US3404513A - Mobile electrostatic precipitator - Google Patents

Description

MOBILE ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR Filed Feb. 1, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR $2, LAWRENCE M. ROBERTS O LO ATTORNEYS Filed Feb. 1, 1965 MOBILE ELEGI'ROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VENTOR LAWRENCE M. ROBERTS ATTORNEYS Oct. 8, 1968 L.. M. RDBERTS 3,404,513

MOBILE ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR Filed Feb. 1, 1965 ATTORNEYS INVENTOR LAWFQENCE M. ROBERTS ats o pFiled Feb. 1, 196s, ser. No. 429,288.

2 Claims, (Cl. 55-107 ABSTRACT on THE, DISCLOSURE Apparatus for removing fog from roadways and runways which comprises .a mobile -percipitator trailer adapted to be moved along the roadway to be cleared of fog and dispelling the moisture'free air generally upwardly to reduce the relative humidity of the air in the zoneof the fog. I i

This invention relates toan electrostatic precipitator and more particularly to an ambulatory mobile electrostatic precipitator in the general form of a vehicle which may be towed by a prime mover. t is well known to'air travellers, the presence of fog at an -airport can cause delays up to several hours and, if the fog is particularly severe or long lasting, can completely defeat any efforts to land a plane at such an airport, unless the 'airport'is provided with the most expensive and up-to-d'ate navigational devices. Certain types of mists or 'fogs'which may be defined as a type of colloidal suspension are known to exist in more or less discrete clumps or volumes, much as in the case with many types ofclouds. In such instances, it is possible to considerably improve visibility conditions by breaking up or-dispelling the fog, since its removal would not be accompanied by an ever present replenishment of the fog.

f the variety of means propounded for defeating fog conditions at airports, the present apparatus is very attractive because of its practical solution to the problem.

According to this invention, an apparatus for removing certain types of-"fogs and mists from landing strips at airports:comprises an electrostatic precipitator adapted torbe moved over or along a runway or runways. Further, according to another practice of the present invention, an electrostatic precipitator is employed to remove particulatematerial from dirty gases at incinerators, foundries, and the like, especially when the latter are used on a not too frequentscheduling basis. As an example of this 1atter=utility exhibited by the present invention, a suburban incinerator adapted to be employed only one or two days a week may be serviced by the ambulatory electrostatic precipitator ofthisinvention, and thus circumvent the need for the, otherwise expensive provision of the incinerator with electrostatic gas cleaning means.

It is, accordingly, an object of thepresent invention to remove fogs and mists of certain types from the vicinity of airport runways by moving .an electrostatic field through the mist or fog on the runway to thereby break down the suspenslon of water droplets in the air which give rise to the fog." 4

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mobile electrostatic precipitator which may be moved along the runways of an airport to thereby dispel fogs and mists so that the operator of an airplane will be able to clearly see the runway surface when the aircraft is just above the runway.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mobile electrostatic precipitator trailer having a fan and motor attached thereto to thereby provide a forced flow means to thereby increase the efiiciency of the electrostatic precipitator unit carried thereby.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mobile electrostatic precipitator trailer having forced 3,404,513 Patented 8, I968 flow means therein in combination with means for lecting Water for subsequent discharge to waste.

It is a further object of the present. invention to provide a mobile electrostatic precipitator trailer'including an electrostatic precipitator in combination with, a forced convection means together with" means for directing' the cleaned air substantially vertically upwardly'tothereby assist in dispelling fog from an adjacent runway .at'an airport. I l These and other objects and advantages from the practice of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the mobile precipitator trailer of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view taken from the foot of the trailer;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a partially schematic side elevational view showing the mobile precipitator trailer of this invention coupled to a foundry, incinerator, or the like by means of a flexible hose or other coupling.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the numeral 10 denotes generally the mobile precipitator trailer of this invention and includes a front intake portion denoted by the numeral 12, and a rear portion 14.

A generally rectangular and outwardly flaring continuous lip 16 functions as an intake orifice with a rotating fan 18 driven by motor 20 located generally centrally of the intake. The numeral 22 denotes a perforated screen such that the combined area of the perforations therein is substantially equal to the combined area of the imperforate portions thereof to allow an opening ratio of approximately 50 percent. The numeral 24 denotes the sides of the trailer having a top portion 26 and bottom portions 28, with the latter having generally sloping sides and terminating each in a valve or tap 30. As will be observed from FIG. 1, there are three such sets of sloping bottoms 28 each terminating in a tap, each set corresponding to a bank of electrostatic precipitators.

The mobile precipitator trailer is provided with a plurality of wheels 32 conventionally mounted on the underside thereof with the front portion of the trailer provided with a tow bar 34 adapted to be attached to a mobile vehicle for pulling. The vehicle, however, may have its own prime mover and steering means offset to one side or positioned at the rearward end thereof.

The numeral 40 denotes any one of the plurality of upper access conduits generally cylindrical in form and covered by top closure plates. Each of such access ports surrounds an upstanding electrical terminal 42, with the intermediate access units 40 each containing two such terminal-s while the outermost units contain a single such terminal. A high tension line 44, denoted by a dashed line, is led from a high voltage transformer 46 through a suitable insulator 47 in the top portion 26 of the trailer and is coupled to terminals 42, there being three connections, one for each bank of electrostatic precipitator units. The transformer output is controlled by a switchboard assemblage 48 and suitable voltage control means."

