Enhancement of filtration efficiency by electrical charges on nebulized particles

There have been few investigations of effects of electrical charge, carried by lab-generated particles, on filtration efficiency testing. Here, we measured the elementary charge on particles and the fraction of particles carrying that charge with a combined electrometer, differential mobility analyzer, and scanning mobility particle sizer. A typical solid NaCl aerosol and liquid diethylhexyl sebacate (DEHS) aerosol were generated with Collison and Laskin nebulizers, respectively. Our experimental results showed that NaCl aerosols carried more charge after aerosol generation. The average net elementary charge per particle was approximately 0.07. The NaCl aerosol was overall positively charged but contained a mixture of neutral and charged particles. Individual particles could carry at most four elementary charges. According to constant theorem, we speculated that original NaCl aerosol contained 17% neutral, 45% positive-, and 38% negative-charged particles in the diameter range from 30 to 300 nm. A Kr-85 neutralizer was used to decrease the charge on the NaCl particles. Our results indicated that the DEHS aerosol was electrically neutral. The effects of electric charge on particle collection by electret and electroneutral high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters were analyzed. Theoretical calculations suggested that charges on original NaCl aerosol particles enhanced the filtration efficiency of HEPA filters.     

Determination of particle charge and size from the propagation of ultrasound in suspensions

The propagation of small perturbations in raulticomponent disperse media consisting of an uncharged dispersion fluid, positive and negative ions and charged particles or droplets of another fluid is investigated. When weak waves pass through emulsions and suspensions, because of the difference in the velocities of the ions and charged particles a non-uniform distribution of electric potential develops in the medium [1–3]. Expressions relating the amplitude of the electric potential and the amplitude of the fluid velocity in the wave, the particle charge and the parameters characterizing the medium are derived. Relations are obtained for the phase shift between the values of the electric potential and the fluid velocity. It is proposed to use the expressions obtained, which describe the propagation of ultrasound, for the experimental determination of the particle charge and other parameters of the disperse medium, in particular, the particle size.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 122–128, January–February, 1988.     

Smoothing the discontinuities of an electrical charge in electrodynamics as a result of diffusion processes

Electrohydrodynamic flows in which there are zones of abrupt changes in the electric charge (while remaining bounded, by assumption) are investigated. In a diffusionless approximation such flows are characterized by a discontinuity in the electric charge q. Examples of such motions are nonstationary flows with moving electrical charge fronts [1], stationary flows in which the electrical charge is lumped in just part of the hydrodynamic stream [2, 3], flows with discontinuity in q [4–7], boundary layers near an electrode grid mounted perpendicularly to the electrohydrodynamic stream. Diffusion effects of charged particles should cause smoothing of the electrical charge discontinuities. The diffusion structure of such discontinuities is studied for high electrical Peclet numbers. The distribution of q in gasdynamic jumps is analyzed taking account of the viscous and diffusion structure of the discontinuities in the small parameter approximation of the electrogasdynamic interaction. Three problems about flows with charged particle diffusion are examined: the problem of scattering of a finite electric charge in a medium at rest, initially concentrated at a point on a line of unit length; the boundary layer on an electrode grid perpendicular to the direction of the charged fluid stream; electrogasdynamic flows with an abrupt change in velocity not accompanied by the appearance of a surface charge.     

DRAG ON SUBMICRON NANOPARTICLE AGGREGATES

A new procedure was developed for estimating the effective collision diameter of an aggregate composed of primary particles of any size. The coagulation coefficient of two oppositely charged particles was measured experimentally and compared with classic Fuchs theory, including a new method to account for particle non-sphericity. A second set of experiments were performed on well-defined nanoparticle aggregates at different stages of sintering, i.e. from the aggregate to the fully sintered stage. Here, electrical mobility was used to characterize the particle drag. The aggregates are being built from two different size-fractionated nanoparticle aerosols, the non-aggregated particles are discarded by an electrofilter and then they are passed through a furnace at concentrations low enough not to induce coagulation.     

