Numerical analysis on the electrostatic capture of airborne nanoparticles and viruses in a homemade particle concentrator without a unipolar charger

Abstract

A numerical analysis on the electrostatic capture of airborne viruses and nanoparticles in a homemade particle concentrator without a unipolar charger using commercial CFD software (CFD-ACE+) was presented. We simulated the effects of inlet/outlet configurations and particle diameters on the collection efficiency of the particle concentrator, and the simulation was in good agreement with the experimental measurements. We investigated the effects of the electrode arrangement on the collection efficiency. We also discussed the maximum collection efficiency and the relationship between the electric field intensity, the positions of the simulated particles on the inlet surface, and the collection efficiency. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.