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Electrostatic Charge

How can the Pollution from Industrial Chimneys be Reduced?

Pollution from industrial chimneys, for example from a coal
burning power station, can be reduced by using electrostatic
charge. As well as the waste gases from burning coal
(carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide) the chimney contains
many small particles of unburnt fuel (mainly carbon).

The chimney has a high voltage negative grid across it and
this gives the small particles a negative charge as they
go past and gain electrons. Further up the chimney there
are positively charged plates which attract the negatively
charged particles. The particles of pollution build up on the
plates until they are heavy enough to fall down into containers.
The containers and the plates are cleaned periodically.

Electrostatic charge in an Industrial Chimney

In this way, much of the smoky pollution is removed from the
chimney before it can get out into the atmosphere.
Particles in the atmosphere contribute to global dimming.

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