Electrostatic precipitator
Topic: Manufacturing Industries of India: Location and Distribution · NCERT: Class 10, Ch 6 "Manufacturing Industries"
Meaning
An electrostatic precipitator is a device fitted inside the chimneys of factories and power plants. It cleans the smoke before it goes into the air. The device gives the dust in the smoke an electric charge. Plates with the opposite charge then pull the dust out of the smoke and hold it. This removes dust and fine particles from flue gas (the waste smoke from burning fuel). Fabric filters, scrubbers (which wash the gas) and inertial separators also catch particles. Together these tools cut particulate air pollution (pollution from tiny bits of dust and soot in the air).
Example
Coal-based thermal power plants of NTPC, such as the one at Ramagundam in Telangana, use electrostatic precipitators. They catch fly ash from the smoke before it leaves the chimney.
Don't confuse with
- Scrubber: it cleans smoke by spraying a liquid through it. This can also remove gases such as sulphur dioxide. An electrostatic precipitator uses an electric charge and mainly removes dust.