Electrostatic beneficiation of fly ash in a free-falling system

A systematic study of fly ash electrostatic beneficiation in a free-falling separation system was carried out to provide fundamental understanding of the separation efficiency for the design of a suitable process for industrial applications. The parameters investigated included feeding position, electric field strength, particle size and moisture content. Particles larger than 105 μm presented the best separation efficiency among four different size fractions, whereas particles smaller than 44 μm showed minimal separation. However, sonication treatments helped separation by liberating more carbon from ash particles, although particle sizes were reduced as well. Experiments also showed that exposure to moisture significantly altered charging behavior of fly ash and its subsequent separation due to more free mobile ion-induced charge exchanges. The optimal feeding position was found to be slightly on the side of the negative electrode, leading to a 30% reduction in loss-on-ignition (LOI) and a 45% recovery in a single pass. A simplified mechanical model based on trajectory analysis for charged particles in an electrical field was in reasonable agreement with experimental results.     

Electrical fluctuations in turbulent electrogasdynamic flows

Processes in turbulent flows containing charged particles are examined. It is shown that fluctuations of the electrical charge, which can be recorded by special apparatus, occur in the jets of aircraft engines in the presence of charged particles of unburned fuel in them and in turbulent jets created under laboratory conditions by blowing corona sources with air. The problem of determining the characteristics of turbulence in jets from measurements of electrical fluctuations sensed by an electrostatic probe is formulated. The electrical fluctuations generated by a submerged electrogasdynamic jet were measured under laboratory conditions and the results were compared with the data of acoustic measurements. A good correlation of the relative electrical and acoustic characteristics was found. The spectra of electrical fluctuations of a jet during its neutralization were studied by means of a special compensator and the mixing zone of opposite electrical charges was determined. The electrical fluctuations generated by the jets of aircraft were measured under airfield conditions.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 2, pp. 148–159, March–April, 1977.The authors thank A. N. Sekundov for a valuable discussion and help in the work and also A. P. Strekalov and V. F. Kudryashov for participating in the experimental investigations.     

Measurements of ultrafine particles from a gas-turbine burning biofuels

Measurements of ultrafine particles have been performed at the exhaust of a low emission microturbine for power generation. This device has been fuelled with liquid fuels, including a commercial diesel oil, a mixture of the diesel oil with a biodiesel and kerosene, and tested under different loads. Primarily attention has been focused on the measurements of the size distribution functions of the particles emitted from the system by using particle differential mobility analysis. A bimodal size distribution function of the particle emitted has been found in all the examined conditions. Burning diesel oil, the first mode of the size distribution function of the combustion-formed particles is centered at around 2–3 nm, whereas the second mode is centered at about 20–30 nm. The increase of the turbine load and the addition of 50% of biodiesel has not caused changes in the shape of size distribution of the particles. A slightly decrease of the amount of particle formed has been found. By using kerosene the amount of emitted particles increases of more than one order of magnitude. Also the shape of the size distribution function changes with the first mode shifted towards larger particles of the order of 8–10 nm but with a lower emission of larger 20–30 nm particles. Overall, in this conditions, the mass concentration of particles is increased respect to the diesel oil operation. Particle sizes measured with the diesel oil have been compared with the results on a diesel engine operated in the same power conditions and with the same fuel. Measurements have showed that the mean sizes of the formed particles do not change in the two combustion systems. However, diesel engine emits a number concentration of particles more than two orders of magnitude higher in the same conditions of power and with the same fuel. By running the engine in more premixed-like conditions, the size distribution function of the particles approaches that measured by burning kerosene in the microturbine indicating that the distribution function of the sizes of the emitted particles can be strongly affected by combustion conditions.     

Validation of a numerical model for the simulation of an electrostatic powder coating process

Numerical modeling of a complete powder coating process is carried out to understand the gas-particle two-phase flow field inside a powder coating booth and results of the numerical simulations are compared with experimental data to validate the numerical results. The flow inside the coating booth is modeled as a three-dimensional turbulent continuous gas flow with solid powder particles as a discrete phase. The continuous gas flow is predicted by solving Navier–Stokes equations using a standard k–ε turbulence model with non-equilibrium wall functions. The discrete phase is modeled based on a Lagrangian approach. In the calculation of particle propagation, a particle size distribution obtained through experiments is applied. The electrostatic field, including the effect of space charge due to free ions, is calculated with the use of the user defined scalar transport equations and user defined scalar functions in the software package, FLUENT, for the electrostatic potential and charge density.     

