Method and apparatus for determining a concentration of aerosol particles in a carrier gas

Abstract

The invention relates to a method (200) and an apparatus (110) for determining a concentration of aerosol particles (112) in a carrier gas (114), in particular for examining atmospheric aerosols (118) or as aerosol particle detector in process gases or in clean air rooms. The method (200) here comprises the steps: a) provision of an aerosol (118) which has aerosol particles (112) in a carrier gas (114) comprising at least one condensable component; b) introduction of at least part of the aerosol (118) into a chamber (120) of a pressure-rated vessel (116), wherein the chamber (120) is delimited by at least one wall (128), wherein the at least one wall (128) adjoining the chamber (120) is set to a temperature which is above a saturation temperature of at least one condensable component; c) subsequent removal of part of the aerosol (118) from the chamber (120), as a result of which a decrease in pressure in the chamber (120) occurs, as a result of which the at least one condensable component condenses at least partly on the aerosol particles (112); and d) determination of a concentration of aerosol particles (112) in the carrier gas (114) during removal of the part of the aerosol (118) from the chamber (120). The invention can be suitable, in particular, for examining atmospheric aerosols, in particular aerosol particles, but can also be used as aerosol particle detector in process gases or in clean air rooms.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.