Boundary Element Method Analysis OfThe Electric Field Of Electrostatic Separators

The efficiency of the various electrostatic technologies of air purification, powder deposition or paint spraying is intimately related to the optimisation of the employed electrode configurations. The analysis of the electric field has already proven its utility in this respect. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that the boundary element method (BEM) is appropriate for the study of rolland plate-type electrostatic separators, two groups of devices which are characterised by intricate electrode configurations. A BEM program, developed at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (USA) and provided with interactive data input, error checking facilities and procedures for plotting equipotential and/or flux lines, was successfully employed for the evaluation of field uniformity and breakdown conditions in various electrode arrangements. The computed results showed how the electric field distribution can be modified by changing the electrode shape, size and position. The program was used as an effective design tool for developing several models of industrial electrostatic separators at the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca (Romania). Nevertheless, the role of computer modelling should not be overestimated: numerical analysis of the field provides useful data for an appropriate design, but cannot serve as a complete substitute for experimental testing of new technical ideas. Transactions on Modelling and Simulation vol 19, © 1998 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-355X