Numerical calculation of nonstationary gharged-particle beams

Algorithms are considered for the solution of nonstationary electronics problems which reduce to calculation of electromagnetic fields and numerical integration of the equations of motion of charged particles. It is assumed that at each moment of time the potential distribution is described by the Poisson equation. Field calculation is performed by finite-difference methods. For simulation of the space charge a modified “large particle” method is described. The KSI-BÉSM compilation system is discussed as a means of automation of the problem-solving process. Examples of problem solutions are offered.     

Bimodal model of slurry viscosity with application to coal-slurries. Part 2. High shear limit behavior

It is shown that in a truly bimodal coal-water slurry the hydrodynamic interactions between the coarse particles impose on the fine fraction a shear rate higher than that applied externally by the viscometer walls. A semi-empirical function of the coarse volume fraction is obtained for this correction factor to the applied shear rate. The derivation of this shear correction factor is based on lubrication concepts and introduces the maximum packing fraction,ø _m, at which flow can take place.ø _m is obtainable from a simple dry packing experiment. It is shown that the contribution of the coarse particles to the viscosity rise can be successfully described by a viscosity model employing the same concepts used to derive the shear correction factor. The bimodal model is applied in the high shear limit to polymodal coal slurries with a continuous particle size distribution. In the model, the contribution of the coarse particles to the viscosity rise is taken from separate viscosity measurements for the coarse coal particles, while the contribution to the viscosity of the fine coal particles is taken to be that given by the measured viscosity of colloidal suspensions of monomodal rigid spheres. It is shown that there is a ratio of coarse to fine fraction volumes in the continuous size distribution, corresponding to a specific separating particle size, for which the measured viscosities of the polymodal slurries match almost perfectly over the whole solids volume fraction range with the viscosity values obtained using the bimodal approach. The match is found to be relatively insensitive to the precise value of the separating particle size.     

Soot Particle Size Distribution Functions in a Turbulent Non-Premixed Ethylene-Nitrogen Flame

A scanning mobility particle sizer with a nano differential mobility analyzer was used to measure nanoparticle size distribution functions in a turbulent non-premixed flame. The burner utilizes a premixed pilot flame which anchors a C₂H₄/N₂ (35/65) central jet with Re _D = 20,000. Nanoparticles in the flame were sampled through a N₂-filled tube with a 500- μm orifice. Previous studies have shown that insufficient dilution of the nanoparticles can lead to coagulation in the sampling line and skewed particle size distribution functions. A system of mass flow controllers and valves were used to vary the dilution ratio. Single-stage and two-stage dilution systems were investigated. A parametric study on the effect of the dilution ratio on the observed particle size distribution function indicates that particle coagulation in the sampling line can be eliminated using a two-stage dilution process. Carbonaceous nanoparticle (soot) concentration particle size distribution functions along the flame centerline at multiple heights in the flame are presented. The resulting distributions reveal a pattern of increasing mean particle diameters as the distance from the nozzle along the centerline increases.     

ELECTROSTATIC PHENOMENA IN GAS-SOLIDS FLUIDIZED BEDS

Electrostatic charges are generated by particle-wall, particle-particle and particle-gas contacts in gas-solids transport lines and fluidized bed reactors. High particle charge densities can lead to particle agglomeration, particle segregation, fouling of reactor walls and internals, leading to undesirable by-product and premature shut-down of processing equipment. In this paper, the charge generation, dissipation and segregation mechanisms are examined based on literature data and recent experimental findings in our laboratory. The particle-wall contact charging is found to be the dominant charge generation mechanism for gas-solids pneumatic transport lines, while bipolar charging due to intimate particle-particle contact is believed to be the dominant charge generation mechanism in gas fluidized beds. Such a bipolar charging mechanism is also supported by the segregation patterns of charged particles in fluidized beds in which highly charged particles tend to concentrate in the bubble wake and drift region behind rising bubbles.     

A multiphysics model for charged liquid droplet breakup in electric fields

A computational multiphysics model for simulating the formation and breakup of droplets from axisymmetric charged liquid jets in electric fields is developed. A fully-coupled approach is used to combine two-phase flow, electrostatics, and transport of charged species via diffusion, convection, and migration. A conservative level-set method is shown to be robust and efficient for interface tracking. Parametric simulations are performed across a range of fluid properties corresponding to commonly used liquids in inkjet printing and spray applications to examine their role in jet evolution and droplet formation. Specifically, the effects of electric potential drop, surface tension, viscosity, and mobility are investigated. Droplet velocity and size distributions are calculated, and the corresponding mean values are found to increase and decrease respectively with increasing electric field strength. The variations in droplet velocity and size are quantified, and droplet size and charge levels agree well with experimental values. Increasing mobility of charged species is found to enhance jet velocity and accelerate droplet formation by shifting charge from the liquid interior to the interface.     

