The capture of fly ash particles using circular and noncircular cross-section fabric filters

• Published in: Environmental progress 2007-04, Vol.26 (1), p.50-58
• Main Authors: Sánchez, Javier R., Rodríguez, J.M., Alvaro, A., Estévez, A.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: aerosol; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Chemical engineering; Exact sciences and technology; fibers; Filtration; Geldart's type-C particles; Hydrodynamics of contact apparatus; Liquid-liquid and fluid-solid mechanical separations; Pollution
• ISSN: 0278-4491; 1547-5921
• DOI: 10.1002/ep.10186

The great interest in the use of fabric filters made of noncircular cross‐section fibers for collecting small coal fly ash particles (Geldart's type‐C particles) can be seen in this study, in which a nonwoven fabric filter made of circular cross‐section polyester fibers was compared with another nonwoven fabric filter made of predominantly trilobal cross‐section polyimide fibers. The experimental results show that the collection efficiency of the coal fly ash particles of the polyimide fiber filters is higher than that of polyester fiber filters, mainly for particles smaller than 1.2 μm and with a superficial aerosol velocity of 0.1 m/s. Moreover, the pressure drop across the fabric filters made of polyimide fibers is lower than that of the polyester fiber filters. The influence of the thickness of the polyimide fibers on collection efficiency and pressure drop was also checked, and the results showed that the thinnest fiber fabric filter had the highest collection efficiency, as well as the highest pressure drop. © 2007 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog 26:50–58, 2007.