Electric particle precipitator

Claim 2

An electric particle precipitator including a. a stack formed by electrically charged spaced plates establishing electrostatic fields between juxtaposed surfaces thereof, some of the constituent plates of said stack consisting substantially of an electric insulating material having discrete areas provided with electrically conductive overlays thereon and being separated from each other by nonconductive surface elements; b. a frame structure supporting said stack and motor means moving said stack relative to said frame structure; c. fixed brush means engaging discrete portions of the constituent plates of said stack to remove particulate matter collected on the surfaces thereof; and d. a switching device for removing any significant difference of potential between surfaces of the constituent plates of said stack being acted upon by said brush means.

Claim 3

An electric particle precipitator as specified in claim 1 including a blower for producing currents of gas through the gaps formed between the constituent plates of said stack wherein means for ionizing said currents of gas are dispensed with.

Claim 4

An electric particle precipitator as specified in claim 1 wherein a. said stack is arranged inside of a housing; b. a motor-driven blower is provided inside said housing at a level thereof above said stack adapted to establish upwardly directed currents of gas through the gaps formed between the constituent plates of said stack; c. said housing has gas-intake-openings arranged at a lower level than said stack and a first filter is interposed between said gas-intake openings and said stack; and d. a second filter is interposed between said stack and said motor-driven blower.

Claim 5

An electric particle precipitator as specified in claim 1 wherein a. said stack is formed by substantially disk-shaped plates of metal alternating with substantialLy disk-shaped plates of an electric insulating material, each of said plates of an electric insulating material having on both sides thereof substantially sector-shaped overlays having a smaller diameter than said plates of an electric insulating material and being electrically isolated from each other by substantially radially extending non-conductive surface elements, said sector-shaped overlays of the constituent plates of an electric insulating material of said stack being arranged in registry; b. wherein said motor means are adapted to rotate said stack around the axis thereof; and c. wherein said fixed brush means extend substantially radially in the direction from the periphery of the constituent plates of said stack to the axis thereof and engage juxtaposed surfaces of said plates of metal and of said plates of an electric insulating material.

Claim 6

An electric particle precipitator as specified in claim 4 wherein said plates of an electric insulating material are of a ceramic nature.

Claim 7

An electric particle precipitator as specified in claim 4 including a substantially disk-shaped plate having a friction-increasing means around the periphery thereof being frictionally engaged by drive wheel means operated by an electric gear motor to rotate said stack.

Claim 8

An electric particle precipitator as specified in claim 4 wherein said plates of metal are mounted on a rotatable metal shaft equalizing the electric potential between the constituent plates of metal of said stack, each of said plates of metal having a plurality of angularly displaced perforations arranged radially outwardly from said metal shaft, and wherein said sector-shaped overlays of each of said plates of an electric insulating material is provided with a connector means projecting through one of said perforations in said plates of metal of said stack to equalize the potential of overlays being arranged in registry.

Claim 9

An electric particle precipitator as specified in claim 7 wherein said metal shaft has a non-circular cross-sectional area, wherein the constituent plates of metal of said stack have a shaft-receiving aperture in the center thereof conforming to the shape and size of the cross-sectional area of said metal shaft, and wherein each of said plates of an electric insulating material is provided with an insulating hub-section in the center thereof extending in a direction longitudinally of said metal shaft and having a shaft-receiving aperture conforming to the shape and size of the cross-sectional area of said metal shaft.

Claim 10

An electric particle precipitator as specified in claim 7 wherein said connector means of each of said sector-shaped overlays are formed by a disconnect switch which includes a male portion and a female portion.

Claim 11

An electric particle precipitator as specified in claim 7 wherein said connector means extend axially outwardly beyond said stack toward a fixed switching device, said switching device having a plurality of substantially planar contact surfaces electrically isolated from each other, maintained at substantially different electric potentials and adapted to be engaged by ends of said connector means extending beyond said stack.

Claim 12

An electric particle precipitator as specified in claim 10 wherein said switching device includes a substantially plate-shaped member of electric insulating material having an aperture forming a bearing for the shaft supporting the constituent plates of said stack and having contact surfaces formed by overlays of a noble metal in leaf form.

Claim 13

An electric particle precipitator including a. a stack formed by electrically charged plates establishing electrostatic fields between juxtaposed surfaces thereof, some of the constituent plates of said stack consisting substantially of an electric insulating material having discrete electrically conductive areas thereon separated from each other by non-conductive surface elements; b. a shaft supporting said stack and electric motor means for roTating said stack about said shaft; c. means for establishing a flow of gas through the gaps formed between said plates of said stack; d. baffle means for preventing said flow of gas from obtaining access to a predetermined zone extending along said stack in the direction of said shaft thereof; and e. switching means for removing any significant difference of potential between surfaces of the constituent plates of said stack while rotating through said predetermined zone.

Claim 14

An electric particle precipitator including a. a stack formed by electrically charged plates establishing electrostatic fields between juxtaposed surfaces thereof, some of the constituent plates of said stack consisting substantially of an electric insulating material having discrete electrically conductive areas thereon separated from each other by non-conductive surface elements; b. a shaft supporting said stack and electric motor means for roTating said stack about said shaft; c. means for establishing a flow of gas through the gaps formed between said plates of said stack; d. baffle means for preventing said flow of gas from obtaining access to a predetermined zone extending along said stack in the direction of said shaft thereof; and e. switching means for removing any significant difference of potential between surfaces of the constituent plates of said stack while rotating through said predetermined zone.

Claim 15

An electric particle precipitator as specified in claim 12 wherein said stack is made-up of plates of electric insulating material having discrete electrically conductive areas on both sides thereof and of metal plates alternating with said plates of electric insulating material.

Claim 16

An electric particle precipitator as specified in claim 12 wherein said baffle means extend substantially radially from the outer periphery of said stack to said shaft.

Claim 17

An electric particle precipitator as specified in claim 14 wherein a receptacle for particles removed from said stack of plates is arranged between said baffle means and at a lower level than said baffle means.