TAR REMOVAL WITH A WET ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR (ESP); A PARAMETRIC STUDY

The ElectroStatic Precipitator (ESP) removes dust and tar droplets very efficiently from biomass product gas. Dust was removed for more than 99%. The tar dewpoint was reduced from 130°C to 21°C, which is sufficient for the application of the product gas in a gas engine. Tar removal is not sensitive to the voltage or fluctuations in the gas residence time . The voltage was varied between 28 to 37 kVarith and the gas residence time between 4 and 11s. Fouling of the ESP collector plates was negligible, which was concluded from visual inspection after 200 hours of operation. A reduction in the residence time reduces the size of the ESP and has a significant impact on the investment costs of the ESP.