Issues and Trends in Electrostatic Precipitation Technology for U.S. Utilities

The pace and direction of electrostatic precipitator (ESP) technology evolution in the United States will be governed by two key forces. The first is new clean air legislation passed by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Bush on November 15,1990. This law requires electric utilities to further reduce SO₂ and NO_x emissions, which may impact particulate controls. In addition, very fine (< 10 micron) participates and potentially toxic trace emissions from utility power plants may be regulated. The second major factor is the expected upsurge in new plant construction beginning in the late 1990s. Together, these forces should define the performance requirements and market for new ESPs.

This paper identifies and briefly describes technologies that the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is developing to help U.S. utilities meet these challenges cost-effectively. Among the technologies addressed are: advanced digital voltage controls, flue gas conditioning, intermittent energization, temperature-controlledprecharging (i.e., two-stage ESP), wide plate spacing, positive energization of corona electrodes for hot-side ESPs, and integration of conventional ESPs with pulse-jet baghouses.