Electrostatic Separator for Cooling Tower Water Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wet cooling towers experience significant water loss through evaporation, drift, and plume, leading to high water consumption and associated environmental and health hazards, with existing methods either ineffective or detrimental to cooling efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using electrostatic separators, comprising a collector electrode and a discharge electrode, to collect water droplets from the airflow of cooling towers by condensing water vapor, optimizing electrode geometry and voltage for efficient water collection without compromising cooling tower efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If drift eliminators are used to capture large water droplets, then water collection efficiency is improved, but air side pressure drop increases which negatively affects cooling tower efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical drift eliminator system with an electrostatic separation system. Instead of using physical barriers that cause pressure drop, the invention uses electric fields to charge and collect water droplets, substituting mechanical action with electromagnetic action to resolve the contradiction between water collection and pressure drop.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the state parameter of water droplets by charging them through electrostatic means. By altering the electrical charge parameter of the droplets, the system enables collection without mechanical contact, thereby avoiding the pressure drop issue while maintaining effective water recovery.
2Loss of substance
If fog nets are used to capture droplets from exhausted airflow, then water recovery is improved, but cooling efficiency is negatively affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical fog net system with an electrostatic separator. Instead of using physical nets that interfere with airflow and cooling, the invention uses electric fields to selectively charge and collect water droplets, allowing air to pass freely while recovering water, thus maintaining cooling efficiency.
3Loss of substance
If fiber filters are used to absorb and condense water vapor, then water recovery is improved, but cooling efficiency is negatively affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the fiber filter absorption system with electrostatic separation. Instead of using filters that impede airflow and reduce cooling efficiency, the invention uses electric fields to charge and collect water droplets and vapor, allowing unrestricted air flow while achieving water recovery.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The electrostatic separator effectively reduces water loss by collecting a substantial amount of water droplets, improving water management and reducing environmental impacts while maintaining cooling tower efficiency, with optimal performance achieved at specific voltage ranges and electrode configurations.
Implementation Method 1
The limitation of the EHD is higher initial investment than other methods, mainly because of requiring power supply system for operation
Implementation Method 2
Electrohydrodynamics (EHD) is an effect way to collect small droplets from an airflow, which is widely applied in electrostatic precipitators
Implementation Method 3
condensation occurs upon mixing with the ambient air when the temperature of water vapor reaches its dew point in cool and humid ambient environment
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a system and method for collecting water droplets from an airflow of a cooling tower (8) through condensation of water vapour using an electrostatic separator (20), wherein the electrostatic separator is a single unit electrostatic separator (20) or a multi-unit electrostatic separator. The method for water particles collection from the exhaust airflow of a cooling tower primarily comprises condensing water vapour into large water droplets. It is experimentally proved that electrostatic separation solves the problem of visible plume pollution, and blow down decreased since collected water flows back to the circulating water. Additionally, electrostatic separation results in small pressure drop of the cooling tower (8).