Experimental Study on Removal of Fine Particles Under the Combined Effect of Acoustic and Vapor Condensation

Based on the mechanism of particle growth enhanced by acoustic wave combined vapor condensation, an experimental system was setup to investigate the removal of fine particles using the combined of acoustic and vapor condensation. The influence of operating parameters on fine particles removal efficiency was demonstrated under different conditions. The results show that particle staged removal efficiency is quite low at about 10% to 23% under the sound pressure level of 150 dB and frequency of 2 000 Hz. The removal efficiency seems a little higher by vapor condensation with supersaturation degree of 1.2 than acoustic agglomeration. However, the removal efficiency can be significantly promoted under the combined effect of acoustic and vapor condensation, which staged removal efficiency attains to 53%~80%. Fine particle can not be enlarged by vapor condensation in a low supersaturation degree and the removal efficiency is very low and independence of the supersaturation degree. But while the supersaturation degree is over 1.0, particle removal efficiency increases with the supersaturation degree rapidly. The removal efficiency increases with the supersaturation degree under the combined effect of acoustic and vapor condensation, especially, when the supersaturation degree reaches a critical value. The particle removal can be improved from 40% to 80% as the supersaturation degree increases from 1.0 to 1.2. It indicates that the combination of acoustic and vapor condensation can effectively improve the fine particle removal.