Method and apparatus for electrostatic separating dispersed matter from a fluid medium

Abstract

Herein are disclosed a method and apparatus whereby dispersed matter in the form of finely-divided particles, and/or in the form of molecular species such as molecules, and atoms are separated from a gaseous or liquid medium by subjecting same by a corona discharge via a perforated separating electrode to repel same and continuously removing the charged matter. According to the method of the invention, the fluid medium containing said dispersed matter is subjected to the field of a corona discharge from a first electrode (hereinafter referred to as a "separating electrode") which is pervious to the passage of said fluid medium and dispersed matter, whereby said particles are charged if not already charged, and said molecular species are ionized if not already ionized, in the same electrical polarity as that of the charge of said separating electrode, and said dispersed matter is selectively repelled by the influence of said field and electrode, and a fluid medium containing a consequently-reduced concentration of said dispersed matter is passed through said separating electrode and collected. The charged particles and/or ionized molecular species preferably are exposed to a second electrode (hereinafter referred to as a "collecting electrode"), preferably but not necessarily grounded, in order to facilitate the collection of the selectively-repelled matter. Particles which already carry an electrostatic charge, and molecular species which already are ionized, also can be separated from a fluid medium in accordance with the present invention, through selective imposition on the separating electrode of an electrostatic charge of the proper polarity. The apparatus of the invention is disclosed as essentially comprising: an enclosure defining a fluid-containing chamber; a separating electrode dividing said chamber into two zones, and which is pervious to the passage of fluid medium and dispersed matter, said separating electrode being electrically insulated from said enclosure and adapted to provide a corona discharge upon being charged electrostatically; means for generating and applying to said separating electrode an electrostatic charge of a selected polarity and of a magnitude sufficient to produce a corona discharge from said separating electrode; access means for introducing a fluid medium containing dispersed matter into a first zone of said chamber; and access means for withdrawing from the other zone of said chamber a fluid medium containing a reduced concentration of dispersed matter. The apparatus of the invention preferably also contains a collecting electrode in said first zone, said collecting electrode preferably being connected to ground and electrically insulated from the separating electrode.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.