Experimental study on capture of PM10 emitted from coal combustion with high gradient magnetic field

Experiments on capturing PM10 emitted from coal combustion with high gradient magnetic field were carried out for the first time. A new fluidized bed aerosol generator was developed for generating fly ash aerosol with diameter less than 10 mu m constantly. The variation in the particle number concentration caused by high gradient magnetic field was measured with the Electrical Low Pressure Impactor (ELPI). Fly ash particles from combustion of three kinds of coal were sampled. Particle saturation magnetic moment is 0.37emu/g, 1.25emu/g, 2.00emu/g respectively. The results show that for the particles in the size range of 0.1 mu m similar to 10 mu m particle capture efficiency varies from 25% to 40%. The particle With either larger or smaller size has higher capture efficiency, and the particle with medium size (1 mu m similar to 3 mu m) has lower capture efficiency. The particle capture efficiency rises with increase in the particle magnetization, the magnetic field gradient and the filling ratio of ferromagnetic medium, and it reduces with increase in aerosol velocity. The present study indicates that high gradient magnetic separation is an effective way to control fine particle emission from coal combustion.