Impaction Efficiency of Cylindrical Collectors in Laminar and Turbulent Fluid Flow. Part 1. Inertial Impaction Theory

The theory of inertial impaction of particles on cylinders has been extended to include small inertial parameter values of interest in chemical operations. Digital computer techniques have been applied to accurately calculate particle trajectories and impaction efficiencies of small particles 10 to 100 micrometers in diameter on man-sized collectors. The results are generalized in graphic form of impaction efficiency versus the inertial parameter. These data are compared with results of previous investigators namely, Langmuir and Blodgett, and Brun, Lewis, Perkins, and Serafini. Significant differences in impaction efficiency are noted for small inertial parameter values. The data agree within 1 for inertial parameter values exceeding one. Theoretical data indicate that the Stokes law region for defining the drag force on a particle can be exceeded at some point in the trajectory path for all circumstances of interest in chemical operations.