Systems and methods for monitoring a rapping process

1. A method for monitoring operation of a rapper in an electrostatic precipitator using a rapper control system, said method comprising:

determining model electrical characteristics of the rapper, wherein the model electrical characteristics of the rapper correspond to model mechanical operating characteristics of the rapper;

storing data corresponding to the model electrical characteristics and the model mechanical operating characteristics of the rapper;

determining actual electrical characteristics of the rapper; and

comparing the actual electrical characteristics of the rapper to the stored model electrical characteristics to determine corresponding model mechanical operating characteristics of the rapper; and

determining actual mechanical operating characteristics of the rapper based on the model mechanical operating characteristics that correspond to the compared actual and model electrical characteristics of the rapper.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein determining model electrical characteristics of the rapper comprises determining a plurality of complex impedances of the rapper that correspond to model mechanical operating characteristics of the rapper, wherein model mechanical operating characteristics comprise at least one of a model rapper hammer lift height and a model rapper hammer velocity.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein determining model electrical characteristics of the rapper comprises at least one of testing and monitoring a substantially similar rapper to the rapper in the electrostatic precipitator.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein determining actual mechanical operating characteristics of the rapper further comprises at least one of:

identifying a presence of at least one of an internal rapper fault condition and an open or short condition; and

determining at least one of an actual lift height of a rapper hammer, an actual rapper hammer velocity, and an efficiency of the rapper.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4 further comprising determining at least one of a specific time to energize the rapper and an amount of current with which to energize the rapper to control a time when the rapper hammer strikes an electrostatic plate.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising adjusting at least one of a load voltage and a load current to facilitate substantially matching the actual mechanical operating characteristics of the rapper with stored predetermined model mechanical operating characteristics.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein determining model electrical characteristics of the rapper comprises:

determining a model velocity of a rapper plunger under a plurality of different model load resistance conditions; and

storing, in a memory, data corresponding to the model velocities and model load resistance conditions.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7 , wherein determining actual electrical characteristics of the rapper comprises:

monitoring a load voltage and a load current provided to the rapper with respect to time;

measuring an actual back electromotive force (EMF) produced by the rapper plunger during operation of the rapper;

determining the load resistance condition that creates the measured back EMF; and

determining the actual velocity of the rapper by comparing the determined load resistance to the model load resistance.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein determining actual electrical characteristics of the rapper comprises:

monitoring a load voltage and a load current supplied to the rapper with respect to time;

measuring a phase differential between the load voltage and the load current; and

calculating actual electrical characteristics of the rapper based on the measured phase differential.