tests with air containing particulates of 3 micron average particle size show capture efficiencies up to 54% using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 5 to measure the particulate concentrations at the upstream and downstream of a VP comprising 8 cells. These results show that this system, without consuming any electric energy, has a significant potential to be a simple and cost-effective way to treat particle-laden exhaust gases. Implications: In this work, for the first time, a novel precipitator is investigated that captures particles without using any particle charging and (hence) any electricity. The capture mechanism is governed by vibrations of collection electrodes, which are vertical steel cables wetted through continuous flow of water. Without any discharge electrodes, electrode suspension mechanism, and ability of the system to be installed in existing ducts, the novel precipitator becomes a simple chamber housing containing multiple collection electrode cells. The preliminary results show that this new technology can achieve net particulate matter capture efficiency of 54%. This paves a pathway forward for reducing capital and operating cost of air pollution control systems.