Apparatus and method for environmental monitoring
AssigneeFAI Instruments S.R.L.
InventorAntonio Febo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus (1) for environmental monitoring, allowing to determine the mass concentration of air-dispersed particulate matter by operating or spy filters (F1-F6), comprising a beta radiation emitter (16) and detector (18) for detecting the mass of particulate matter settled on the operating or spy filters (F1-F6), wherein it is further provided the same beta measurement on spy filters (S 12-S1 6) exposed to the same environmental conditions of the operating filters (F1-F6) and the determination of in-air particulate matter concentration by compensation of the two measurements.
Claims59
An apparatus (1) for environmental monitoring, suitable for determination of the mass concentration of air-dispersed particulate matter by means for collecting said particulate matter (filter media) both operating and spy ones (F1-F6), exposed to the same environmental conditions of said operative means and concerned by said particulate, and by spy filter means (S12-S16) exposed to the same environmental conditions of said operating means (F1-F6) but not concerned by said particulate matter, comprising:
- measuring means (18, 19), apt to perform a measurement on said operating or spy filters (F1-F6) to determine the mass of particulate matter settled thereon in a determined sampling period;
- moving means (16, 20) for performing said measurement on operating or spy (F1-F6) and spy (S12-S16) filter means.
The apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said measuring means comprises means (21) for performing a measurement of the natural radioactivity of the particulate matter settled on said operating or spy means (F1-F6).
The apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, having housings for a plurality of said operating or spy filter means (F1-F6).
The apparatus (1) according to the preceding claim, having six housings for as many operating or spy filter means (F1-F6).
The apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, having housings for a plurality of said spy filter means (S12-S16).
The apparatus (1) according to the preceding claim, having, six housings for as many spy filter means (S12-S16).
The apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said operating or spy filter means (F1-F6) and/or said spy filter means (F12-S16 comprises one or more filter membranes (12).
The apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a movable rest (16) for said operating or spy filter means (F1-F6) and/or for said spy filter means (S12-S16), apt to selectively arrange one or more of said filter means in a plurality of positions selected from a group comprising one or more loading positions, one or more sampling positions, one or more measuring positions and one or more unloading positions.
The apparatus (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said movable rest is a rotary rest (16).
The apparatus (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said movable rest is a disc (16) rotating about its own axis (Z).
The apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a movable arm (20) apt to selectively position said measuring means (18, 19) in correspondence of one of said filter or spy means (F1-F6, S12-S16).
The apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising loading means (14) and/or unloading means (15) for said filter or spy means (F1-F6, S12-S16).
The apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of independent drawing lines (4, 5) apt to work simultaneously for the inletting of external air in correspondence of, said filter or spy means (F1-F6, S12-S16).
The apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of sampling heads (2, 3).
The apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of sampling heads (51, 52) apt to perform different granulometric cuts.
The apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a common external air inlet (30), a calm chamber (31) arranged downstream of said inlet (30) and a plurality of air inlet lines (32, 33) on said filter or spy means (F1-F6, S12-S16) arranged downstream of said calm chamber (31).
The apparatus (1) according to any One of the preceding claims, comprising means (62) for controlling the dimensions of the particulate impacting said filter or spy means (F1-F6, S12-S16), arranged downstream of the external air inlet (61).
The apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising abatement means (75) apt to substantially prevent the settling of particulate matter on one or more of said filter or spy means (F2s-F6s, S12-S16).
The apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising means (8) for adjusting the flow rate of inlet air.
The apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising means (8;
- 74) for controlling the volumetric flow rate of air concerning said operating or spy filter means (F1-F6).
The apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising means (71) for drawing external air, working at a constant granulometric cut.
- (24bis) The apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising means (71) for drawing external air, working at a constant volumetric flow rate.
The apparatus (1) according to claims 23, 24 and 25, wherein said means for controlling the volumetric flow rate is apt to send a constant volumetric flow rate of air on said operating or spy filter means (F1-F6).
The apparatus (1) according to the preceding claim, comprising a main drawing line (73) and an ancillary drawing line (74) associated to common air drawing means (71) working at a constant granulometric cut, the overall arrangement being such that said ancillary drawing line (74) is apt to draw a variable balancing volumetric flow rate such that the volumetric flow, rate concerning said main drawing line (73) be constant.
- (26bis) The apparatus (1) according to the preceding claim, comprising a main drawing line (73) and an ancillary drawing line (74) associated to common air drawing means (71) working at a constant volumetric flow rate, the overall arrangement being such that said ancillary drawing line (74) is apt to draw a variable balancing volumetric flow rate such that the volumetric flow rate concerning said main drawing line (73) be constant.
The apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising means (76) for controlling the temperature of the air concerning said operating or spy filter means (F1-F6).
The apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising monitoring means selected from a group comprising means for monitoring temperature, pressure, relative humidity and flow rate.
The apparatus (1) according to the preceding claim, comprising means for monitoring the temperature of external air and/or of that of said filter or spy means (F1-F6).
The apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising means (7) for switching from a sampling configuration to one or more test configurations.
A method for determination of mass concentration of air-dispersed particulate matter by operating or spy filter means (F1-F6) of said particulate matter, comprising the phases of:
- a) performing a measurement of the mass of particulate settled on said operating or spy filter means (F1-F6) in a determined sampling period;
- b) performing the same measurement on spy filter means (S12-S16) exposed to the same environmental conditions of said operating or spy filter means (F1-F6) in said sampling period, but not concerned by said particulate matter;
- c) determining said mass concentration of particulate matter by compensating the measurement performed in said phase (a) with that performed in said phase (b).
The method according to the preceding claim, wherein said measurements are performed by a β radiation attenuation technique.
The method according to the preceding claim, comprising a phase of performing a measurement of the natural radioactivity of the particulate matter settled on said operating or spy means (F1-F6).
The method according to the preceding claim, providing a rotation of said filter or spy means (F1-F6, S12-S16).
The method according to the preceding claim, providing the use of an ancillary line (74) with a variable balancing flow rate to ensure said constant volumetric flow rate on said operating filter means (F1-F6).
The method according to the preceding claim, providing a monitoring of the temperature of external air and/or of that of said filter or spy means (F1-F6).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.