Aggregation experiments on fine fly ash particles in uniform magnetic field

Aggregation experiments on three fly ash samples in the size range of 0.023-9.314 μm were conducted in a uniform magnetic field. The fly ash particles were produced from combustion of three different bituminous coals. The coals were originated Dongshen, Datong and Xuzhou of China, respectively. A fluidized bed aerosol generator was used to disperse the fly ash particles to generate a constant aerosol. The aerosol particles aggregated when passing through the magnetic field. The variation of particle number concentration caused by particle aggregation was measured in real time by an Electrical Low Pressure Impactor (ELPI). The effects of several parameters, such as particle size, magnetic flux density, particle residence time in the magnetic field, total particle mass concentration and average gas velocity, on particle aggregation were examined. Experimental results indicated that removal efficiencies are the highest for particles with sizes in the middle of the size ranges tested. Increasing magnetic flux density, total particle mass concentration, particle residence time in the magnetic field or by reducing average gas velocity can increase removal efficiencies of single-sized and total fly ash particles. When fly ash particle magnetization reached saturation state, further increase of the magnetic flux density will have no effect on particle aggregation. The single-sized and total particle removal efficiencies of the three fly ashes are different under the same operating conditions. The removal efficiency is the highest for fly ash generated from Dongshen coal, followed by fly ash from Datong coal, and then fly ash from Xuzhou coal. Particle number median diameters decreases with the increase in the total particle removal efficiencies. The model prediction of particle aggregation under high total particle mass concentrations conditions indicated that the single-sized and total particle removal efficiencies will increase greatly with the increase in total particle mass concentration. The model predicted total removal efficiencies of the three fly ash particles are 53%, 43% and 14%, for Dongshen, Datong and Xuzhou coals respectively when total particle mass concentration is 40 g/m³.