On control of submicron particles by electric field

Abstract

The phenomena of the mass transfer of dispersed microparticles under the action of an external electrostatic field with the aim to control their motion, primarily, to separate them from the closed phase, are considered. The questions on the density of the particle mass flux and its physical parameters such as the forces moving the particles in the electric field, mass and partial concentration of dispersions, their dimensions and charges, as well as the influence of these parameters on the mass transfer regularities are discussed. It is presented a simple approach on the minimum of the potential energy of the “particlesurrounding ions” system when the problem on the particle charging in the ion field, say, of corona discharge is being solved. Particle potential energy stationary distributions of the mass concentration, particularly, the Boltzmann distribution has been obtained through analyzing a general expression for the mass flow density. It is presented the main convective diffusion equation which is revised to the case of an electric wind at corona discharge, as well as the simplest nonstationary equation for the residual concentration within the emitter zone of an electric filter which can be designed on the basis of the equation solution.