| MadSci Network: Engineering |
Water scrubbing is a standard industrial process for removing both particulates and chemicals from air. A countercurrent tower has water (spray or sheets) cascading downward and dirty air blown upward. Scrubbing takes place at the contact surface area. Small drops mean large exchange areas/volume of water. Electrostatic precipitation is another standard industrial process. High voltage on a surface carpeted with sharp projections produces very large local electric fields with very large field gradients. Ions are launched into the air and accumulate on particulates. An oppositely charged plate downstream then attracts and holds the dirt. Home versions of either are of variable effectiveness. The advertising is often much more optimistic than the engineering. Electrostatic devices may discharge ozone, and that is a bad thing. -- Uncle Al http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/ (Toxic URL! Unsafe for children and most mammals)
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