ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATORS (ESP)
Installation of ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATORS (ESP) at Rompin Palm Oil Mill
On March 2019, Rompin Palm Oil Mill (RPOM) had embarked and commissioned a Double Field Electrostatic Precipitators (ESP) as part of its environmental quality (clean air) project. The RM2.5 million project would effectively limit the total particulate emission from the palm oil mill boiler chimneys from 400 mg/Nm3 to under 150 mg/Nm3. The Management has opted for this ‘state of art’ technology as this ‘double field system’ would give a longer dust particle contact time with the corona field compared to the single field setup. Besides, it also gives backup against magnetic field failure as it is less likely for both fields to fail at the same time hence ensuring higher reliability.
Double Field ESP in Rompin Palm Oil Mill
Closer View of the Double Field ESP in Rompin Palm Oil Mill
The Electrostatic Precipitator is operating based on electrostatic principle. Flue gas exiting from the boiler combustion chamber laden with dust particulates is channeled to a tall tower chamber with gas passages made of collecting plates which forms the partition plate spaced at about 400 mm apart. Electrodes are installed at the center between these collector plates. The electrodes are supplied with high voltage DC current emitting negative ions so that the dust particulates passing through will be negatively charged. The negatively charged fine particles are then attracted to the positively charge collecting plates along the flue gas passages.
A rapping device (hammering device) is used to knock on the collecting plates at set intervals to dislodge the collected dust particles to the bottom of a tapered hopper, where it will be discharged via rotating air lock device to the conveyor below it for disposal or bagging.
Cross Section of Double Field ESP
Working Principle of ESP
The end result is a much cleaning environment at the boiler house vicinity where dust particulates emitting from the boiler is kept below 150mg/Nm3 at all times. A continuous emission monitoring (CEMS) device is connected to the DOE website for the department’s continuous monitoring.