Airborne particle detection system with orientation-dependent particle discrimination

A system for analyzing particles, the system comprising:

• an inlet;
• a particle concentrator fluidically coupled to the inlet;
• a particle discriminator fluidically coupled to the particle concentrator, the particle discriminator including an air channel for containing an air stream, the air channel extending from the inlet through the particle concentrator and through the particle discriminator;
• and
• a controller, the controller configured to allow:
• concentrating particles in an interior region of the air stream;
• generating a thermal gradient to deflect the concentrated particles from the interior region of the air stream to a peripheral region of the air stream;
• receiving orientation information;
• and
• adjusting the thermal gradient in response to said received orientation information;
• and
• wherein gravity deflects heavier particles at a higher velocity in a direction of gravity more than lighter particles of similar size.

A method of analyzing particles, the method including:

• concentrating particles in an interior region of an air stream;
• generating a thermal gradient to deflect said concentrated particles from the interior region of the air stream to a peripheral region of the air stream;
• receiving orientation information;
• and
• adjusting the thermal gradient in response to said received orientation information;
• collecting at least a portion of said concentrated particles on a surface of a particle detector positioned at a periphery of the air stream, thus producing collected particles;
• and
• determining an effective mass or an aerosol mass concentration estimate of said collected particles on the particle detector.