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IMPROVED TEST METHODS FOR ELECTRONIC AIR CLEANERS
Citation:
Hanley, J., D. L. Franke, M. K. Owen, D. S. Ensor, AND L E. Sparks*. IMPROVED TEST METHODS FOR ELECTRONIC AIR CLEANERS. Presented at Indoor Air '02, Monterey, CA, 6/30-7/5/02.
Description:
The objective of this project was to develop a fractional filtration efficiency test protocol for residential electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) that avoids the limitations of the ASHRAE 52.2 method. Specifically, the objectives were to a) determine the change in efficiency that residential ESPs undergo in real life, and b) develop accelerated laboratory methods that reasonably reproduce the real-life changes. This work was conducted as part of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program for Indoor Air Products.
Results from the real-life study revealed that the observed decrease in ESP filtration efficiency was due to reduced corona discharge from the ionizing wires, as opposed to dust collection on the precipitator plates. Analysis of the wires showed that they had become coated with a silicon compound, presumably silicon dioxide formed by a corona-enhanced vapor deposition process. A laboratory method to reproduce and accelerate the vapor deposition process was developed.