Condensation particle counter false count performance

A system to reduce false-particle counts in a water-based condensation particle counter (CPC), the system comprising:

• an aerosol sample inlet configured to be coupled to a sample flow pump;
• a plurality of wicks to receive water, each of the plurality of wicks being formed from a porous media material with an open portion formed therethrough along a length of the wick, the open portion forming an inner diameter of respective ones of the plurality of wicks and being configured to direct a separate aerosol sample flow within each of the plurality of wicks, the plurality of wicks being substantially parallel and adjacent to one another within the water-based CPC from a wick stand coupled to the aerosol sample inlet on a first end of the plurality of wicks to a flow joiner coupled to the sample flow pump on a second end of the plurality of wicks, the flow joiner configured to combine particles from the aerosol sample flow within each of the plurality of wicks into a single aerosol stream immediately prior to a particle detection chamber within the CPC, each of the plurality of wicks being configured to transport separate portions of the received water;
• a collection reservoir to collect an excess volume of water from the plurality of wicks;
• and
• a sensor to provide a signal corresponding to the excess volume of water in the plurality of wicks.

A system to reduce false-particle counts in a water-based condensation particle counter (CPC), the system comprising:

• an aerosol sample inlet configured to be coupled to a sample flow pump;
• a single wick to receive water, the single wick being a porous media having multiple separate aerosol flow paths formed therethrough along a length of the single wick, each of the multiple separate aerosol flow paths being surrounded along a length of the path by the porous media with each comprising an open portion being configured to direct an aerosol sample flow therein, each of the multiple separate aerosol flow paths being substantially parallel and adjacent to one another within the water-based CPC from a wick stand coupled to the aerosol sample inlet on a first end of the single wick to a flow joiner coupled to the sample flow pump on a second end of the single wick, the flow joiner configured to combine particles from the multiple separate aerosol flow paths into a single aerosol stream immediately prior to a particle detection chamber within the CPC, the single wick being configured to transport separate portions of the received water;
• and
• a collection reservoir to collect the excess volume of water from the single wick.