# US 2019/0168955 A1 · Device and process for diluting an aerosol > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168955 A1 - Document ID: US20190168955A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/204,050 - Filed: 2018-11-29 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-30 - Assignees: Palas GmbH Partikel- und Lasermesstechnik - Applicants: Palas GmbH Partikel- und Lasermeßtechnik - Inventors: Leander MÖLTER; Ralf NOTHEIS; Joachim ROMAN; Martin SCHMIDT - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168955A1 ## CPC - B65D 83/42: Filling or charging means - B01F 23/19: {Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams; Arrangements, e.g. comprising controlling means} - B01F 25/31423: {with a plurality of perforations in the circumferential direction only and covering the whole circumference} - B01F 25/51: in which the mixture is circulated through a set of tubes, e.g. with gradual introduction of a component into the circulating flow - G01N 1/38: Diluting, dispersing or mixing samples - G01N 2001/2223: {aerosol sampling devices} - G01N 2001/2264: {with dilution} - G01N 2015/0046: {in gas, e.g. smoke} - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A device dilutes an aerosol without distortion due to loss of particles, especially liquid particles, on wall surfaces. An inlet pipe feeds aerosol as inlet aerosol and an outlet pipe has an inlet opening arranged at a finite distance from an outlet end of the inlet pipe. An annular space surrounds an end area of the inlet pipe. A clean gas line opens, via an outlet opening, into the annular space. A process is provided including feeding the aerosol as inlet aerosol through the inlet pipe, with particle-free clean gas fed to an end area of the inlet pipe and mixed with the fed inlet aerosol into a diluted outlet aerosol. The diluted outlet aerosol is sent to a measuring device. The mass flow of the aerosol sent to the measuring device and that of the added clean gas are maintained at a fixed ratio. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for diluting an aerosol, the device comprising: an inlet pipe feeding an aerosol as an inlet aerosol; an outlet pipe with an inlet opening arranged at a finite distance from an outlet end of the inlet pipe; an annular space surrounding at least an end area of the inlet pipe; and a clean gas line opening into the annular space via an outlet opening. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the distance between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe is at most equal to the internal diameter of the inlet pipe. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the distance between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe is smaller than an internal diameter of the inlet pipe or the outlet pipe and does not exceed 6 mm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the annular space surrounding the end area of the inlet pipe has a ring width corresponding to 0.4 to 2 times an internal diameter of the inlet pipe. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein an internal cross section πr2 of the inlet pipe is at least 8 mm2. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein an internal cross section λr2 distance between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe is greater than twice a length L of the inlet pipe, wherein r and L are determined in mm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein an internal diameter of the outlet pipe is greater than an external diameter of a facing end of the inlet pipe and is between 1.1 and 1.3 times the external diameter of a facing end of the inlet pipe. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the clean gas line has a mass flow controller and a pump; or the clean gas line has a controlled pump and a mass flow meter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the clean gas line has a purification device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein an inlet of the clean gas line is in connection with a gas source. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein: an inlet of the clean gas line is arranged downstream of the outlet end of the inlet pipe for the inlet aerosol, and the clean gas line has a purification device for purifying the outlet aerosol entering the clean gas line via a clean gas line inlet opening. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A device in accordance with claim 11, further comprising an optical sensor device arranged between the outlet pipe and an inlet to the clean gas line for measuring the particles of the aerosol. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A device in accordance with claim 12, further comprising a branch-off line connected to the clean gas line leading from the outlet opening to an opening of the inlet pipe, the branch-off line having a pump and a mass flow controller, the branch-off line branching off a certain portion of the clean gas as waste air. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein a lateral outlet opening, in the annular space, is provided for branching off a certain portion of the outlet aerosol downstream of the inlet opening of the outlet pipe and is connected to the clean gas line. