Department of Technical Education

Andhra Pradesh
Name : A.S.C. Bose
Designation : Lecturer
Branch : Civil Engineering
Institute : Govt. Polytechnic, Warangal
Year / Semester : VI Semester
Subject : Environmental Engineering II
Subject Code : C 605
Topic : Air Pollution
Duration : 50 min
Sub Topic : Air Pollution Control Methods IV
Teaching Aids : PPT, Animations, Photographs
Revised by : G.Appa Rao

9C 605.60 1
 OBJECTIVES

On completion of this period, you would be able to :

Understand the control of Air Pollution

• By using Electro static precipitators

• By stacks

• By vegetation

9C 605.60 2
 RECAP

On completion of the previous period you have

learnt :

• Control of air pollution by using wet collection devices

9C 605.60 3
Name different wet collection devices

a. Spray chambers

b. Cyclone scrubbers

c. Venturi Scrubbers

9C 605.60 4
 Electro static precipitators

• The electrostatic precipitator is one of the most widely

used collection devices for particulates

• Electrostatic attraction is used as the basic force for the

separation of particulate very efficiently

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 Electro static precipitators

Fig 1

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Types of electrostatic precipitators

a. Single stage precipitators

b. Two stage precipitators

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SINGLE STAGE ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR

Fig. 2

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 Electrostatic precipitators

Fig 3

9C 605.60 9
 Electrostatic precipitators contd…
• A single stage ESP consists of a cylindrical container

with an inlet and outlet

• It has a centrally arranged discharge electrode with a

weight at bottom

• The wall of the container is earthed so as to make it a

collector electrode

9C 605.60 10
10
 Electrostatic precipitators contd…
• The discharge electrode is supplied with power

• There is hopper at the bottom with an out let to remove

the collected particles

• The particles move upward along with the stream of air

9C 605.60 11
 Electrostatic precipitators contd…

• While doing so, the particles are charged in an electric

field generated by the discharged electrode

• The charged particles move to the inner surface of the

container and are caught by the surface

9C 605.60 12
 Electrostatic precipitators contd…

• The cleaned gas then emerges at the top

• The collected dust is removed periodically from the

surface by rapping it

• The dust falls into the dust hopper and is accumulated

there for periodic removal

9C 605.60 13
 Electrostatic precipitators contd…

Advantages :

• 99% efficiency

• Solid and liquid particles may be collected wet or dry

• Can be operated at high temperatures

• The range of the ESP size is high. It can be

used for large industries as well as small
house hold air conditioning system
9C 605.60 14
 Electrostatic precipitators contd…

Disadvantages :

• Precautions to safeguard workers

• High cost

• They can not collect gaseous pollutants

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 Air Pollution Control By Stacks

• The stacks work on the principle of dilution of gases

with huge quantities of atmospheric air

• The atmosphere can assimilate a small quantity of

pollutant without producing a noticeable adverse

effects

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 Air Pollution Control By Stacks

Fig 4 9C 605.60 17
 Air Pollution Control By Stacks contd ..

• Stack is a chimney constructed to a sufficient height

• It releases the polluted gases at a great height into the

atmosphere there by reducing ill effects at ground level

• The polluted gas, after release from the chimney, dilutes

itself with the atmosphere and get diffused and

distributed

9C 605.60 18
 Air Pollution Control By Stacks contd …

• The more is the height of stack, the greater is the

reduction of concentration

• The height of the stack should be at least 2.5 times the

height of the surrounding buildings

• Stacks serve as pollution controllers for odorous gases

or low concentrated pollutants

9C 605.60 19
 Air Pollution Control By Vegetation

• The plants act as receptacles of all types of pollutants of

air

• Some pollutants may be essential for their growth and

the others may be detrimental

• Irrespective of the effect of the pollution on them, plants

help in the reduction and control of air pollution

9C 605.60 20
Pollution control by Vegetation

9C 605.60 21
Fig 5
 Pollution Control By Vegetation contd ..
• The dust particles and other particulate matter are

intercepted by plants and get deposited on the leaves

and twigs

• During rain, these deposited particles are removed by

natural scrubbing action

• Some gaseous and liquid pollutants of air are also

absorbed by the plants during the process of

photosynthesis and respiration

9C 605.60 22
 Pollution Control By Vegetation contd ..

• The plants consume carbon dioxide in the process of

photo synthesis and release oxygen in to the

atmosphere

• Thus, carbon dioxide pollution of air is reduced and the

environment is freshened by the oxygen released by

plants

9C 605.60 23
 SUMMARY

• Types of electrostatic precipitators :

a) Single stage precipitators

b) Two stage precipitators

• The plants act as receptacles of all types of pollutants

of air

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 SUMMARY contd..

• Plants consume carbon dioxide from the atmosphere

and release oxygen into it

• The stacks work on the principle of dilution of gases

with huge quantities of atmospheric air

9C 605.60 25
 QUIZ

1. The basic force that separates particulates in a single

stage electrostatic precipitator is

a) Electrostatic force

b) Gravity

c) Pressure

d) None of the above

9C 605.60 26
2. Which one of the following is true in case of single stage
electro static precipitator ?

a) It consists of a cylindrical container with an inlet

and outlet
b) It has a centrally arranged discharge electrode with
a weight at bottom

c) The wall of the container is earthed so as to make it

a collector electrode

d) All the above

9C 605.60 27
3. Which one of the following is true with respect to stacks ?

a) Stack is a chimney constructed to a sufficient height

b) The stacks work on the principle of dilution of gases
with huge quantities of atmospheric air
c) The stacks generally serve as pollution controllers
for odorous gases or low concentrated pollutants
d) All the above

9C 605.60 28
 Frequently asked questions

1. Draw the sketch of a single stage electrostatic

precipitator and explain how it works

2. Explain the control air pollution by stacks

3. Write in detail about the control of air pollution by

vegetation

9C 605.60 29