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Describe How Static Electricity Can Be Used to Control Air Pollution

Rising concern over global warming and the alarming rate at which more and more greenhouse gases are entering the atmosphere have led to some ingenious machines that can help clean pollution from the air. Electrostatic precipitators on smokestacks are but one of the newer technologies used to purify air polluted by industrial processes. Static electricity is one of the main components of this type of technology that enables it to work.

  1. Smokestacks

    • Many modern factories are required to meet certain criteria for industrial waste and pollution control. Installing electrostatic precipitators on smokestacks is one example of a new technology that helps to clean the air and smoke refuse from industrial processes. According to Schools for Champions, the electrostatic precipitators utilize static electricity to attract the dirt particles in the air, which also are bonded with pollutants.

    How It Works

    • Gaseous wastes are created as a result of a variety of industrial processes. According to Schools for Champions, the gaseous waste travels up through a smokestack, passing through a negatively charged metallic grid. Those dirt and waste particles also are charged with a negative charge. Static electricity is used to create a positive charge on collector plates higher up on the smokestacks. As a result of the static electricity on the plates, the negatively charged waste particles cling to the plates, which are cleaned on a regular basis. Thus many of the gaseous pollutants from industrial processes are never released into the atmosphere.

    History of the Electrostatic Precipitator

    • According to Chem Heritage, Dr. Frederick Cottrell patented the first electrostatic precipitator in 1907 to remove lead oxides and sulfuric acid from smelting and industrial processes in California, which were negatively impacting the vineyards in the area. However, it was not until the 1920s that the theoretical and operational theories were fully developed and understood about how electrostatic precipitators work.

    Science Experiment

    • According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, a simple science experiment can demonstrate how electrostatic precipitators use static electricity to help reduce air pollution. Use balloons and crushed black pepper. Scatter the black pepper over a table. Rub the balloon on your hair or a piece of cloth, giving it a static charge. Notice what happens when the balloon is held over the black pepper. This experiment is a good way to describe to young children the importance of controlling air pollution as well as how technology can help reduce harmful emissions.

    Other Uses to Reduce Air Pollution

    • Air ionizers are special types of air filters that remove dust, smoke and pollen particles from the air in your home. Although these pollutants are more natural than industrial byproducts, they still can cause allergic reactions and health problems for people living in that environment. According to School for Champions, the same principles used for smokestacks are used in air ionizers. Dust and smoke particles are charged as air passes through the ionizer, which then stick to the positively charged plates that have a small static charge on them.

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