PERFORMANCE

OF
ELECTROSTATIC
PRECIPRETATOR

FACTORS AFFECTING THE PERFORMANCE OF ESP

i)

GAS FLOW

ii)

GAS TEMPERATURE

iii)

ESP INLET DUST CONCENTRATION

iv)

MOISTURE IN GAS

v)

SULPHUR CONTENT IN COAL

vi)

FLY ASH RESISTIVITY

vii)

FLY ASH PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION

viii) FLY ASH UNBURNT

ix)

GAS VELOCITY

x)

TREATMENT TIME

ESP SIZING THEORY

DEUTSCH - ANDERSON EQUATION
Collection Efficiency = 1 - e - w. SCA
where,
w
SCA

=
=

Migration velocity
Specific Collecting Area

Migration Velocity
The velocity which the dust particle travel towards the collecting electrode
under the influence of electric field.

Specific collecting area

Amount of collecting area required to be provided to collect dust in gas
flow rate of 1 m3/s.

SOME IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS

Flue gas velocity, m/s = Flue gas flow in m3
ESP effective cross section m2
Aspect ratio

Treatment time, sec =

Effective length of ESP

Collecting electrode height
Effective length of ESP in m
Flue gas velocity in m/s

ESP : Design Considerations

The following physical and electrical characteristics of an
ESP may be varied:
Gas velocity
Number of fields
Number OF Passages per field
Wire-to-Plate spacing
Collection plate surface area
Wire (or Rod) diameter
Aspect Ratio
Maximum secondary Voltage and current
Number of sparks per Minute

Parameter Variation
Effect On The ESP Performance
Parameters
Gas Velocity
Aspect Ratio
Treatment Time
Moisture in Gas
Gas Sneakage
Gas Distribution
Re-entrainment

Copyright 2010 Jindal Steel & Power Ltd.

Variatio Performan
n
ce

ESP FIELDS
INLET

OUTLET

CUMULATIVE EFF:
EFF. OF EACH FIELD
RAPS/ HOUR

82.0
82.0
10

95.5
75.0
6

98.5
67.0
4

99.4
60.0
2

99.73
55.0
1

EFFECT OF VARIOUS PARAMETERS

Gas velocity
velocity is decided by the gas flow and collection
efficiency required
Higher the gas velocity, higher the carryover of
dust particles without collection - Re-entertainment
Very poor velocity alters the flow distribution and
effects settling of dust particles
optimum velocity depends upon the application
will improve the performance.

EFFECT OF VARIOUS PARAMETERS

Aspect ratio
During the rapping, the falling of dust particle take a
trajectory form
Lower the aspect ratio, the trajectory dust travel along
with gas flow without falling in to hoppers - Leads to
re-entrainment loss.
Higher the ratio, performance will be good
optimum aspect ratio depends on allowable velocity,
required collection efficiency and available space.

EFFECT OF VARIOUS PARAMETERS

Treatment time
Time available for capturing the dust particle
more treatment time at reasonable velocity
improves the collection efficiency
Probability of capturing the re-entrained particles
improves with time.

FLY ASH RESISTIVITY

Resistivity is an important factor, affecting ESP performance.

Ash with low resistivity is prone to re-entrain when the

collecting
plates are rapped.

Ash with high resistivity can cause back corona and reduce ESP
performance.

Fly ash resistivity dependent on:

- Gas temperature
- Gas moisture
- Sulphur content in coal
- Ash composition (SiO2, Na2O3, CaO etc)
- Carbon content in ash
- Particle size of dust

ESP Characteristics with

different Level of Resistivity
Resistivity

ESP Characteristics

High Resistivity
(Greater than
1010 ohm cm)

1. Reduced operating voltage levels; high operating current

levels if power supply controller is not operating properly
2. Very significant voltage loss across dust layer
3. High electrical force component retaining collected dust
4. Seriously reduced performance due to (1), (2), and
probable back corona

Low Resistivity
(Less than107
ohm cm)

1. Normal operating voltage and current levels unless dust

layer is thick enough to reduce plate clearances and cause
higher current levels
2. Reduced electrical force component retaining collected
dust, vulnerable to high reentrainment losses
3. Negligible voltage drop across dust layer
4. Reduced collection performance due to (2)

Normal Resistivity 1. Normal operating voltage and current levels

2. Negligible voltage drop across dust layer
(107 to 1010 ohm
cm)
3. Sufficient electrical force component retaining collected
dust
Copyright 2010 Jindal Steel &4.
Power
Ltd. collection performance due to (1), (2), and (3)
High

C
ESP efficiency is =1-

exit

}
C

inlet

Where C is concentration of particles

in a gas

STEPS TO KEEP ESP PERFORMANCE TO OPTIMUM

LEVEL
a.

