Cottrell, Frederick G

Name:
Cottrell, Frederick G
Detailed information:
(1877–1948). A native of California, Cottrell obtained his doctorate from Liebig in 1902. His major contribution to industrial chemistry was his discovery of a practical method of dust elimination by electrical precipitation. Used in factory stacks and other large units, this process has contributed greatly to purifying the atmosphere of industrial areas. The principle involves charging a suspended wire with electricity. This creates a field that ionizes the surrounding air, the particles assuming the charge on contact and then moving to the wall of the stack, where they are electrically discharged and precipitated.