Detection Efficiency of a Water-Based TSI Condensation Particle Counter 3785

In this article we present observations on the detection efficiency of a recently developed TSI 3785 Water Condensation Particle Counter (WCPC). The instrument relies on activation of sampled particles by water condensation. The supersaturation is generated by directing a saturated airflow into a “growth tube,” in which the mass transfer of water vapor is faster than heat transfer. This results in supersaturated conditions with respect to water vapor in the centerline of a “growth tube.” In this study, the cut-off diameter, that is, the size, where 50% of the sampled particles are successfully activated, varied from 4 to 14 nm for silver particles as a function of temperature difference between the saturator and the growth tube. The solubility of the sampled particles to water played an important role in the detection efficiency. Cut-off diameters for ammonium sulphate and sodium chloride particles were 5.1 and 3.6–3.8 nm, respectively at nominal operation conditions. Corresponding cut-off diameter for hydrophobic silver particles was 5.8 nm.     

Counting Efficiency of the TSI Model 3020 Condensation Nucleus Counter

The counting efficiency of the TSI model 3020 condensation nucleus counter (CNC) was determined as a function of aerosol flow rate and trigger level using aerosols of known size and an aerosol electrometer. When the aerosol flow rate dropped from 300 to 200 mL/min, counting efficiencies increased significantly in the single-particle counting mode for particles with diameter < 20 nm while those for larger particles remained constant. However, the photometric mode counting efficiency for particles with diameter > 20 nm increased and exceeded unity. When the aerosol flow rate was reduced to 100 mL/min, the counting efficiencies for both counting modes decreased regardless of particle size. Varying the trigger level of the CNC did not influence the photometric mode counting efficiency. However, the counting efficiency of the single-particle counting mode increased with decreasing trigger level, especially for particles < 20 nm in diameter. Characteristics for individual instruments need to be measured because counting efficiencies of two CNCs with the same trigger level and flow rate were not identical.     

Calibration of the TSI 3760 Condensation Nucleus Counter for Nonstandard Operating Conditions

The counting efficiency of the TSI 3760 condensation nucleus counter was tested for operation at (a) reduced flow rates and (b)reduced pressures. Circumstances often dictate that these conditions are encountered in sampling atmospheric aerosols. Results indicate that the counting efficiency of the instrument for particles in the range of 0.02–0.1 μm in diameter is not attenuated in operation at flow rates between 0.2 and 1.4 L/min. Furthermore, there does not appear to be any attenuation in the instrument's counting efficiency when operated at pressures between roughly 250 mb and atmospheric pressure.     

An Ultrafine,Water-Based Condensation Particle Counter and its Evaluation under Field Conditions

An ultrafine, water-based condensation particle counter (U-WCPC, TSI Model 3786) has been compared to a butanol-based ultrafine counter (U-BCPC, TSI Model 3025) for measurement of atmospheric and freeway-tunnel aerosols. The U-WCPC utilizes a warm, wet-walled growth tube to activate and grow particles through water condensation in a laminar-flow. It has an aerosol sampling rate of 0.3 L/min, and a nominal detection limit near 3 nm. Several field comparisons were made to the butanol-based instrument with the same nominal detection limit. For measurements of size-selected aerosols with diameters of 5 nm and larger the two instruments generally agreed, with a mean response within 5%. At 3 nm particle size differences were observed, and these differences varied with the data set. Measurements of ambient aerosol in Boulder, Colorado showed higher counting efficiency at 3 nm with the U-BCPC, while in a California freeway tunnel the opposite trend was observed, with higher counting efficiencies at 3 nm observed by the U-WCPC. For direct measurement of atmospheric aerosols, the two types of instruments yielded equivalent concentrations, independent of particle number concentration.     