Explosive dispersal of solid particles

Abstract. The rapid dispersal of inert solid particles due to the detonation of a heterogeneous explosive, consisting of a packed bed of steel beads saturated with a liquid explosive, has been investigated experimentally and numerically. Detonation of the spherical charge generates a blast wave followed by a complex supersonic gas-solid flow in which, in some cases, the beads catch up to and penetrate the leading shock front. The interplay between the particle dynamics and the blast wave propagation was investigated experimentally as a function of the particle size (100–925 m) and charge diameter (8.9–21.2 cm) with flash X-ray radiography and blast wave instrumentation. The flow topology during the dispersal process ranges from a dense granular flow to a dilute gas-solid flow. Difficulties in the modeling of the high-speed gas-solid flow are discussed, and a heuristic model for the equation of state for the solid flow is developed. This model is incorporated into the Eulerian two-phase fluid model of Baer and Nunziato (1986) and simulations are carried out. The results of this investigation indicate that the crossing of the particles through the shock front strongly depends on the charge geometry, the charge size and the material density of the particles. Moreover, there exists a particle size limit below which the particles cannot penetrate the shock for the range of charge sizes considered. Above this limit, the distance required for the particles to overtake the shock is not very sensitive to the particle size but remains sensitive to the particle material density. Overall, excellent agreement was observed between the experimental and computational results. Received 16 August 1999 / Accepted 26 June 2000     

Deduction of aerosol size distribution from particle sampling by whisker collectors

A method of deducing airborne particle size distributions from the deposition on a collector is described. The method basically consists in collecting submicron-sized particles on whisker filters for subsequent electron-microscopic examination. The empirical size distributions on the collectors can be approximated by log-normal functions. Moreover, it has been found that the variation in particle distribution across a four-stage whisker filter can be interpreted on the basis of a simple model of the collection process. The effective absorption coefficient derived from this modeling is used to correct the empirical data for the effect of a selective collection characteristic.     

Electrohydrodynamic flow in a two-dimensional channel with an axially disposed electrode-emitter

A study is made of the flow of an incompressible nonviscous unipolar charged liquid in a two-dimensional channel ¦ x ¦ <, ¦ y ¦ h with conducting walls and an axially disposed electrode-emitter (along y = 0). The charged particles have an arbitrary constant mobility. The charge distribution on the emitter is approximated as a unit step function. The problem is solved by linearizing the equations with respect to the electrohydrodynamic interaction. The behavior of the electrical parameters is determined, and the deformed profiles of velocity and pressure downstream of the zone in which the electrostatic forces are rotational in character are calculated. These profiles can be determined without having to solve the linearized partial differential hydrodynamic equations in the entire region occupied by the flow, although the profiles then depend on the distribution of the electrical parameters along the entire length of the channel.Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Mekhaniki i Tekhnicheskoi Fiziki, No. 6, pp. 35–40, November–December, 1970.In conclusion the author wishes to thank A. B. Vatazhin for suggesting the problem and for his constant attention throughout the work.     

Effective particle size range in laser-Doppler anemometry

The present paper points out that all existing laser-Doppler anemometer systems do not only operate within a finite range of Doppler frequencies but also work within a relatively narrow range of signal amplitudes. It is shown that this corresponds to a finite, and usually to an extremely small, range of particle diameters which contributes to the final LDA measurements. Because of this, the particle size distribution has to be matched to the LDA-system used for measuring particle velocities. If this is not taken into account in particle seeding, low data rates will result in spite of very high particle passage rates through the measuring control volume. This is shown experimentally and is supported by theoretical considerations.The present investigation results in conclusions regarding optimum particle size distributions for laser-Doppler anemometry. If fluid velocity measurements are attempted rather than particle velocity measurements, the particles still have to satisfy well known size requirements that are flow, fluid and particle density dependent.The experimental study employs a combined optical system for simultaneous measurements of particle velocity, particle size and particle concentration. The system is used to measure those particles of a spectrum of oil droplets that contribute to the validated signal output of counter and transient recorder based LDA-electronic signal processing systems.     