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an optical measuring device arranged downstream of the outlet pipe and through which the aerosol flows, wherein the optical measuring device comprises an aerosol spectrometer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A device in accordance with claim 15, wherein the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe leading to a measuring device are aligned with one another. ### Claim 17 A system for diluting an aerosol, the system comprising; a first device for diluting an aerosol, the first device comprising an inlet pipe feeding an aerosol as an inlet aerosol, an outlet pipe with an inlet opening arranged at a finite distance from an outlet end of the inlet pipe, an annular space surrounding at least an end area of the inlet pipe and a clean gas line opening into the annular space via an outlet opening; a second device for diluting an aerosol, the second device comprising an inlet pipe feeding an aerosol as an inlet aerosol, an outlet pipe with an inlet opening arranged at a finite distance from an outlet end of the inlet pipe, an annular space surrounding at least an end area of the inlet pipe and a clean gas line opening into the annular space via an outlet opening, wherein the first device and the second device are arranged as a cascade one after another, wherein the outlet pipe of the first device is connected to the inlet pipe of the second device. ### Claim 18 A process for diluting an aerosol, the process comprising: providing a device for diluting an aerosol, the device comprising an inlet pipe feeding an aerosol as an inlet aerosol, an annular space surrounding at least an end area of the inlet pipe and a clean gas line opening into the annular space via an outlet opening; feeding the aerosol as an inlet aerosol through the inlet pipe; feeding particle-free clean gas, via the clean gas line opening, to the annular space and mixing the fed particle-free clean gas with the fed inlet aerosol to form a diluted outlet aerosol; sending the diluted outlet aerosol to a measuring device; and maintaining a mass flow of the aerosol sent to the measuring device and that of the added clean gas at a fixed ratio. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A process in accordance with claim 18, wherein the clean gas is fed in a controlled manner from an outside gas source as purified clean air, from the surrounding area. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) A process in accordance with claim 18, wherein outlet aerosol is purified into a particle-free clean gas and this is returned for mixing with the inlet aerosol. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) A process in accordance with claim 18, wherein inlet aerosol is fed via the inlet pipe having an internal cross section πr2 that is at least 8 mm2. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) A process in accordance with claim 18, wherein the inlet aerosol is fed via the inlet pipe, whose internal cross section πr2 is greater than 0.1 times the length L of the inlet pipe, r and L being determined in mm. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) A process in accordance with claim 18, wherein the clean gas is sent into the annular space, which annular space has a width that is 0.4 to 2 times an internal diameter of the inlet pipe. ### Claim 24 (depends on 18) A process in accordance with claim 18, wherein the clean gas is fed to the inlet aerosol in a gap between an outlet end of the inlet pipe and an inlet opening of an outer pipe, which gap is smaller than an internal diameter of the inlet pipe or the outlet pipe and does not exceed 6 mm. ### Claim 25 (depends on 18) A process in accordance with claim 18, wherein the diluted outlet aerosol generated by mixing inlet aerosol and clean gas enters an outlet pipe with an internal diameter greater than the internal diameter of the inlet pipe, and a difference of the internal diameters is at least 1 mm to 2 mm. ### Claim 26 (depends on 18) A process in accordance with claim 18, wherein the clean gas is fed to the inlet aerosol at a preset fixed volume flow ratio. ### Claim 27 (depends on 18) A process in accordance with claim 18, wherein a ratio of a volume flow of the inlet aerosol to that of the clean gas fed to same is determined by a mass flow controller. ### Claim 28 (depends on 18) A process in accordance with claim 18, wherein the inlet aerosol is fed to the mixing space through a pipe, which has a smaller cross section than the mixing space and that clean gas fed to the mixing space is introduced into the mixing space above an outlet of the feed pipe (as a result of which intensive mixing of inlet aerosol and clean gas is brought about). ### Claim 29 (depends on 18) A process in accordance with claim 18, wherein the outlet aerosol is sent through an optical sensor device before purification. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) A process in accordance with claim 29, wherein excess clean gas is removed as waste air. ### Claim 31 (depends on 18) A process in accordance with claim 18, wherein only a fixed portion of the outlet aerosol is branched off for purification downstream of the mixing space and is fed again as particle-free clean gas upstream of the mixing space. ### Claim 32 (depends on 18) A process in accordance with claim 18, wherein the outlet aerosol that is not branched off is sent through an optical sensor device, and the optical sensor device comprises an aerosol spectrometer. ### Claim 33 (depends on 18) A process in accordance with claim 18, wherein the aerosol to be measured flows along an axis from an inlet pipe through an outlet to a measuring device, the measuring device comprising an aerosol spectrometer. ### Claim 34 (depends on 18) A process in accordance with claim 18, wherein a portion of the outlet aerosol that is not branched off is fed to another, downstream mixing space and an additional dilution is carried out comprising: feeding the aerosol as an inlet aerosol through another inlet pipe; feeding particle-free clean gas, via another clean gas line opening, to an annular space and mixing the fed particle-free clean gas with the fed inlet aerosol to form a diluted outlet aerosol; sending the diluted outlet aerosol to a measuring device; and maintaining a mass flow of the aerosol sent to the measuring device and that of the added clean gas at a fixed ratio.