Explain the exact mechanism by which an electrostatic precipitator removes particulate matter from an air stream.

An electrostatic precipitator (ESP) removes particulate matter, which are small solid or liquid particles suspended in an air stream, by using electrical forces. The exact mechanism involves three main stages: particle charging, particle collection, and collected dust removal. The core components of an ESP include high-voltage discharge electrodes and grounded collection plates. The air stream containing particulate matter flows between these electrodes. First, for particle charging, a very high direct current (DC) voltage, typically tens of thousands of volts, is applied to the discharge electrodes. This creates an intense electric field around the discharge electrodes. This strong field causes a phenomenon called corona discharge, where air molecules (like nitrogen and oxygen) near the discharge electrodes are ionized, meaning they lose or gain electrons to become electrical....