The reports gives results of fractional and overall particulate collection efficiency measurements of a plate-type wet electrostatic precipitator (ESP) collecting fume from an aluminum pot line. The mass filter obtained much higher total outlet mass loadings than did the Anderson impactors, presumably because of large entrained liquor droplets which were captured by the mass traverse, but not by the single-point impactor measurements. The average minimum collection efficiency in the size range 0.2 to 1.0 micrometer diameter (based on the Andersen data) was 98.5%. Comparisons between measured (with Andersen impactors) and predicted collection efficiencies obtained from a mathematical model of an ESP indicated fair agreement in the size range 0.2 to about 1.3 micrometers. For larger particles, the collection-efficiency/particle-size relationship departed drastically from the expected pattern, possibly because of liquor carryover from the electrode irrigation system.

Project Officer: Leslie E. Sparks. The M.W. Kellogg Company. Prepared for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Contract Number: 68-02-1308, Task 21 "March 1975." "EPA-650/2-75-033." Control Systems Laboratory, National Environmental Research Center. Also distributed by National Technical Information Service (NTIS) as PB244173.