Agglomeration of sub-micron particles by a non-thermal plasma electrostatic precipitator

•Non-thermal plasma technique for sub-micron particles agglomeration is proposed.•Removal particle size about 0.3–5 μm use pulse-energized ESP.•Increasing pulse voltage will increase particle reduction efficiency.•Agglomerations depend on pulse frequencies, dust loadings, and gas velocities.

Non-thermal Plasma agglomeration is presented as a promising process to reduce the number concentration of sub-micron particles in an acrylic duct, which included a saw-tooth electrode and a wire-plate electrostatic precipitator (ESP). The generated plasma by pulse-energized ESP, the particle agglomerations were controlled under operating conditions such as pulse voltages, pulse frequencies, dust loadings, and gas velocities. When gas velocity increased from 0.5 to 1 m s−1 at 45 kVp, 20 kHz, it was found that efficiency was increased. At gas velocity of 1 m s−1, the sub-micron particle number reduction efficiency for all particle sizes was over 90% in ESP.