Characterization of particle-laden, confined swirling flows by phase-doppler anemometry and numerical calculation

The particle dispersion characteristics in a confined swirling flow with a swirl number of approx. 0.5 were studied in detail by performing measurements using phase-Doppler anemometry (PDA) and numerical predictions. A mixture of gas and particles was injected without swirl into the test section, while the swirling airstream was provided through a co-flowing annular inlet. Two cases with different primary jet exit velocities were considered. For these flow conditions, a closed central recirculation bubble was established just downstream of the inlet.

The PDA measurements allowed the correlation between particle size and velocity to be obtained and also the spatial change in the particle size distribution throughout the flow field. For these results, the behaviour of different size classes in the entire particle size spectrum, ranging from about 15 to 80 μm, could be studied, and the response of the particles to the mean flow and the gas turbulence could be characterized. Due to the response characteristics of particles with different diameters to the mean flow and the flow turbulence, a considerable separation of the particles was observed which resulted in a streamwise increase in the particle mean number diameter in the core region of the central recirculation bubble. For the lower particle inlet velocity (i.e. low primary jet exit velocity), this effect is more pronounced, since here the particles have more time to respond to the flow reversal and the swirl velocity component. This also gave a higher mass of recirculating particle material.

The numerical predictions of the gas flow were performed by solving the time-averaged Navier-Stokes equations in connection with the well known kε turbulence model. Although this turbulence model is based on the assumption of isotropic turbulence, the agreement of the calculated mean velocity profiles compared to the measured gas velocities is very good. The gas-phase turbulent kinetic energy, however, is considerably underpredicted in the initial mixing region. The particle dispersion characteristics were calculated by using the Lagrangian approach, where the influence of the particulate phase on the gas flow could be neglected, since only very low mass loadings were considered. The calculated results for the particle mean velocity and the mass flux are also in good agreement with the experiments. Furthermore, the change in the particle mean diameter throughout the flow field was predicted approximately, which shows that the applied simple stochastic dispersion model also gives good results for such very complex flows. The variation of the gas and particle velocity in the primary inlet had a considerable impact on the particle dispersion behaviour in the swirling flow and the particle residence time in the central recirculation bubble, which could be determined from the numerical calculations. For the lower particle inlet velocity, the maximum particle size-dependence residence time within the recirculation region was considerably shifted towards larger particles.     

Investigation of charged particle trajectories in electrostatic powder coating systems

The trajectories of charged epoxy particles, with size range 45–120μm, in an electrostatic powder coating system were studied using a photographic technique. The results showed that the air flow from the spraying device was responsible for the initial particle transport, with increasing dominance of the electrostatic forces near the substrate mainly due to the field enhancement effect of the space charge. A computational model for calculation of the trajectories was formulated by performing a force balance of the aerodynamic and electrostatic forces involved. The accuracy of the prediction was found to depend on the initial particle exit position. Near the air jet centreline, consistent agreement was obtained, but away from it, the deviation became significant. The possible sources of this discrepancy are discussed.     

离散元法铁粉末压制中粒径分布对力链演化机制的影响

为阐明粒径分布对铁粉压制中体系内部细观力学行为的影响, 基于离散元理论, 通过改变铁粉颗粒粒径分布建立压制模型, 结合力链提取方法, 通过对力链空间分布、力链数目、力链长度和力链方向性的分析, 探究粒径分布对力链演化的影响机理. 研究结果表明: 不同粒径分布的粉体压制时形成的力链空间分布具有差异, 粒径分布范围越小, 形成的力链分布越集中, 反之, 粒径分布范围越大, 形成的力链分布越松散且均匀; 在粉末压制时, 粒径分布对力链数目也有影响, 具体表现为随着粉体的粒径分布范围变大, 力链总数逐渐减少; 粉体的粒径分布对颗粒形成短力链的数目起着显著影响, 而对力链长度的影响较为有限; 随着粒径分布范围的增大, 力链的方向由均匀分布逐渐集中在特定角度方向, 表现出一定各向异性, 形成的交叉力链网络结构有利于提高粉体致密化程度. 本文为从粉体粒径分布影响层面拓展粉末压制细观力学理论提供基础, 亦为进一步结合粉体粒径分布及体系内力链演变过程改善粉末致密化行为提供指导.