Collaborative Research: Understanding Fundamental Mechanisms in Plasma-enhanced Electrostatic Precipitation

About This Grant

Emissions from diesel engines negatively impact human health. Small diesel particulates (< 2.5 µm) have been linked to premature cardiovascular and respiratory deaths in metropolitan areas, as well as lung cancer. This project will investigate a new approach for electrostatic precipitation (ESP) technologies to reduce the emission of diesel particulates. The team will explore nanosecond high-voltage pulses to enhance ESP, also known as Plasma-enhanced Electrostatic Precipitation (PE-ESP). If successful, the new electrostatic precipitators will have a much smaller footprint. The new technology will open up new applications, such as in ships and trucks. By enabling cleaner transportation and shipping, the proposed work directly addresses urgent local and national air quality concerns, supports public health, and advances strategic efforts to meet stricter emissions standards and policy targets. This project will explore the application of nanosecond high-voltage pulse discharges as a novel approach in the context of electrostatic precipitation. The team’s preliminary results show that these nanosecond high-voltage pulses provide significant enhancement over conventional electrostatic precipitators (ESPs). However, the fundamental mechanism(s) underlying this enhancement are poorly understood. The fundamental understanding gained by this study will provide useful information about how to overcome current limitations and further improve PE-ESP. The studies include 1) investigating a reverse polarity two-terminal PE-ESP; 2) performing time-domain ESP simulations; and 3) evaluating a novel three-terminal PE-ESP configuration. The work is interdisciplinary, involving high voltage electronics, electrostatics, and fluid-dynamics, as well as combustion and aerosol science. The project will broaden its impact by expanding a workshop for high school science teachers, targeting schools in central Los Angeles and near the port area, to raise awareness about air pollution and engage students in scientific research. Undergraduate students will gain hands-on research experience to build confidence and interest in STEM careers. Additionally, a new course module on plasma-driven pollution remediation will integrate research findings directly into interdisciplinary curriculum development. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.