Numerical Solution of Dynamics of PM₁₀ Subjected to Standing-Wave Acoustic Field

PM10, whose aerodynamic diameter is 10 microns or less, is one of the primary pollutants in the atmosphere. These particles, along with PM_2.5 with an aerodynamic diameter of no more than 2.5 microns, do great harm to both the ambient environment and human health. Coal-fired power plants and industrial processes are important sources of PM₁₀. Although devices such as wet scrubbers have achieved efficiencies higher than 95% on the basis of particle mass, their efficiency in PM₁₀ capture is still not high enough. Acoustic agglomeration, in which a sound wave is used to promote particle agglomeration, is recognized as one of the main preconditioning techniques to separate the fine particles from the flue gas stream. Fine submicron particles are enlarged to big micron-sized ones, thus the particles can be removed by the existing dust removal devices. A new dynamical model of a single PM₁₀ with a diameter of 0.1∼10 μm in an acoustic field is presented. The forces acting upon the PM10, as well as the velocities and displacements of the PM₁₀, are obtained.