US3464185A - Fluid treating apparatus for an electrostatic precipitator - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 2, 1969 w. M. FIELDS 3,464,185

FLUID TREATING APPARATUS FOR AN ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR Filed Aug. 28, 1967 INVENTOR, Wa/tv' M '5 United States Patent 1m. (:1. B03c 3/78 us. or. 55-118 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved fluid treating arrangement for the collector plates of an electrostatic precipitator including a crank and cam assembly both directly cooperating with an elongated fluid header assembly to provide oscillatory and axial movement thereof to eflect eflicient fluid treatment of the collector plates.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to the gas separation art and finds particular utility in fluid treating structures for collector plates of electrostatic precipitators.

Various arrangements are known in the electrostatic precipitation art for applying fluids to the surfaces of collector plates of electrostatic precipitators to wash the same and thus remove the particulate materials collected thereon or to apply gas treating adhesive fluid and thus enhance the collective efliciency of the plates. Included in these past arrangements have been header assemblies which have been constructed to move in both oscillatory and axial directions to enhance fluid treating application. Notwithstanding more recent developments in the gas separation art which have included structures capable of combined movement, the header assemblies of the past have not readily lent themselves to multiple header adaptation. Moreover, past assemblies have been comparatively expensive in construction and maintenance, requiring a large number of parts, and have consequently been comparatively ineflicient because of mechanical friction and motion losses between the several parts during operation.

Summary of the invention The present invention provides a new, useful, and unobvious fluid treating arrangement for an electrostatic precipitator, the improved fluid treating arrangement permitting both oscillatory and axial movement to provide eflicient and eflective fluid treatment of the collector plates, and at the same time, requiring a minimum of parts to minimize mechanical friction and motion losses. In addition, the present invention provides a structure which is economical and straightforward in its construction and maintenance, permitting rapid erection and removal and requiring a minimum of space in its over-all assembly.

Various other features of the present invention will become obvious to one skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure set forth hereinafter.

More particularly, the present invention provides in an electrostatic precipitator including a housing having spaced opposed gas inlet and gas outlet openings to define a gas flow passage therethrough, and having a collection section in the form of a plurality of spaced parallel collector plates disposed in planes substantially paral-- lel to the direction of gas flow through the passage, an improved fluid treating structure for the collection section comprising elongated fluid header assembly means having spaced fluid distributing orifices therein; means Cir 3,464,185 Patented Sept. 2, 1969 ice to mount the extremities of the fluid header assembly means adjacent the collection plates with the fluid distributing orifices directed toward the collection plates, the mounting means permitting axial movement of the header assembly with respect to the longitudnal axis thereof with an extremity of the header assembly terminating in a plane inclined to the longitudinal axis of the assembly at a first angle, rotatable cam means axially aligned with the inclined extremity of the header assembly, the cam means having that extremity adjacent the header assembly terminating in a plane inclined to the longitudinal axis of the assembly at a second angle opposed to the first angle whereby rotation of the cam means causes movement of the header assembly in an axial direction, and drive means connected to the cam means to rotate the cam means.

It is to be understood that various changes can be made in the arrangement, form, and construction of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing which discloses one advantageous embodiment of the present invention and a modification thereof:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of an electrostatic precipitator incorporating therein the novel features of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the embodiment of the apparatus of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the header assembly of FIGURES l to 3, taken in a plane passing through line 4-4 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a schematic side elevational view of an electrostatic precipitator arrangement incorporating the novel features of the present invention in a multiple header arrangement.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, there is disclosed housing 2 having spaced opposed dirty gas inlet 3 and clean gas outlet 4 to define a gas flow passage therebetween in which is disposed electrostatic precipitator assembly 6. Assembly 6 includes electrostatically charged ionizing section 7 and collection section 8. As is known in the art and therefore not described in detail, collection section 8 is comprised of a plurality of spaced parallel collector plates disposed in planes substantially parallel to the direction of gas flow through the passage as interleaved electrostatically charged and grounded plate sets 9, 11, respectively.

