Magnetic impulse rapper control system

Claim 1

A controller for selectively energizing actuating coils of rappers of an electrostatic precipitator assembly to impart motion to a portion of the precipitator assembly and remove accumulated material therefrom, the controller comprising: a rapper supply bus common to a plurality of the actuating coils of the rappers of the electrostatic precipitator assembly; a return bus common to a plurality of the actuating coils of the rappers of the electrostatic precipitator assembly; rectifying means for selectively rectifying an a.c. supply voltage and supplying a d.c. potential to said rapper supply bus; a first switch means operatively connected to the rectifying means; a plurality of second electronic switching means each operatively connected to an associated one of said plurality of actuating coils to selectively effect the individual connection of such actuating coil of said associated one of said plurality of actuating coils between said common rapper supply bus and said common return bus; and, control circuit means connected to said first and second electronic switching means to control the operation thereof, said control circuit means including means for applying a first gating signal of a predetermined duration to said first electronic switching means to thereby supply said d.c. potential to the rapper supply bus and means responsive to the presence of said d.c. potential on said common supply bus for selectively supplying a second gating signal to at least one of said plurality of second electronic switching means during at least a portion of the duration of said first gating signal to thereby effect the connection of a selected one of said plurality of actuating coils between said common rapper supply bus and said common return bus with said d.c. potential supplied to said common rapper supply bus.