Membrane WESP-The lowest cost technology for fine particulate control to meet boiler MACT, 2008 Engineering, Pulping and Environmental Conference

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Multi-pollutant control technologies will become more important in the future. This new membrane wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP) system is ideally suited to and very cost effective for, removing PM2.5 and SO3 after industrial boilers and wood products dryers.

WESP can readily collect acid aerosol and fine particulate due to greater corona power and virtually no re-entrainment. The main historical limitation associated with wet precipitators has been the higher cost of special alloys and stainless steel material used in their manufacture. This new technology WESP, based on fabric membrane for the collecting electrodes, dramatically reduces weight and cost, compared to conventional, metallic WESPs.

Cleaning of the corrosion resistant fabric membranes, is facilitated by capillary action between the fibers, providing even water distribution, & continuous flushing, which removes collected material without spraying, so the entire precipitator remains on line.

Operation of several pilot units using the membrane technology has demonstrated excellent PM removal efficiency. The first commercial size unit, collecting fine particulate and sulfuric acid mist after two boilers firing No. 6 oil with 4% sulfur, shows high SO3 removal as well. The operation and performance of this two-module, upflow, membrane, single-field unit, along with some of the problems encountered and overcome in the start-up, will be described.