Positioned in spaced relation upstream electrostatic precipitator section 6 is improved fluid treating section 12 of the present invention. Section 12 includes elongated fluid header assembly in the form of hollow conduit 13 extending transverse the precipitator section assembly. One extremity of conduit 13 is sealed and supported for rotation and resilient axial movement by means of journal box 14 having helical spring 16 disposed therein in axial alignment with the sealed end of conduit 13. The opposite extremity of conduit 13 is rotatably supported on hollow standard 17, axially aligned and in fluid communication therewith. A suitable fluid seal 18 is provided between the standard 17 and the conduit 13 to prevent any fluid leakage from the assembly. The hollow standard 17 is connected in turn by means of a suitable flexible conduit 20 to a source of fluid which can selectively be either a washing liquid or a suitable adhesive oil as is known in the art.

As can be seen in FIGURE 2 of the drawing, the extremity of conduit 13 which is rotatably supported on standard 17 terminates in a plane inclined to the longitudinal axis of the conduit at an angle 19. Also rotatably mounted on standard 17 is a cam member 21 axially aligned with the inclined extremity of the header assembly, the cam member having its extremity adjacent the header assembly terminating in a plane inclined to the longitudinal axis of the assembly at an angle 22 opposed to angle 19 whereby rotation of the cam member causes movement of the header assembly in an axial direction. Cam member 21 is rotated by means of a suitable drive belt 23 connected to drive motor 24. Also connected to drive motor 24 is crank disc 26 having disposed along the periphery thereof crank pin 27. Suitable crank linkage 28 is provided between crank pin 27 and conduit 13 to impart an oscillating motion to conduit 13, at the same time as conduit 13 is moved in an axial direction by virtue of rotating cam member 21, such axial movement being asserted against the helical coil spring 16 in journal box 14.

As can be seen in FIGURES 1 and 4 of the drawing, conduit 13 is provided with a plurality of spaced orifices 29 to direct fluid to the plates of the electrostatic precipi-tator, a suitable splash plate 31 (FIGURE 4) being inclined above the orifices to insure substantially planar dispersion of the liquid.

Referring to FIGURE of the drawing, it can be seen that the fluid header assembly can include at least two spaced parallel header assemblies 32, each including a crank arm 33 and having a cam member disposed at the extremity thereof in a manner similar to that disclosed in FIGURE 2 and therefore not shown in FIGURE 5. Suitable connecting linkage 36 can be provided between crank arms 33 and drive motor 37 and suitable driving linkage in the form of an elongated endless drive chain system 38 can be provided between the drive motor and the cam members, Thus, with an arrangement like that of FIGURES 1-4, it is possible to provide a plurality of oscillatable and axially movable header assemblies 32 to spray effectively a plurality of collector plate sections extending axis having a plurality of spaced apart fluid distributing orifices therealong; means to mount the extremities of said fluid header assembly means adjacent said collection plates with said fluid distributing orifices directed toward said collector plates, said mounting means permitting axial movement of said header assembly with respect to said longitudinal axis thereof with an extremity of said header assembly terminating in a plane inclined to the longitudinal axis of said fluid header assembly means at a first angle; rotatable cam means having a rotary axis about which it rotates, which axis is axially aligned with said inclined extremity of said header assembly, said cam means having that extremity adjacent said header assembly terminating in a plane inclinued to the longitudinal axis of said assembly at a second angle opposed to said first angle, said cam means constructed and arranged so that when said 0am means is rotated about its rotary axis the rotation of said cam means causes movement of said header assembly in an axial direction; and drive means connected to said cam means for rotating said cam means, said mounting means including a fixed hollow standard axially aligned with said header assembly to slidably and rotatably receive said header assembly in sealed fluid conducting engagement therewith, said fixed hollow standard rotatably receiving said cam means thereabout.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, said elongated fluid header assembly means including at least two spaced parallel header conduits, each having a crank arm and a cam member cooper-able therewith; connecting linkage between said crank arms and said drive means; and an elongated endless drive chain system between said cam members and said drive means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 933,718 9/1909 Mehoney 74-56 X 1,209,813 12/1916 Coles 239-225 1,399,441 12/ 1921 Petersen -117 2,392,540 1/ 1946 Lyman 239-225 2,672,206 3/ 1954 Keist 55-118 3,101,730 8/1963 Harris et al 239-225 X 3,237,598 3/1966 Zahn 118-315 3,257,778 6/1966 Flagg 55-118 3,266,553 8/1966 Munters 261-112 X 3,348,480 10/1967 Bohac et al. 101-349 FOREIGN PATENTS 733,873 8/ 1933 France.

812,012 1/ 1937 France.

547,943 4/1932 Germany.

HARRY B. THORNTON, Primary Examiner DENNIS E. TALBERT, 1a., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

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