A Laminar-Flow,Water-Based Condensation Particle Counter (WCPC)

A new water-based condensation particle counter (WCPC) is presented. The WCPC is a thermally diffusive, laminar flow instrument. Condensational enlargement is achieved through the introduction of a saturated airflow into a “growth tube” with wetted walls held at a temperature higher than that of the entering flow. An unsheathed, 1 L/min instrument utilizing this principle has been evaluated with various aerosols. The particle size detected with an efficiency of 50% is at or below 4.8 nm for particles sampled from vehicular emissions or ambient air, and for various laboratory-generated inorganic salts. The cut point is higher for the organic materials tested, ranging from 8 nm to 30 nm depending on the compound and purity level. An empirically determined dead-time correction factor is applied to the coincidence correction, which allows extension of the single-count mode to higher concentrations. The counting efficiencies for 80 nm oil and salt aerosols are equal, and above 97% for concentrations approaching 10 ⁵ cm ^?3 . When subject to a step-fucntion change in input concentration the time required to attain 90% of the final value, including a 0.5 s lag, is 1.3 s. The corresponding exponential time constant is 0.35 s. The WCPC evaluated here is marketed as the TSI Model 3785.     

Design and Laboratory Evaluation of a Sequential Spot Sampler for Time-Resolved Measurement of Airborne Particle Composition

A new sampling approach has been developed to enable affordable, time-resolved monitoring of particulate chemical composition, and more generally to provide concentrated samples of airborne particles. Using a newly developed, moderated water-based condensational growth technology, individual particle samples are deposited in a 1-mm diameter dry “spot.” The moderated condensation technology enables this collection with minimal temperature rise, providing robust collection for volatile constituents. Measured collection efficiencies are above 95% for particles in the size range from 0.010 μm to 2.5 μm. A set of 20 or more time-resolved samples, plus blanks, may be collected onto a multiwell collection plate. For chemical analysis the plate is returned to the laboratory, and placed directly into a modified autosampler, without extraction or preparation. The autosampler handles the addition of eluent, extraction, and sample injection without user manipulation. This article presents the design and laboratory evaluation of a 1.5 L/min sampling rate version of this system.

Copyright 2014 American Association for Aerosol Research     

Performance of TSI 3760 Condensation Nuclei Counter at Reduced Pressures and Flow Rates

This article describes an experimental study of the performance of the TSI model 3760 clean room condensation nuclei counter (CNC) at various pressures and flow rates. Studies were made to determine the counting efficiency of the instrument in the pressure range of 0.1–1 atm and flow rate range of 0.15–1.4 L/min. The counting efficiency curves were found to be shifted to larger particle sizes as the pressure or flow rate was reduced. The low pressure and low flow rate limits of the instrument were also determined.

The numerical model developed in our previous study (Zhang and Liu, 1990) was used to predict the performance of the CNC. The numerical results were compared with the experimental data and found to agree well in the pressure range of 0.2–1.0 atm and flow rate range of 0.3–1.4 L/min. Discrepancies were found to be more significant at the lower pressures and flow rates.     

Causes of Concentration Differences Between a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer and a Condensation Particle Counter

Accurate aerosol concentration measurement is important in many applications of aerosol science. Here we compare aerosol concentration measurements of classified NaCl aerosol in the size range of 20 to 80 nm (diameter) between a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) and a condensation particle counter (CPC). The SMPS systematically measured higher concentrations than the CPC, with the difference increasing with decreasing particle size. Experiments suggest several causes for the discrepancy. First, the factory calibration of the SMPS impactor flow was incorrect for the study site at 780 mbar. Second, the neutralizer used in the SMPS was inefficient in bringing the classified aerosol to charge equilibrium, and third, there were significant losses of charged aerosol within the CPC. The comparisons were improved with proper impactor flow calibration and proper charge neutralization of the classified aerosol before measurement by the SMPS and CPC. The results of this study point to the importance of proper conditioning of aerosol below about 100 nm for measurement with the SMPS and condensation-based particle counters.     

