Effect of rapping frequency on the efficiency of an electrostatic precipitator

In an effort to improve collection efficiency of an electrostatic precipitator, the rapping frequency of the collector plates and discharge wires of a single stage Wheelbrator precipitator was varied in a manner intended to produce optimum precipitator performance. Particulate emissions were measured at both the precipitator inlet and outlet by EPA-OAP and ASME sampling trains and at the precipitator outlet by continuous sampling and recording equipment. Tests using the continuous sampling instrumentation and the EPA-OAP and ASME trains indicated that a reduction in particulate emission rate at the outlet of the precipitator resulted from a reduction in rapping time of the collector plates and a decrease in the frequency of rapping of precipitator collecting plates. Experimental results indicated that the performance of an electrostatic precipitator can be greatly affected by a variation in rapping frequency of the precipitator collector plates and to a lesser extent the discharge wires.