Back to results
US 6,712,881 B2Granted
Continuous, laminar flow water-based particle condensation device and method
AssigneeAerosol Dynamics Inc.
InventorsSusanne Vera Hering, Mark Richard Stolzenburg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for producing a diffusive, continuous laminar flow for particle growth via condensation of vapors with a mass diffusivity near or higher than the thermal diffusivity of the surrounding gas. In an exemplary embodiment, the method uses the condensation of water vapor onto particles suspended in air.
Claims58
A method for enlarging particulate, comprising:
- introducing a particle laden flow at a first temperature into a condenser;
- and
- passing the flow through the condenser having a second temperature greater than the flow wherein a vapor pressure of a condensing vapor at walls of the condenser is near saturation.
A method, comprising:
- forming a particulate sample at a first temperature;
- and
- passing the particulate sample through a chamber including interior walls provided at a second temperature greater than the first temperature, and wherein a condensing fluid is near its saturation vapor pressure at the walls.
A particle condensation apparatus, comprising:
- an inlet receiving an aerosol flow;
- a preconditioner having a first temperature and being coupled to the inlet, the preconditioner having an outlet;
- and
- a condenser coupled to the outlet and receiving the aerosol flow from the preconditioner, the condenser having interior walls provided at a second temperature higher than the first temperature and including a condensing vapor having a vapor pressure at the interior walls which is near saturation.
1 more element
A particle condensation apparatus, comprising:
- an air inlet receiving a particle laden airflow;
- and
- a condenser having interior walls provided at a temperature higher than a temperature of the airflow into the condenser and having a wet surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.