Characterization of a Modified Expansion Condensation Particle Counter for Detection of Nanometer-Sized Particles

A newly developed condensation particle counter provides measurements of aerosol particle number densities for size diameters as low as 3 nm. This Expansion Condensation Particle Counter (ECPC) operates based on fast adiabatic expansion with specialized detection and evaluation of the temporal development of light scattered by the ensemble of growing droplets. In its new configuration the ECPC has been modified such that a previously needed calibration factor became obsolete. In this article the new design is described which now includes a fast pressure sensor for monitoring the pressure drop inside the measurement chamber. Extensive laboratory experiments for characterizing the ECPC are described where sulfuric acid droplets with diameters between ～2.5 nm and 23 nm have been utilized. Water as well as butanol are demonstrated to be suitable working fluids. One experiment using tungsten oxide (WOx) particles shows that a 50% cut-off size diameter as low as 2.5 nm can be reached for this ECPC with a detection efficiency of several percent for particles as small as 1.4 nm. High and low supersaturations are experimentally examined and the corresponding different cut-off sizes are obtained. Measurements of ambient urban air in Mainz (Germany) obtained by this ECPC are juxtaposed to those from a TSI UCPC 3025A with satisfactory agreement. Similarly, in-situ data recorded with two ECPC units in the city of Isfahan (Iran) are shown to demonstrate the suitability of the technique for traffic related pollution measurements. Also, in future applications coarse information on the chemical nature of nucleated particles can be obtained by simultaneously using various condensing liquids in different channels of the ECPC setup.     

Inter-Comparison of a Fast Mobility Particle Sizer and a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer Incorporating an Ultrafine Water-Based Condensation Particle Counter

An Ultrafine Water-based Condensation Particle Counter (UWCPC), a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) incorporating an UWCPC, and a Fast Mobility Particle Sizer (FMPS) were deployed to determine the number and size distribution of ultrafine particles. Comparisons of particle number concentrations measured by the UWCPC, SMPS, and FMPS were conducted to evaluate the performance of the two particle sizers using ambient particles as well as lab generated artificial particles. The SMPS number concentration was substantially lower than the FMPS (FMPS/SMPS = 1.56) measurements mainly due to the diffusion losses of particles in the SMPS. The diffusion loss corrected SMPS (C-SMPS) number concentration was on average ～ 15% higher than the FMPS data (FMPS/C-SMPS = 0.87). Good correlation between the C-SMPS and FMPS was also observed for the total particle number concentrations in the size range 6 nm to 100 nm measured at a road-side urban site (r² = 0.91). However, the particle size distribution measured by the C-SMPS was quite different from the size distribution measured by the FMPS. An empirical correction factor for each size bin was obtained by comparing the FMPS data to size-segregated UWCPC number concentrations for atmospheric particles. The application of the correction factor to the FMPS data (C-FMPS) greatly improved the agreement of the C-SMPS and C-FMPS size distributions. The agreement of the total particle concentrations also improved to well within 10% (C-FMPS/C-SMPS = 0.95).     

液体颗粒计数器计数结果的测量不确定度评定

为了确保计数器在颗粒污染度检测试验中的准确度和重复性,依据国家计量技术规范JJF1059-1999《测量不确定度评定与表示》中规定的方法和要求,对液体颗粒计数器计数结果进行测量不确定度的评定和分析,对液体颗粒度污染测试结果评定具有重要的指导意义。     

Performance of a TSI Aerodynamic Particle Sizer

Calibration curves of the aerodynamic particle sizer (APS) under different sets of operating conditions (i.e., pressure drop across the nozzle, flow rate, and ambient pressure) were obtained. Materials used included oleic acid (OA), dioctyl phthalate (DOP), polystyrene latex (PSL), and fused aluminosilicate particles (FAP). The effect of particle density on the calibration was not found to be significant among test aerosols (in the density range from 0.89 to 2.3 g/cm³). Calibration curves obtained at reduced ambient pressure were different from the manufacturer's curve, indicating that recalibration of the APS is required if other than standard operating conditions are used. However, all the curves can be consolidated into a unique curve that relates the Stokes number at the nozzle exit to the normalized particle velocity (particle velocity divided by gas velocity). Methods for calculating gas velocity, particle velocity, and other pertinent parameters for the APS were developed and the results are presented. Consequently, these parameters together with the unique curve can be used to generate calibration curves for any set of operating conditions without performing the experimental calibration in the laboratory. The geometric standard deviations of monodisperse aerosols measured by the APS are generally in good agreement (< 2%) with those determined by other methods, thus demonstrating the good resolution of the instrument.     

