ENHANCED DEPOSITION OF CHARGED AEROSOLS BY IONIC WIND EFFECTS IN DC CORONA DISCHARGES

In response to China's water resource scarcity and the need to tap atmospheric water resources, a breakthrough has been achieved in addressing the challenges of low ion density and aerosol charging in single-electrode corona discharge ion sources. A system has been developed, based on negative direct current (DC) corona discharge, enriched by ion wind, for aerosol deposition. This system employs multiple needle electrodes and a grounded mesh electrode to generate a large-scale, arrayed negative DC corona plasma, allowing for efficient aerosol charging and treatment. The ion density in the open space produced by single-electrode discharge surpasses that of double-electrode discharge by 20 times. However, the electric field in the double-electrode discharge region is approximately 15 times stronger, resulting in substantially higher discharge currents. This intensified electric field propels ions and neutral molecules in directed motion, enabling the system to produce an ion wind with velocities of up to 2 m/s, surpassing typical single-electrode corona discharge speeds. The ion wind generated by the double-electrode corona discharge induces airflow within the chamber, facilitating aerosol charging, coagulation, and deposition onto the grounded mesh electrode. This rapid reduction in aerosol density takes only a quarter of the time compared to the single-electrode discharge. In deposition experiments with water mist aerosols, the double-electrode discharge system exhibited remarkable effectiveness, with total water mist deposition 8.3 times higher than single-electrode discharge. The double-electrode discharge system holds promise for inducing precipitation or mitigating pathogenic biological aerosols. In summary, the double-electrode discharge system represents a significant leap forward in addressing water resource scarcity and aerosol treatment challenges. Its capacity to generate an ion wind and enhance aerosol deposition efficiency presents a novel and transformative approach with implications for environmental and health-related applications. Continued research into this technology has the potential to revolutionize water resource management and air quality control practices.