Development and optimisation of full-scale prototype electrostatic precipitators in a laboratory for particulate matter mitigation in poultry facilities

Authors: KNIGHT, REYNA - The Ohio State University; HOCTER, JEB - The Ohio State University; MILLIKEN, SHANNON - The Ohio State University; HERKINS, MATTHEW - The Ohio State University; ZHAO, LINGYING - The Ohio State University; Zhu, Heping

Submitted to: Biosystems Engineering
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/28/2023
Publication Date: 4/28/2023
Citation: Knight, R.M., Hocter, J., Milliken, S., Herkins, M., Zhao, L., Zhu, H. 2023. Development and optimisation of full-scale prototype electrostatic precipitators in a laboratory for particulate matter mitigation in poultry facilities. Biosystems Engineering. 230:71-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2023.03.019.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2023.03.019

Interpretive Summary: Electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) are a potential technology for particulate matter (PM) mitigation in poultry facilities. This technology uses high voltage wires and grounded PM collector electrodes to generate an electric field to charge particles, thus increasing their collection on the grounded collectors. In this research, two full-scale electrostatic precipitators (ESP) prototypes were developed and evaluated for their performances under various laboratory wind tunnel conditions. The PM removal efficiencies of both ESPs increased as applied voltage increased, up to a certain voltage beyond which efficiencies levelled off. The PM removal efficiencies were also affected by air velocities and upstream PM concentrations. Self-cleaning mechanisms using vibration motors to shake the grounded plates of each ESP were able to remove built-up PM layers. Both ESP prototypes performed well under the laboratory conditions. With the optimal settings for the two ESPs, the removal efficiencies of total suspended particulates were 94.5% and 99.0%, respectively. Thus, these technical evidences provided baselines to continue field validations of the ESPs for effective PM control in commercial poultry facilities.

Technical Abstract: Particulate matter (PM) emissions significantly impact air quality in poultry production facilities. Electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) have been identified as a potentially effective technology for poultry PM mitigation. However, the design and optimization of full-scale ESPs for PM mitigation in poultry facilities requires further study. An ESP with a cross-sectional airflow area of 0.371 m2 designed for installation inside a poultry facility (indoor ESP), and an ESP with a cross-sectional airflow area of 0.767 m2 designed for installation after the exhaust fans (exhaust ESP) were developed and tested in a laboratory setting. A wind tunnel with a custom-built dust generator was used to test each ESP across a range of air velocities (0.5e2.0 m s 1), total suspended PM concentrations (0.15 e2.0 mg m 3), and applied voltages (24e32 kV for indoor ESP, 38e46 kV for exhaust ESP). The optimized operating conditions for the indoor ESP were an air velocity of 1.5 m s 1 and an applied voltage of 26 kV, resulting in PM2.5 and PM10 removal efficiencies of 90.3% ± 3.3% and 93.1% ± 2.7%, respectively, with a specific corona power (SCP) of 0.0510 ± 0.0021Wm 3 h1. The exhaust ESP was optimized to operate at 1.5 m/s and 40 kV, resulting in respective PM2.5 and PM10 removal efficiencies of 98.2% ± 0.5% and 98.9% ± 0.3%, and an SCP of 0.0301 ± 0.0018 W m 3 h1. The indoor and exhaust ESPs performed sufficiently to proceed with field evaluations in a commercial poultry facility.