ESP

OPERATION AND
MAINTANENCE
PRESENTED BY
SAUMYA RANJAN DAS
JAY PRAKASH SAHU
SANDEEP KUMAR DIXENA
ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR
 INTRODUCTION
 Electrostatic precipitation has been a reliable
technology since the
 early 1900's. Originally developed to abate
serious smoke
 nuisances. Zinc, copper, and lead industries
found ESP a cost
 efficient way to recover valuable product. Today
ESP are found
 mainly on large power plants, incinerators,
cement
 plants,
 • In wood products industry, ESP preceded by
multi clones is
ESP DIAGRAM
 Performance and Characteristics

 It is able to select the proper type and

sizing by required collecting efficiency.
 Dust removal efficiency: 90-99.9% Outlet
dust content: 0.1-0.03g/m3
 Features
 High efficiency
 This electrostatic precipitators employ a unique
discharge-electrode and collecting electrode
construction, providing uniform electric field
distribution and optimum ionization. This construction
serves for high efficiency and stable operation of the
precipitators.
 Low power consumption
 The uniform electric field distribution minimizes
wasteful electric discharge, while automatic voltage
control, responding to fluctuations in gas and dust
quantities, eliminates unnecessary power consumption.
Designed by scale-model testing, the gas distributors of
the precipitator is operated at a minimum pressure
loss, resulting in decreased blower operation cost.
 Easy maintenance and high safety
 All the movable parts can be serviced
from the top, without requiring, operators
to enter the casing. This makes
inspection and maintenance easier,
enabling operators to check the operation
from the outside. All the high-voltage
charged parts are key interlocked, which
prohibits operators from entering charged
parts without disconnecting the power
supply, thus assuring operators' safely.
 ESP Advantages

• They have high efficiencies (exceeds 99.9% in

some
applications)
• Fine dust particles are collected efficiently
• Can function at high temperatures (as high as 700
Degree F– 1300 degree F)
• Pressure and temperature changes are small
• Difficult material like acid and tars can be collected
• They with stand extremely corrosive material
• Low power requirement for cleaning
• Dry dust is collected making recovery of lost
product easy
• Large flow rates are possible
 ESP Disadvantages

 High initial cost

 Materials with very high or low resistivity are
Difficult to collect
 Inefficiencies could arise in the system due to
 variable condition of airflow (though automatic
 Voltage control improves collector efficiency)
 They can be larger than bag houses (fabric
 collectors) and cartridge units, and can occupy
greater space.
 Material in gaseous phase cannot be removed by
electrostatic method
 Dust loads may be needed to be reduced before
 precipitation process(pre cleaner may be needed)
 Purpose

 The purpose of the Electrostatic Precipitator is to

remove the fine particles contained in exhaust
gas from various process plants by electrostatic
principle, thereby acting as an air–pollution
preventing equipment.

 Electrostatic precipitators are not only used in

utility applications but also other industries (for
other exhaust gas particles) such as cement
(dust), pulp & paper (salt cake & lime dust),
petrochemicals (sulfuric acid mist), and steel(dust
& fumes).
Precipitator Operating Principle

The flue gas laden with fly ash is sent through pipes having
negatively charged plates which give the particles a negative
charge. The particles are then routed past positively charged
plates, or grounded plates, which attract the now negatively
charged
ash particles. The particles stick to the positive plates
until they are collected. The air that leaves the plates is then
clean from harmful pollutants.
 Electrostatic precipitation removes
particles from the exhaust gas stream of
a process. Often the process involves
combustion, but it can be any industrial
process that would otherwise exhaust
particles to the atmosphere. There are six
activities that take place.
 Ionization - Charging of particles.
 Migration - Transporting the charged
particles to the collecting surfaces.
 Collection - Precipitation of the charged
particles onto the collecting surfaces.
 Charge dissipation - Neutralizing the
charged particles on the collecting
surfaces.
 Particle dislodging - Removing the
particles from the collecting surface to the
hopper by rapping.
 Particle removal - Conveying the particles
from the hopper to a disposal point or
return to the process.
 Process Variables

 Gas Flow Rate :

A precipitator operates best with a gas velocity of 3.5 -
5.5 ft/sec. At higher velocity, particle re-entrainment
increases rapidly. If velocity is too low, performance may
suffer from poor gas flow distribution or from particle
dropout in the ductwork.

 Particle Size :
A precipitator collects particles most easily when the
particle size is coarse. The generation of the charging
corona in the inlet field may be suppressed if the gas
stream has too many small particles (less than 1
µm).Very small particles (0.2 - 0.4µm) are the most
difficult to collect because the fundamental field-
charging mechanism is overwhelmed by diffusion
charging due to random collisions with free ions.
 DESIGN AND OPERATION
 A precipitator is a relatively simple device.
 The main components are as follows
– An insulated and lagged shell
– Collection plates or tubes
– Discharge electrodes
– Collection Plate Rappers/Electrode Vibrators
– Hoppers