Measurements of Particle Loss Functions in a Differential Mobility Analyzer (TSI,Model 3071) for Different Flow Rates

Particle losses in a differential mobility analyzer (TSI, Model 3071) caused by diffusive deposition and Brownian diffusion are measured for particles in the diameter size range between 3 and 100 nm. For small sampling and aerosol flow rates (0.3 liters/min) at 20 nm, nearly 50% of the primary particles are lost; and for 2 liters/min, the particle losses have to be considered in the diameter size range below 30 nm (50% at 7 nm). From the measured penetration values, an effective tube length is derived which is useful to calculate particle losses for other flow rates through the analyzer.     

Dependence of the Performance of TSI 3020 Condensation Nucleus Counter on Pressure,Flow Rate,and Temperature

A theoretical study has been carried out to investigate the performance of the TSI 3020 condensation nucleus counter (CNC) at various pressures and flow rates by assuming a parabolic velocity profile in the condenser tube and solving the heat and mass transfer equations using the finite difference method. Calculations have been performed for pressures ranging from 0.03 to 10 atm and sampling flow rates from 0.5 to 50 mL/s. The results indicate that the counting efficiency of the CNC is a function of pressure and flow rate due to changes in heat and mass transfer rates. The counting efficiency can be correlated with a single parameter, ζ, which combines the effects due to pressure, sampling flow rate, and the length and diameter of the condenser tube. The cut size of the instrument, Dp₅₀, defined as the particle size at which the counting efficiency is 50%, has been found to vary with pressures, reaching a minimum at a pressure of approximately 1 atm. The cut size of the CNC has been found to be most sensitive to the temperature difference between the saturator and condenser but relatively insensitive to the flow rate and the saturator temperature.     

Condensation Reactions of Softwood and Hardwood Lignin Model Compounds Under Organic Acid Cooking Conditions

In order to examine the condensation reactions of softwood and hardwood lignin during organic acid cooking, mixtures of benzyl alcohol type lignin model compounds with guaiacyl and syringyl units as the sources of benzyl cations and creosol and 5-methoxycreosol as the sources of electron-rich aromatic carbons were cooked under acidic pulping conditions.

From the yield of the condensation products in the initial reactions, it was shown that the carbonium cations of guaiacyl nuclei were more reactive than those of syringyl nuclei.

Syringyl type aromatic ring carbons had higher reactivities than guaiacyl type ones.

The cleavage of the benzyl ether bond in syringyl compounds was slower than that of guaiacyl compounds.

The diphenylmethane structures formed by the condensation reaction between veratryl alcohol and 5-methoxycreosol were found to be unstable under the strong acidic cooking conditions.

It is concluded that the condensation reactions between benzylic cations from the guaiacyl compounds and the electron rich aromatic ring carbons of syringyl ones are very fast, but the condensation products are unstable under the strong acidic pulping conditions.

When the guaiacyl nuclei react as an electron-rich aromatic carbon, the reaction is slower but the condensation product is much more stable.

These differences in reactivities, and the stabilities of the condensation products, may contribute to the resistance of softwood toward complete delignification on acid pulping.     

Hydrolysis and Condensation of Hydrophilic Alkoxysilanes Under Acidic Conditions

A hydrophilic silane was obtained from the reaction of ethylene carbonate and 3-aminopropyldiethoxymethylsilane. This silane undergoes rearrangement to yield an AB₂-type hyperbranched polymer under anhydrous conditions but hydrolyzes and condenses to produce linear siloxanes under acid hydrolysis. The hydrolysis and condensation reactions as a function of time, HCl concentration and water content were studied by ²⁹Si NMR. The compositions of the silanol containing hydrolysis intermediates and the siloxanes condensation products were identified under different conditions. The instantaneous composition was found to depend on the specific combination of the acid and the water. Under certain conditions the intermediate silane-diols were stable and did not condense even under mild acidic conditions.     

