Method and apparatus for electrostatic extraction of droplets from gaseous medium
US4670026A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 18, 1986 |
| Grant date | Jun 2, 1987 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 18, 2006 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S55/38
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
An apparatus for extraction of water droplets from air includes a corona array including an array of conductive pointed needles with a high voltage thereon adjacent to a grounded conductive collector. Water droplets are exposed to a strong electrostatic field gradient, causing water droplets in incoming air to rotate and move along the electric field gradient lines toward the shanks of the needles and coalesce thereon, forming larger droplets. The droplets move under the influence of an increasing field gradient toward the needle points, acquiring electrostatic charge from the needle. The droplets eventually are repelled from the needles, when electrostatic repulsion forces on the droplets exceed adhesion forces that decrease as the droplets increase in size during their migration. The repulsed droplets move under the influence of electric field to the collector. The resulting liquid accumulating on the collector is removed to reduce re-evaporation into the air. In one embodiment, the temperature of the needles are kept below the condensation point, and polar water molecules are directed by the gradient to the needle shanks.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.