Keywords: 
• electrostatic precipitator /
• fine dust /
• vortex /
• numerical simulation /
• orthogonal simulation

Abstract: Based on the FLUENT module of the ANSYS software platform, the effects of particle diameter, flue gas velocity, corona electrode voltage, and dust concentration on the vortex phenomenon of fine dust in an electrostatic precipitator, were simulated in this work. From these results, it was determined that the larger the dust diameter, the greater the resultant velocity. This means that the ability of larger particles to break through the air resistance and continue moving in the original direction (inertia) is greater, so the intensity of the vortex decreases. The research indicates that with increase of the corona electrode voltage and dust concentration, within a certain range, the velocity difference between the high speed fluid region and the low velocity fluid region becomes increasingly greater, and the intensity of the vortex also increases. If the dust concentration continues to increase until leading to corona blocking in the electrostatic precipitator, the "electric wind" will be gradually depressed and the electric field force will be reduced greatly. In this case, particles will follow the flue gas flowing out of the electrostatic precipitator and the tendency to form a vortex will be greatly weakened. According to these results, applying the relative root mean square value as the criterion for judging the uniformity of air flow, the L9(34) orthogonal simulation was designed. The results indicate that the order of influence (high to low) of the studied factors on the vortex is flue gas velocity, corona electrode voltage, dust concentration, and particle diameter.