Charging of Particles Using Electric Field and Its Application to Powder Handling Operations

Abstract

Particle charging is a typical underlying phenomenon in powder-handling processes. Charged particles rapidly deposit and accumulate on the surface, resulting in a loss of operability and productivity. The particles can be effectively removed from the surfaces using external electric fields because the electrostatic forces allow the particles to move spontaneously with or without fluid. In addition, because of its applicability to vacuum conditions, electrostatic technology has attracted attention in different fields, such as space development, in addition to powder handling under atmospheric pressure, for example, transportation, separation, and classification. This paper presents a review of the induction charging of particles in electric fields and the behavior of charged particles, including agglomeration and levitation from the particle layers. Furthermore, new applications of both the feeding and mixing of continuously dispersed charged particles are introduced. A particle-handling method based on photoemission through ultraviolet irradiation is proposed.

Graphical Abstract