A new versatile condensation particle counter for research ... · Counting nanoparticles makes use of condensation Since the scatter intensity decreases with the sixth power of the

© Palas® GmbH 2012

Jürgen Spielvogel

NanoBRIDGE 2012 – St. Petersburg

A new versatile condensation

particle counter for research and

environmental monitoring

Jürgen Spielvogel, Maximilian Weiss

Palas® GmbH, Greschbachstr. 3b, 76229 Karlsruhe, Germany,

http://www.palas.de, [email protected]

http://www.palas.de/


Jürgen Spielvogel


1. Motivation (why count & size airborne nanoparticles continuously?)

2. Applications

3. Palas® UF-CPC: Design and function

4. Field measurement with two UF-CPCs (water & butanol) simultaneously

5. Conclusions

Overview


Jürgen Spielvogel


Motivation human health

Inhalable Fraction Inhaled dust

Thoracic Fraction

Fraction passing the larynx and getting into the thorax

Alveolic Fraction

The fine particles, entering the more than 300 Million alveolic bubbles

INRS France (Olivier Witschger):

Deposition of particles in the human respiratory tract


Jürgen Spielvogel


Another motivation … the existing experience

Leander Mölter started Palas in 1983 (29 years ago)

> 26 years: Enlarging particles via condensation

Untersuchung zur Erzeugung von monodispersen NaCl-Aerosolen mit einem modifizierten Sinclair-LaMer Generator.

Studienarbeit von R. Kubat bei Palas® in Zusammenarbeit mit Prof. Wurz, Universität (TH) Karlsruhe im Jahre 1985.

> 24 years: Measuring the electrical charge of aerosols

Determination and Neutralisation of the Charge produced by the Dispersion of Powder.

Journal of Aerosol Science 6 (1987), Ch. Helsper, W. Mölter

> 23 years: Optical particle measurement with white light

Streulicht-Partikelgrößen-Zählanalyse als Methode für In-Situ-Messungen in Gas-Partikel-Strömungen.

Technisches Messen tm 56 (1989) 5, H. Umhauer

Today: New family of nanoparticle measurement devices

UF-CPC Condensation Particle Counter

U-SMPS Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer

Charme®

Reference Aerosol Electrometer


Jürgen Spielvogel


Aerosol

generator

Aerosol

conditioningBipolar charger DEMC

Number

concentration

control (dilution)

Make-up air

supply or bleed

Manifold with

mixing orificeFlow splitter

FCAE or

Reference CPC

Test CPC

Climatic chamber (optional)

Primary aerosol source

Valve with

mixer

Air to or from

setup

Instrument setup for a CPC calibration

realized with Palas® equipment

Calibration setup according to ISO CD 27891


Jürgen Spielvogel


U-SMPS for environmental monitoring

Comparing the U-SMPS with two reference systems

at the IfT in Leipzig (Prof. Wiedensohler)


Jürgen Spielvogel


European Supersites for Atmospheric Aerosol Research

34 CPCs

19 SMPS Systems

Further applications for

nanoparticle measurement systems

- Aerosol research

particle formation, behaviour

- Environmental monitoring

(municipalities, networks)

[CPCs: CEN/TC 264/WG32]

- Process monitoring &

control

- Workplace safety

- Emission studies


Jürgen Spielvogel


- Filter testing

- Controlled environments (e.g. hospitals)

- Indoor air quality

- Inhalation studies /

Toxicology

- Workplace safety

- Emission from e.g.

laser printers

Further applications for

nanoparticle measurement systems


Jürgen Spielvogel


- Emission from e.g. laser printers

Note: the upcoming Blue Angel test will prescribe a Butanol CPC for this measurement.

00:00 05:00 10:00 15:00 20:00 25:00

103

104

105

dN

in

1/c

m³

Zeit in min

CPC 1

CPC 2 (*1.2)

CPC 1

CPC 2 (*1.2)

2011_02_10_2

2011_02_08_1 Source: Presentation by Stefan Seeger at Palas ATS Seminar 2011


Jürgen Spielvogel


Counting nanoparticles makes use of condensation

Since the scatter intensity decreases with the sixth power of the particle size, optical aerosol

spectrometers cannot classify particles below 64 nm.

However, particles can be enlarged via condensation (also in nature).


Jürgen Spielvogel


Number determination

Technical realisation: Condensation particle counter

optical sensor LED

photomultiplier

with LED-light technology

condenser

working fluid condenses

onto the nanoparticles

forming droplets

saturator

with constantly heated helical

U-shaped channel

Liq

uid

pum

p

reservoir with

working fluid, e.g.

butanol, water

aerosol flow

Palas® UF-CPC - measures the total number concentration

- from 4.5 nm

- flexibility in the choice of the working fluid

- single particle counting up to 106 P/cm3

- intuitive operation via 7‘‘ touch panel display

- integrated data logger

- droplet size distribution


Jürgen Spielvogel


The inside of the UF-CPC

saturator

condenser

optical sensor

reservoir

inlet


Jürgen Spielvogel


saturator

condenser

optical sensor

reservoir

inlet

aerosol flow

LED

photomultiplier

Counter Cmax [P/cm3]

UF-CPC 200 1.000.000 Up to 107 particles/cm3 photometrically / nephelometer mode

UF-CPC 100 50.000 Up to 107 particles/cm3 photometrically / nephelometer mode

UF-CPC 50 2.000 Up to 107 particles/cm3 photometrically / nephelometer mode

Single particle counting up to 106 particles/cm3

due to modular sensor design


Jürgen Spielvogel


Measurement location:

Mail distribution center

Description: the mail distribution center is located in an industrial area, about 400 m

away from a high traffic highway. A night club is about 500 m away. No residential

traffic has to pass through the area (next residential housing about 1 km away).

Results

UF-CPC (butanol)

UF-CPC (water)

ratio

wa

ter/

bu

tan

ol

Sunday Saturday Monday


Jürgen Spielvogel


Conclusions

Presented UF-CPC (universal fluid condensation particle counter):

- unique, patented way of providing the working fluid

(US 7,543,803 B2, DE 10 2005 001 992 A1)

- counts submicron sized particles but also reports droplet size

- single particle counting up to 1,000,000 particles/cm3 due to modular design

- user can operate the same instrument with butanol, isopropanol or water

- Application: monitoring ambient number concentrations near a mail distribution center


Jürgen Spielvogel


Thank you very much for your attention!

Documents

A new versatile condensation particle counter for research ... · Counting nanoparticles makes use of condensation Since the scatter intensity decreases with the sixth power of the