MASS FLUX AND EFFECTIVE MIGRATION VELOCITY IN ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATORS

Particle transport in electrical precipitators is usually described in terms of an 'effective migration velocity', but the meaning of this t erm is subject to debate. This work, based on mass balance, is able to demonstrate very simply that the particle transport towards the colle cting plates can be described by the total coarse mass flux. The equat ion for this new quantity is as simple as the equation for the effecti ve migration velocity, and therefore it should be appropriate for comm on applications. In addition, a relationship is given for transforming the total coarse mass flux into an effective migration velocity and v ice versa. The concept of total coarse mass fur is based completely on physical terms, which might lead to more insight into the processes i n electrical precipitation than effective migration velocity does, thu s avoiding time-consuming discussions. For completeness it is briefly mentioned that this concept can be extended to the description of loca l coarse mass fluxes as well.