Nano-Enhanced Composite Electrodes for Electrostatic Precipitators

Electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) are a key pollution control device in air pollution control devices for small oil and coal-fired industrial boilers. ESPs can operate with an efficiency of 98 to 99% for the removal of mercury and fly ash from the flue gas stream. With an electrostatic precipitator fly ash particles are charged electrically as the flue gas passes through the precipitator allowing the charged particles to be collected on oppositely charged plates typically made of metal. Metal collection surfaces are extremely heavy with a high installed cost and easily corroded. Metal electrodes used in ESPs are extremely heavy with a high installed cost, and they are easily corroded, especially in wet ESP systems. Polymer, nano-composite electrodes would be less expensive to produce, easier and cheaper to install and would be corrosion resistant (and thus last longer). However, polymer electrodes must be made sufficiently conductive to allow dry collection within an ESP. This project is focused on achieving the same level of efficiency as the current state-of-the-art ESP components, yet be less expensive to produce, easier to install and last longer. To this end, this project will demonstrate the feasibility and performance of a lightweight, conductive polymer electrode composed of an electrically conductive, nano-enhanced polymers. The project team includes Applied Sciences, Inc., one of the world¿s leading developers of carbon nanofibers and nano-enhanced products; Ohio University, which is a leading testing facility for electrostatic precipitators. Southern Environmental, Inc., a leading electrostatic precipitator builder and retrofitter, will provide free technical support to the project team.