Laboratory Evaluation and Calibration of Three Low-Cost Particle Sensors for Particulate Matter Measurement

Particle sensors offer significant advantages of compact size and low cost, and have recently drawn great attention for usage as portable monitors measuring particulate matter mass concentrations. However, most sensor systems have not been thoroughly evaluated with standardized calibration protocols, and their data quality is not well documented. In this work, three low-cost particle sensors based on light scattering (Shinyei PPD42NS, Samyoung DSM501A, and Sharp GP2Y1010AU0F) were evaluated by calibration methods adapted from the US EPA 2013 Air Sensor Workshop recommendations. With a SidePak (TSI Inc., St. Paul, MN, USA), a scanning mobility particle sizer (TSI Inc.), and an AirAssure? PM_2.5 Indoor Air Quality Monitor (TSI Inc.), which itself relies on a GP2Y1010AU0F sensor as reference instruments, six performance aspects were examined: linearity of response, precision of measurement, limit of detection, dependence on particle composition, dependence on particle size, and relative humidity and temperature influences. This work found that: (a) all three sensors demonstrated high linearity against SidePak measured concentrations, with R² values higher than 0.8914 in the particle concentration range of 0–1000 μg/m³, and the linearity depended on the studied range of particle concentrations; (b) the standard deviations of the sensors varied from 15 to 90 μg/m³ for a concentration range of 0–1000 μg/m³; (c) the outputs of all three sensors depended highly on particle composition and size, resulting in as high as 10 times difference in the sensor outputs; and (d) humidity affected the sensor response. This article provides further recommendations for applications of the three tested sensors.

Copyright 2015 American Association for Aerosol Research     

Measurement of the Size of Fine Nonspherical Particles with a Light-Scattering Particle Counter

To characterize flow separation and classification processes, particle size distributions must be measured in the airborne state without affecting the state of dispersion or disturbing the flow. Light-scattering devices with an optically defined measuring volume are specially designed for this purpose. However, the light-scattering device must be calibrated using nonideal particles which are present within the multiphase flow, preferably on an equivalent diameter based on settling rate. The cyclone cut size calibration can solve this problem. By means of this aerodynamic calibration technique, it is possible to measure size distributions of nonspherical particles with a light-scattering particle counter in industrially relevant cases.     

Condensation Reactions of Lignin During Oxygen Delignification Under Acidic Conditions

Spruce wood (Picea abies) has been subjected to delignification by oxygen under acidic conditions using different solvent media. The residual and removed lignins were submitted to permanganate oxidation and the products analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Results from the analysis of the residual lignins indicate that lignin “condensation” depends on the nature of oxidation medium. It was found that the addition of acetone to the aqueous liquor decreases both acid catalyzed and radical side reactions. Lignin “condensation” in water containing media is dominated by radical reactions. Results from the analysis of the lignin removed during oxygen delignification in an acetone/water medium indicate that significant amounts of “condensed” structures are present, which are relatively stable towards oxidation. The presence of diphenylmethane, diarylether and biphenyl type structures in the removed lignin was confirmed by CP-MAS ¹³C NMR spectroscopy.     

Measurement of Foam Under High-temperature Dyeing Conditions

A new method is described for the measurement of foaming under laboratory conditions, which permits measurements to be made from room temperature up to 140d? Con liquors which can be taken through a simulated high-temperature (HT) dyeing cycle. Results obtained by this technique show that:

• 1 There is a universal tendency for foaming to decrease as the temperature is raised, and to become insignificant under HT conditions.
• 2 The solid forms of disperse dyes usually give much greater foam volumes than the liquid forms of the same dyes at the same concentration of dye.
• 3 Marked differences are found in the tendency of different dispersing agents to foam.
• 4 Existing antifoaming agents of the silicone emulsion type are effective defoamers in the early stages of the dyeing cycle, but lose their effectiveness after a period at top temperature, so that there is little control of foam by this type of product on cooling back to below the boil.