 Dust laden gases are pushed or pulled through the box with the
assistance of a fan. The air flow is channeled into lanes formed by the
collection plates or tubes. Discharge electrodes are centered between
each collection plate/tube to provide a negative charge to the
surrounding dust particles. The collection plates/tubes are positively
grounded and act as a magnet for the negatively charged dust
particles. The collected dust is transported down the collection plates
and electrode with the assistance of a rapper or vibrator system into
the collection hopper.
Electrostatic Precipitator Sizing

 Factors that influence precipitator sizing

are:
 gas volume
 precipitator inlet loading
 precipitator outlet loading required
 outlet opacity required
 particulate resistivity
 Particle size
 OPERATION OF ESP

01. Start the rapping mechanism as soon as the boiler is fired.

(the rectifier HV supply is not to be switched on during oil firing)
02. Check the ash handling system and ascertain its readiness to
continuously from the hopper.(get it ready before coal is burnt
in the boiler)
03. Switch ON the single pole air brake, switch isolator to the HT
side of the rectifier.(this operation connects the particular zone
of the ESP top the rectifier HV source)
04. Turn ON the iron clad switch in main LT switch board.
05. Switch ON the Breaker in the control cubicle.
06. Set the selector switch on manual mode.
07. Reduce the control current to minimum by rotating the
variable resistor fully counter–clockwise.
08. Press the „start‟ Push button.(precipitator zone is energized)
 Switching OFF the ESP

01. Press the „stop‟ Push Button.

02. Switch OFF the breaker in the control cubicle.
03. Switch OFF iron clad switches in the LT main switch
board.
04. Turn the arm of single pole air break switch to earth
position by rotating the hand wheel on rectifier cell.
[ (a) ensure that ESP is de–energized and earthed.(b)
hang signal board “Do not switch ON ESP” ]
05. Immediately after opening the doors of the rectifier
cell, discharge the static charges from HV bushing of
rectifiers using discharge electrode.
06. Keep rapping mechanism in service till the ESP is
sufficiently cool.
 APPLICATIONS

 Wet electrostatic precipitators are

excellent particulate removal devices for
use ahead of RCO's, TRO's, and Biofilters.
These VOC removal devices are sensitive
to particulate in the flue gas stream.
Since wet electrostatic precipitators can
provide emission levels as low as 0.003
gr/dscf, they prevent fouling of the VOC
removal devices.
 Maintenance

A ESP is important to clean gas enters the

contact section of the acid plant. Failure of the
WESP to perform its function will shorten the
life of downstream equipment because the acid
that forward causes corrosion. The following
describes some typical problems with WESP's
 Maintenance and Inspection Schedule

 Daily
 Note and record switch board readings at least once per
shift
 Check that all flushing system components are working
 insulator compartment ventilating system is operating
 Weekly
 Remove dust and foreign matter from electrical equipment
 Check control system and note any alarm conditions
 Clean or replace insulator compartment ventilation system
filters
 Shutdown
 Clean the insulators compartments
 Check FRP components for damage
 Insulator Compartment System

 The following maintenance is required:

 check of the heater and temperature controller
should be made to their proper operation.
 The fan and motor bearing should be checked
for vibration.
 Check air flow to each compartment and
rebalance the system to equal flow to each
compartment.
 Clean or replace air filters
Bulging Tubesheet
 Bulging Tubesheet

 The top support tube sheet of lead type

precipitators are lead lined to protect the carbon
steel from corrosion. To reduce costs, the lead
was often spot to the carbon steel tubesheet. In
most cases weak acid through the lead lining
through cracks or pin hole and corrodes the
steel. The resulting iron sulphate a greater
volume and causes the lead lining to bulge
upwards as shown in the photo. The lead lining
may crack further leading to even more weak
acid penetrating the tubesheet. A
homogeneously lead lined tubesheet would
have prevented this type of damage
Broken Discharge Electrode
 Broken Discharge Electrode

 Broken discharge electrodes may cause the

high voltage system to electrically short and
become ineffective if the broken electrode
remains in the collecting tube. Broken
discharge electrodes are a problem with lead
star wires but is less of a problem with the
discharge electrode systems. The broken
discharge electrode must be removed and
replaced or the tube blanked off until repairs
can be made
 Collection Tube Burn Through

 The discharge electrode should be centered in

each of the collecting tubes to operation of
the unit and maximum collection efficiency. If
one of the discharge electrodes is off-centre
then it will affect the over all operation of the
unit. electrical system will short out. loss of
the weight that holds the discharge electrode
movement in the collecting tube, etc. When a
discharge electrode is off-centre, the
collecting electrode to burn in the photo
Tubesheet Leakage
 Tubesheet Leakage

 In the old style WESP's the lead collection

tubes carbon steel tube sheet with lead.
As the WESP weld between the tubesheet
and tubes may become damaged and
crack. The result is a leak path for weak
acid to pass through the protective lead
covering and begin the carbon
steel. when this is to look for signs of
liquid running down from the tube sheet
outside of the tubes.
 High Voltage System

 Maintain proper operation of the high voltage

system
 Always make sure the high voltage system is
operating properly. This includes the high
voltage controls and transformer-rectifiers. The
high voltage system of the electrostatic
precipitator is the "heart" of the operation. Any
precipitator problems or inefficiencies will be
reflected in the operation of the high voltage
system.
 Make sure all controls are not in alarm
 If in correct all alarms
THANK YOU