REGULAR INSPECTION & MAINTENANCE.

b.

INSPECTION & RECTIFICATION OF ESP AT EVERY

AVAILABLE OPPROTUNITY.

c.

TUNING OF CONTROL PANELS AT REGULAR INTERVALS.

d.

DAILY MONITORING OF ESP RUNNING PARAMETERS.

WATER WASHING OF ESP INTERNALS DURING EVERY

OVERHAUL.

f.

CONDUCTING GD TEST DURING EVERY OVERHAUL.

g.

AVAILABILITY OF HOPPER , SUPPORT/SHAFT INSULATOR

HEATERS.

h.

MONITORING OF EXCESS OXYGEN IN THE SYSTEM.

i.

APH S SOOT BLOWING

Work in progress

According to Deutsch-Anderson
equation efficiency of ESP is
given by
=1 - eW (A Q)
Where w is migration velocity in cm/s
And (A/Q) is specific collection area

ESP : Important Parameters

Aspect Ratio : The aspect ratio is the ratio of the effective length
to the effective height of the collector surface.
A large amount of "collected dust" can be re-entrained in the gas
flow and carried out of the ESP if the total effective length of the
plates in the ESP is small compared to their effective height.
Specific Collection Area : SCA is defined as the ratio of collection
surface area to the gas flow rate into the collector.
SCA =Total Collection plate area/Total Gas Flow, (A/Q)
Unit may be seconds per metre (s m-1).

ESP : Efficiency

Copyright 2010 Jindal Steel & Power Ltd.

ESP : Efficiency, Cond

Another modification to the Deutsch-Anderson equation
that accounts for non-ideal effects is The Matts-Ohnfeldt
equation.

Wk(A Q)k

=1 - e

Where , Wk = average migration velocity, cm/s

K = a constant, usually 0.4 to 0.6,
depending on the standard
deviation of the particle size distribution and other
dust properties
affecting collection efficiency.

In terms of Corona Power,

kPC
= 1 exp
PC = I CVavg
Q

Where
Copyright 2010 Jindal Steel & Power Ltd.

ESP Parts- Power Supply & Control

The power supply system is designed to provide voltage to the
electrical field (or bus section) at the highest possible level. The
voltage must be controlled to avoid causing sustained arcing or
sparking between the electrodes and the collecting plates.
Electrically, a precipitator is divided into a grid, with electrical
fields in series (in the direction of the gas flow) and one or more
bus sections in parallel (cross-wise to the gas flow).
When electrical fields are in series, the power supply for each field
can be adjusted to optimize operation of that field.. The power
supply system has four basic components:
1. Automatic voltage control
3.Copyright
High-voltage
rectifier
2010 Jindal Steel & Power Ltd.

2. Step-up transformer
4. Sensing device

Controller(intermittent
charging)
2
1

4
3

6
5

8
7

1:1

1
90 1
1
1:5

1
2 1
3

1
4 1
5

Controller(less average
voltage)

In conventional method of charging
every half cycle, difference between
the peak & average voltages is very
small.

In intermittent charging, firing of the
thyristors is skipped for several half
cycles & voltage is allowed to decay.
While the peak voltage remains
same, the average voltage comes
down drastically.

Controller(less average
current)

Reduction of average voltage reduces
average current which in turn reduces
the IR drop across the ash layer.
Thus back corona is controlled.

The number of half cycles skipped is
denoted by charge ratio. A charge
ratio of 1:5 means firing takes place
at every 5th half cycle.

Controller(charge ratio )

Equipment used at SLPP is capable of
having charge ratio upto 1:159.

The controller has provision of finding
the best charge ratio after every 2
hours through optimization mode.

Presently fixed charge ratios are used
.

Controller(base charge)

If we use charge ratio more than 1:5,
the voltage becomes too low to
sustain the main corona after the 5th
half cycle.

To avoid this thyristors are fired just
before 180deg from 6th half cycle
onwards. This is called BASE
CHARGE.

Effect of back corona

Severe
Back-Corona

Moderate
Back-Corona
Normal Operation

Current
(mADC)

Voltage (KVDC)

Sl.
NO.

Type of Dust collectors

Pressure
drop
mmWc

Collection
effieicny,
%

3.

Scrubbers(wet)

50 to 60

80 to 90

Used
mainly
in
process
industries and can not satisfy
the pollution control requirement

4.

Electrostatic
precipitators

15-25

99.99

Can meet any efficiency and

mostly used in all power plants.

Fabric Filter

125 to 150

99.99

Can meet any efficiency and

used many power plants abroad.
Gaining momentum in Indian
Power plants also.

Remarks