The Reduced Entrainment Precipitator (REP) will have improved collection efficiency for dusts having either high or low electrical resistivities. This objective is accomplished by providing a porous collecting surface. A small portion of the dirty gas is drawn through the collected dust cake and the porous collecting plate by a separate fan. This small flow through the dust provides an aerodynamic force to reduce re-entrainment of the dust. The REP should have the following advantages over fabric filters and electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) for high temperature, high pressure (HTHP) application: (1) no metal collecting plates or metal rapping mechanisms to warp or fatigue to failure as in the case of the ESP, (2) approximately 80% less expensive filter fabric used in the REP than in HTHP baghouses, (3) smaller overall size, which means a smaller high pressure vessel is needed for housing.Anticipated Results/Potential Commercial Applications as described by the awardee:The REP holds promise as a HTHP particulate control device, thus advancing the commercialization of pressurized fluid bed combustion and gasification-combined cycle plants. The REP is a combination of electrostatic precipitator and fabric filter technologies that provides a proprietary particulate collection device having a significant improvement in particle collection capability at greatly reduced capital and operating costs. The potential market for this is the entire new precipitator market and also the precipitator retrofit market. The U S. precipitator market should average 200 million dollars per year over the next 5 years. One variation on the REP appears suitable for application to "clean rooms." Sales of clean rooms are forecast to reach l billion dollars by 1989, with 10% of this sales volume as a potential REP market.
