In　this　study,　a　wet　electrostatic　precipitator　(WESP)　with　combination　of　electric　field　and　charged　water　drop　atomization　was　designed　for　fine　particle　collection,　which　replaced　the　traditional　water　film　and　mechanically　spray.　The　removal　performance　was　evaluated　considering　applied　voltage,　water　flow　rate,　gas　residence　time,　dust　concentration,　and　continuous　operation　time.　Results　indicated　that　supplying　charged　droplets　could　acquire　higher　discharge　current　and　better　agglomeration　effect　than　the　dry　type.　The　maximum　penetration　ratio　was　reduced　from　3.8%-11.56%　in　the　dry　ESP　to　3.58%-8.6%　with　charged　droplets,　as　the　applied　voltage　increased　from　30　kV　to　60　kV.　Meanwhile,　increase　of　water　flow　rate　improved　the　total　removal　efficiency.　The　advantage　of　the　WESP　was　more　obvious　under　short　gas　residence　time.　The　route　of　synergistically　increasing　gas　residence　time　and　applied　voltage　could　largely　reduce　the　penetration　ratio,　which　decreased　from　6.99%-19.81%　to　1.03%-2.43%　as　they　were　enhanced　from　1.50　s　and　30　kV　to　3.33　s　and　60　kV.　Increasing　the　dust　concentration　led　to　the　trend　that　the　total　removal　efficiency　first　increasing　and　then　decreasing　gradually,　resulted　from　combined　mechanisms　of　particle　agglomeration　and　suppression　of　corona　current.　Moreover,　the　atomization　of　charged　water　drop　maintained　the　advantage　on　particle　removal　under　continuous　operation,　and　the　efficiency　drop　after　long-term　operation　could　be　avoided.　In　particular,　the　WESP　achieved　significant　reduction　on　water　consumption　compared　to　conventional　large-scale　and　on-site　WESPs　in　application　with　equivalent　levels　of　removal　efficiency.　(c)　2021　Institution　of　Chemical　Engineers.　Published　by　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.