NUCLEATION-ASSISTED PROCESS FOR THE REMOVAL OF FINE AEROSOL-PARTICLES

An efficient (up to 99%) multistage process that removes a wide range of fine particles (several microns down to 0.1 mum) assisted by a nucl eation method is proposed. In each stage, as a gas stream passes throu gh a supersaturated vapor in a mixing chamber, water vapor condenses o nto the particles which grow to bigger sizes in a subsequent cooling c hamber and is removed in a cyclone after being accelerated through a n ozzle. The desired efficiency can be assured by employing several stag es in series. A single-stage bench-scale model is designed, and four t ypes of test aerosol are used to demonstrate the cleaning efficiency. The efficiency increases with increasing ratio of steam to gas stream, wettability of particles, particle size, and degree of cooling in the cooling chamber, and decreases as particle concentration increases. S uggestions on how to achieve desired efficiencies at less cost are als o given.