Electrostatic precipitator

In an electrostatic precipitator having a gas passage for flow of a stream of gas therethrough, plural, spaced-apart, parallel flat-plate discharge electrodes in said passage and mounted parallel to the direction of gas flow, said discharge electrodes each having substantially straight leading and trailing edges in said gas stream, and plural flat-plate collecting electrodes interleaved in the space between said discharge electrodes in parallel relationship thereto, the improvement therein comprising:

• plural elongated bracket means each having an outwardly facing longitudinal surface, each bracket means comprising an elongated U-shaped channel member defining an open portion in said channel member opposite said outwardly facing surface, said open portion of said channel member being adapted to receive the respective edge of said discharge electrodes, plural needle-like elements fastened at one axial end on the longitudinal surface of each said bracket means at equal spaced intervals in longitudinal alignment therealong, the free pointed end of said needles projecting perpendicular to said surface, means attaching said bracket means on said leading and trailing edges of each flat-plate discharge electrode in such manner that the free pointed ends of the needles are disposed to lie along the said edge in a substantial straight line in the plane of said flat-plate electrodes, the one set of needle-shaped elements on the leading edge facing gas flow and the other set of needle-shaped elements facing in the opposite direction, the spacing between adjacent needles being less than the lateral spacing between the discharge electrode plate and its adjacent flat-plate collecting electrode, electrical DC circuit means, and means connecting said discharge and collecting electrodes to said DC circuit means to charge them at opposite electrical polarity.