A numerical procedure for computing the voltage-current characteristics in ESP configurations

A simple and effective numerical procedure is described for computing the steady-state corona current distribution in electrostatic precipitator (ESP) configurations. Based on a finite difference scheme, it solves the coupled system of the Poisson equation and the space-charge drift formula in complex bidimensional geometries, taking into account the statistical size distribution of the particulate and the corresponding charging processes. A rigorous approach has been used for the space-charge drift, whose application is not restricted by the limitations of the commonly applied Deutsch approximation. This procedure represents a valuable design tool for predicting and comparing the performance, in terms of current and electric field distributions, of different (ESP) configurations and for optimising their geometric parameters (wire cross-section, wire-wire and wire-plate distances, shape of collecting electrodes, etc.). Examples of application on practical ESP geometries are reported.