Each terminal 42 communicates with a downwardly extending metallic support rod 50 extending into the bottom portions of each of the electrostatic precipitator banks. In each bank there are a plurality of horizontally disposed cross-rods 52, two of which are secured as by welding to the rods 50. As illustrated at FIG. 3 of the drawings, each horizontally disposed rod 52 is secured to end horizontal rods 54 extending at right angles thereto, also as by welding or the like. Rods 52 carry, at the bottom portions thereof, hooks 59a which engage the lower ends of a plurality of vertically extending high tension discharge electrodes or wires 58. The upper ends of thewires engage hooks 59. Hooks 59-a're secured to' a plurality of horizontally extending bars 52a. The lower hook's' 59ahave straight body portions which extend through apertures in the lower rods, with the extending portions of the hooks surrounded by compression springs 60 to thereby provide a tension of approximately two pounds on the high tension lines 58.

The high tension lines are situated between and generally parallel to a plurality of collecting plate-type electrodes 70, each of which is provided, at spaced longitudinal points, with outwardly flaring angular portions 72. These angular portions 72, extending or flaring on both sides of plates 70, function to impart desired flow characteristics to gas passing through the electric precipitator bank. Such flared portions are shown and described in US. Patent 2,826,262 to Byerly. As will be observed from FIG. 1, only the first (right-most) electrostatic precipitator bank is provided with the angular flaring portions 72.

The upper portions of plates are coupled, as by welding, threaded fasteners, or any other convenient fastening means, to intermediate fastening plates 74, with the upper portions of the latter being also suitably coupled to downwardly extending tab portions 76 fixed to the underside of top or roof portion 26.

It will be observed that, except for the flared portions or vanes 72 of the first electrostatic precipitator bank, all of the electrostatic precipitator banks are identical in construction.

A plurality of access doors 80 are provided at one side 24 of the trailer. The rear portion of the internal flow passageway through the trailer is provided with a biased conduit portion 82 and an upwardly extending conduit portion 84 to thereby define an exit port or orifice 86 for the discharge of the cleaned gas. The numerals 90 each denote any one of a plurality of nozzles suitably coupled to a pump 92 for the injection of a fluid to clean the particular gas being treated or for the discharge of a suitably charged dust or other small particulate material to assist in the cleaning process.

In operation, after suitable adjustment of the controls of switchboard 48, transformer 46 is energized and the trailer 10 is towed by means of tow bar 34 through an area of fog. The motor 20, also energized, turns fan 18 causing an ingress of fog into the flow path defined by the major interior portion of the trailer 10. Any large particulate matter or any trash, papers or the like will be stopped by screen 22 with the remainder of the fluid stream passing between the interplate spaces of the electrostatic precipitator banks. The high tension wires 58 are preferably negatively charged, with the ground from transformer 46 being suitably secured to the metallic frame of the trailer. The water droplets which constitute the fog are thereby given a negative charge and the positively charged plates 70 draw the droplets thereto. Upon striking plates 70, the water droplets become separated from the air with the water from the droplets falling downwardly on the sides of plate 70' and onto the bottom portions 28 of each of the banks and then outwardly through taps 30. The air which has been freed from the water droplets exits from the trailer through orifice 86. This exiting air, now much dryer, is directed upwardly through port 86 and assists in clearing the runaway area, by both absorbing moisture from the atmosphere immediately above the runway and by "blowing the fog upwardly. The overall length of the mobile precipitator trailer illustrated at FIG. 1 is approximately 27 feet. Other'parameters such as the spacings between the plates 70, the particular potential employed in transformer 46, etc., are well within the purview of those skilled in this art and further descriptionthereof will notbe given,

Referring now to FIG. 4-ofthe drawings, thernobile precipitator trailer 10 according to this inventionis provided with a large flexible conduit having one end secured to the input end 12 of thetrailer and having its other end secured to the outletof an incinerator, a foundry, or the like, denoted, generally by the numeral 102. In many industrial installations, as well as in many smaller residential areas, there is a'definite needto periodically dispose of, by way of burning, trash or the like. Unless the burning is on a continuous basis, as would be the case in a large metropolitan area, the need for and consequently the expense of electrostatic precipitator action is not justified and a unit such as the mobile precipitator trailer of this invention in combination with a large flexible conduit such as 100 provides an ideal solution for this problem. Accordingly, at scheduled times, the mobile precipitator trailer is pulled to the vicinity of an incinerator 102 or the like, with the flexible coupling 100 being made. In the event that 102 is an incinerator or the like, giving off rather large proportions of particulate matter, a fluid spray through nozzles 90 is generally desirable.

What is claimed is: t 1. A mobile electrostaticprecipitator trailer including, a housing unit having an intake fan positioned and mounted at one end thereof, a perforated screen posi-' tioned between said fan and said housing unit, said housing unit containing an electrostatic precipitator defined by a plurality of vertically disposed ionizing and collector electrodes, nozzle means positioned above said electrodes for supplying a gas treating fluid into said unit, the bottom portion of said housing unit which is below the said electrodes being downwardly sloped and terminating, at its lowest point, in an outlet adapted to discharge precipitated liquid, an exhaust conduit in fluid flow connection with the other end of said housing unit, said exhaust conduit having a horizontal intake portion adapted to receive flow of gas from said fan and electrodes and a vertically disposed outflow portion, said exhaust conduit having a plurality of flow directions changing vanes within it, means for supplying and controlling high voltage to said electrostatic precipitator, said means being positioned on the side of said exhaust conduit remote from said fan. 2. The mobile electrostatic trailer of claim 1 including a plurality of said housing units in tandem relationship to each other.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,357,466 11/1920 Moller .55--2 1,944,976 1/1934 Hamilton 55-356 1,982,470 11/1934 Franks 55 2 2,049,561 8/1936 Grave 55-2 2,440,455 4/1948 White 55-2 2,756,842 7/1956 Chamberlin et al. 55126 0 HARRY B. THORNTON, Primary Examiner.

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