Southern Research Institute Combustion Test Facility

The sketch above shows the configuration of the USEPA/SRI pilot installation at a major power plant in the Southern United States (see photo). The pilot plant was configured to allow testing with or without discharge electrode energization. With the electrostatic stimulation turned on, collection efficiency increased from 99.99% to 99.999%, a full order of magnitude better. Plus, there was an 80% reduction in pressure drop, 80-90% reduction in sub-micron particle emissions, and a large increase in achievable air-to-cloth ratio.