Calibration and evaluation of a real-time cascade impactor
A 10-stage cascade impactor made by California Measurement Inc., can determine aerodynamic size distributions of dilute aerosols in a few minutes. Collection of impacted particles on greased, vibrating piezoelectric crystals produces changes in vibrational frequency proportional to the collected mass. Based on frequency changes and sampling time, a data reduction module calculates the mass collected on each stage. Calibration of the assembled impactor was performed with monodisperse polystyrene latex (PSL) and Eosin-Y (E-Y) aerosols for the lower stages (4-10), and PSL and pollen particles (ragweed and mulberry) for the upper stages (1-3). The stage experimental effective cutoff aerodynamic diameters (ECAD) were up to 22 percent different from theoretical ECADs with the exception of Stages 1 and 2 which were respectively 30 and 35 percent different from theoretical ECADs. The overall loss of particles > 3- and < 0.3-..mu..m was severe. Also, considerable scatter of particles was observed on the collection crystals of Stages 1 and 2. Although a majority of particles were in the impaction area, a large fraction was scattered over the outer portions of these crystals.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 5864809
- Journal Information:
- Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.; (United States), Vol. 45:4
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CASCADE IMPACTORS
CALIBRATION
EVALUATION
PARTICULATES
CLASSIFICATION
AEROSOL MONITORING
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
MASS
PARTICLE SIZE
PIEZOELECTRICITY
REAL TIME SYSTEMS
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
DATA
ELECTRICITY
INFORMATION
MONITORING
NUMERICAL DATA
PARTICLES
SIZE
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)