Aerosol collector and concentrator

Abstract

Apparatus is disclosed for rapidly collecting aerosols containing solid particles and micro organisms, such as viruses and bacteria, from relatively large volumes of air and concentrating these particulates as samples in water. This apparatus operates under conditions conducive to preserving the integrity and viability of the collected micro organisms. Ambient air containing aerosols drawn into and through the collector's interior by an air mover, is mixed with very warm air saturated with moisture and then with cold air, to cause the resulting vapor mixture to become supersaturated. This supersaturated water vapor rapidly condenses onto the incoming aerosol particles to form droplets with particles at their centers. The airstream carrying these droplets enters a cloud of air ions produced by a corona generator or, alternately, by a radioactive source emitting alpha particles. The air ions transfer their charges to the droplets which are then attracted from the airstream to temporarily adhere to the collector screens which may carry a charge of polarity opposite of that imparted on the droplets or be grounded. The airstream then continues through the system and is vented. The particles collected on the screens are continuously or periodically washed off by a low volume flow or spray of water. The resulting highly concentrated particle suspension passes through a funnel and a peristaltic pump to an output port to yield time-sequential aliquots for external analysis. Using a multi-stage filtration and back flush process, additional particle size classification within aliquots is possible before analysis.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.