Simulation of the electric field in wire-plate type electrostatic precipitators

The paper presents a general Control Volume model for electric field simulation in wire-plate type electrostatic precipitators, along with a new injection law for charge density. The model is validated against empirical equations and experimental data in the literature when applied to the wire-plate and point-plate configurations. The voltage current characteristics and detailed distribution of field and charge density are characterized, particularly for the case of barbed wire electrode. The effects of geometric variations, such as the sharpness of the tip and the direction of the needles with respect to the plate, are investigated.