Numerical Model of Current–Voltage Curve for the Wire-Cylinder Electrostatic Precipitators in Negative Voltage in the Presence of Nonpolar Gases

The aim of this paper is to develop a numerical model that takes into account the share of the electric current produced by free electrons when an electrostatic precipitator (ESP) with a wire-cylinder geometry is supplied with a negative voltage and the carrier gas is nonpolar. This model improves the understanding of ESPs and highlights the parameters that affect the process behavior and the generation of free electrons. It takes into account the current stemming from the presence of free electrons. For this reason, a coefficient was developed and was expressed as a function of the temperature, pressure, and composition of the carrier gas. Experimental results obtained by other authors and laboratory measurements were compared with the model. The set of results showed that the numerical model developed in this paper is valid only in the presence of nonpolar gases.