AAAR 32nd Annual Conference
September 30 - October 4, 2013
Oregon Convention Center
Portland, Oregon, USA
Abstract View
Performance of Electrostatic Battery for Emissions Control (ESBEC) when Challenged with Diesel Emissions
TAEWON HAN, Huajun Zhen, Gediminas Mainelis, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Abstract Number: 123 Working Group: Control Technology
Abstract We recently developed a novel diesel emissions control device, Electrostatic Screen Battery for Emissions Control (ESBEC), where exhaust particles are removed using an electrostatic mechanism. Unlike traditional diesel particulate filters (DPFs), this device features high particle collection efficiency without contributing to exhaust backpressure and there is no need for thermal regeneration of collected particles. As part of the continuing development of this technology, the 3rd generation ESBEC was fabricated using 3D printing, where a cylinder-shaped housing integrates a charger and collector. A carbon fiber brush is positioned perpendicular to the direction of the air flow and ions are produced once high voltage is applied between the brush and a grounded screen. The collector of 1.5 inches in diameter consists of two half-cylinders holding several sets of screens. One screen of each set is supplied with high voltage opposite to the sign of the charger and the other is grounded, producing an electrostatic field across the screens.
This optimized and improved version showed high collection efficiency of ~87% for 0.2 micro-meter fluorescent polystyrene latex particles when 10kV were applied to the charger and 12kV to the collector. As a next step in the development of this diesel control device, ESBEC was built with seven sets of screens and challenged with diesel exhaust of concentrations varying from 5 to 120 mg/m^3 and flow rates of ~103 L/min. ESBEC removed about 82 - 94% of diesel exhaust particle mass entering the battery. During 6 hours of continuous operation, the collection efficiency of ESBEC did not decrease and its pressure drop increased only minimally. Particle deposition across the screen was also relatively uniform. In the next tests, ESBEC will be scaled-up to 6 inches in diameter and its performance compared with a conventional DPF during long term operation.