Air Pollution Control – Design Considerations:

General Objectives:

• Background for equipment design

• To be conversant with equipment manufacturers
• Understand expectations for normal operation
Specific objectives & expectations:

• Develop models for air pollution control equipment

and implement these models in spreadsheet-based
calculations.
• Capability and reliability of these models will vary
depending on the system complexity, but factors
affecting equipment performance should be evident.
Unit operations of interest:

• Gravity settling chambers (GSC)

• Cyclones
• Electrostatic precipitators (ESP)
• Filtration units – baghouse filters
• Wet scrubbers (time permitting)
Basic input information:

• Gas properties – temperature, pressure and

composition.
• Derived gas properties – density, viscosity,
continuum conditions (λ) and dew point.
• Particulate properties – size, shape and density.
• Derived particulate properties – aerodynamic drag
and behaviour in non-continuum conditions.
Basic assumptions:

• Particulates are transported to the collection units in

the process – requires minimum transport velocities
and “pick-up” velocities.
• Gas streams, even with heat recovery systems, will
probably be above the dew point temperature of the
gas (this reduces corrosion in equipment).
Single Collection Systems:
∆ Pf
Qf Collection
Qf
Input Penetrating
system, η stream
mp (1 - η )mp
Captured
stream
η mp
A single collection system will process a total gas flow
rate, Qf (m3/s), and particulate loading, mP (g/s). It will be
characterized by a collection efficiency, η (mass fraction-
weighted for all particle sizes), and pressure drop, ∆Pf .
Overall collection efficiency (mass-fraction weighted):

Overall collection efficiency is a function of:

(i) Particle size mass fraction, and
(ii) Grade efficiency (η for each particle size)
Multiple collection systems in series:
If a single system does not give adequate collection efficiency, we may
use systems in series:
∆ Pf ∆ Pf
Qf Input Collection Collection Penetrating
system 1 system 2 stream
mp η1 (1 - η 1 ) mp η2
(1 - η ) (1 - η 1 ) m p
2

Captured Captured
stream stream
η1 mp η 2 (1 - η ) m p
1

• The overall collection efficiencies for the individual systems will not be
equal and generally, η1 > η2 (and this inequality continues for additional
units in the series sequence). The reason for this is that larger, easier to
remove particles are captured in the upstream systems.

• A drawback for this series arrangement is that the pressure drops add,
increasing the overall operating costs.
 Multiple collection systems in parallel:
When pressure drop considerations are important, the inlet flow stream can
be split into parallel streams. Since ∆Pf ∝ ~(Qf)2, this can lead to substantial
cost savings.
∆ Pf
Qf /2
Collection
mp /2 system, η

Qf Qf
η mp /2
mp (1 - η )m p
Qf /2
Collection
system, η
mp /2

η mp /2

Increased efficiency can be realized when the collection efficiency increases

with lower gas flow rates through the units (true for most collection devices
except cyclones)
 Multiple collection systems in series and parallel:
∆ Pf

Qf Qf

mp (1 - η )m p

η mp

A combination of series and parallel arrangements might be used to give optimum

collection efficiency and pressure drop. This method often involves components
of the same type of collection device (or elements of the same type of device).
The parallel lines can be turned off (or isolated) in a regular timed sequence for
periodic cleaning (baghouse filtration units) or routine maintenance.
Gravity Settling Chambers – Chapter 7

Relies on the terminal velocity of a particle to

settle out of a gas stream …

Gas
Inlet Gas
Outlet

Dust collection hoppers

A conventional design based on flow cross section

expansion and dust collection hoppers.
Novel designs based on multiple
chambers in parallel

L
Design analysis similar to a problem
previously examined (pg. 34-36)

y
L

s Uf
Up
x Up
s Up x
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