AAAR 31st Annual Conference
October 8-12, 2012
Hyatt Regency Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Abstract View
Characterization of a Device for Measuring Electrical Mobility Size and Concentration of Nanoparticles
JASON JOHNSON, Axel Zerrath, Rob Caldow, Melissa Grose, Sean Morell, Erik Willis, Daniel Jensen, TSI Incorporated
Abstract Number: 445 Working Group: Instrumentation and Methods
Abstract A device has been developed to meet the need for a small, portable instrument to measure the size, concentration, and potential exposure to nanomaterials or environmental and laboratory nanoparticles. This instrument (the TSI Model 3910 NanoScan SMPS) is capable of measuring particle size distributions in a portable form-factor. It uses miniaturized components and the basic measurement principles of a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) and is able to achieve a size measurement range of 10 to 420 nm, with 8 channels per decade of resolution and a total integrated number concentration to at least 1x10^6 particles/cm3. The instrument may be powered with Li-ion batteries for use in applications such as workplace monitoring, or with AC power for extended remote or laboratory measurement applications.
As configured, the device is a multi-component system, combining a cyclone inlet selector for removal of large particles, a patented, non-radioactive, unipolar corona discharge aerosol diffusion charger (Kaufman, et al. 2000), a radial differential mobility analyzer (RDMA), (Pourprix 1994), an isopropanol -based condensation particle counter (CPC), and a mobile computing platform for on-board data analysis and data logging, enabling either tethered or stand-alone operation.
The performance of this instrument was characterized and compared to reference SMPS systems (TSI Models 3936N76 and 3034) with various polydisperse aerosols such as sodium chloride, silver and poly-alpha olefin (PAO) and was shown to yield number concentration measurements that are within 99% ± 6% of those of the reference system. It was also characterized for its ability to measure differential mobility analyzer (DMA)-classifed monodisperse aerosols and the results of these tests will be presented. Additionally, the results of ambient measurements made in parallel with optical particle sizer (OPS) measurements will also be presented.