3D-PIV Measurement for EHD Flow of Spiked Tubular Electrode Corona Discharge in Wide Electrostatic Precipitator

The electrohydrodynamic (EHD) flow induced by a corona discharge has an important influence on the movement and collection of fine particles in an electrostatic precipitator. In this paper, three-dimensional particle image velocimetry (3D-PIV) is used to investigate the impact of different primary flow velocities and applied voltage on diffusion and transport of the spiked tubular electrode corona discharge EHD flow in a wide type electrostatic precipitator. In order to measure the flow characteristics of different positions of a spiked tubular electrode, the PIV measurements are carried out in several cross-sectional planes along the ESP duct. From 2D flow streamlines, in plane 1 (where the tip of the spike is oriented in the direction of primary flow), the velocity of the counter-clockwise vortex caused by the EHD flow near the plate decreases as the primary flow velocity increases. However, in plane 3 (where the tip direction is opposite to the primary flow), two vortices rotate adversely, and the flow velocity of the clockwise vortex near the plate increases as the primary flow velocity increases. Flow velocity increasing near the plate makes the particles deposited on the plate more easily to be re-entrained. It can be found in the three-dimensional analysis of the flow field that there are mainly “ascending vortex” and downward tip jet in the three observation planes. There is a discrepancy (in terms of distribution region and the magnitude of velocity) between the three-dimensional characteristics of these vortices and tip jets in the different cross-sectional planes.