Particle sampling device
AssigneeBAE SYSTEM plc
InventorsAlexander Roy Parfitt, Ian Michael Sturland, Clyde Warsop, Paul James Dawson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A particle sampling device is disclosed for separating and collecting particles of at least first and second mass/size ranges from an ambient fluid (e.g. gaseous) medium in which they are present, particles of the first range being of generally larger size/mass than particles of the second range. The separator is especially designed for use in an air sampling device which is designed for rapid detection of micro-organisms such as bacteria, viruses, pathogens and the like, and is designed to be portable so that it can be readily and rapidly deployed in both civilian and military environments and can be used indoors and outdoors; it can also be designed for personal use.
Claims40
A particle collector for collecting particles of a discrete particle mass/size separated from a flow of an ambient fluid medium,
- the collector comprising a chamber having mounted therein a substrate which is rotatable about an axis and onto which separated particles can be directed,
- the substrate having thereon a plurality of circumferentially-spaced channels each extending in a direction away from said axis and leading to a plurality of chambers in which the particles can be collected while the substrate is rotating,
- the collector further comprising means for depositing a fluid onto the substrate to form a film of said fluid at least in a region of the substrate onto which particles are directed during operation of the collector, the construction and arrangement of the collector being such that, as particles are deposited in the fluid, the fluid is caused to bear said particles to flow into the plurality of channels for deposition of the particles in the plurality of chambers.
A particle separator/collector for separating particles of a discrete particle size/mass from a flow of an ambient fluid medium, such as ambient air, and for collecting the separated particles, the separator/collector comprising a plurality of superimposed chambers each having mounted therein a substrate which is rotatable about an axis and onto which particles can be directed from the flow of ambient fluid medium, each substrate having thereon a plurality of circumferentially-spaced channels each extending in a direction away from said axis and leading to a plurality of chambers in which the particles can be collected while the substrate is rotating, the collector further comprising means for depositing a liquid onto each substrate to form a film of said liquid at least in a region of the substrate onto which particles are directed during operation of the separator/collector, the construction and arrangement of the separator/collector being such that, as particles are deposited in the liquid, the liquid is caused to bear said particles to flow into the plurality of channels for deposition of the particles in the plurality of chambers, and means for causing the ambient fluid medium to flow through the plurality of chambers to exhaust.
A particle collecting and sampling device, comprising;
- a separator for separating particles of first and second mass/size ranges from an ambient fluid medium in which they are present, particles of the first range being of generally larger size/mass than particles of the second range, the separator comprising a body having an inlet provided by a plurality of inlet ports through which the ambient fluid medium can be admitted into the separator, each inlet port leading to a respective first chamber having a plurality of outlet ports around its periphery leading from the chamber and through which particles of the second range can be drawn during operation of the separator for subsequent collection, while particles of the first range pass generally axially through the chamber, each chamber having an outlet, remote from its inlet, through which outlet particles of said first range can be vented from the separator;
- a particle collector comprising a chamber having mounted therein a substrate which is rotatable about an axis and onto which separated particles can be directed, the substrate having thereon a plurality of circumferentially-spaced channels each extending in a direction away from said axis and leading to a plurality of chambers in which the particles can be collected while the substrate is rotating, the collector further comprising means for depositing a fluid onto the substrate to form a film of said fluid at least in a region of the substrate onto which particles are directed during operation of the collector, the construction and arrangement of the collector being such that, as particles are deposited in the fluid, the fluid is caused to bear said particles to flow into the plurality of channels for deposition of the particles in the plurality of chambers and means for propelling air through the separator to the collector for collection thereby.
A particle collecting and sampling device comprising a separator for separating particles of first and second mass/size ranges from an ambient gaseous medium in which they are present, particles of the first range being of generally larger size/mass than particles of the second range, the separator comprising a body having an axis and an axial inlet provided by a plurality of inlet ports through which the gaseous medium can be drawn into the separator, each inlet port leading to a respective first chamber having a plurality of outlet ports around its periphery leading from the chamber and through which particles of the second range can be drawn during operation of the separator for subsequent collection, while particles of the first range pass generally axially through the chamber, each chamber having an outlet, remote from its inlet, through which outlet particles of said first range can be vented from the separator;
- a particle collector comprising a chamber having mounted therein a substrate which is rotatable about an axis and onto which separated particles can be directed, the substrate having thereon a plurality of circumferentially-spaced channels each extending in a direction away from said axis and leading to a plurality of chambers in which the particles can be collected while the substrate is rotating, the collector further comprising means for depositing a fluid onto the substrate to form a film of said fluid at least in a region of the substrate onto which particles are directed during operation of the collector, the construction and arrangement of the collector being such that, as particles are deposited in the fluid, the fluid is caused to bear said particles to flow into the plurality of channels for deposition of the particles in the plurality of chambers and means for propelling air through the separator to the collector for collection thereby.
A method of separating and collecting particles present in a fluid medium, the method comprising directing the fluid medium into a device comprising a chamber in which is rotatably mounted a substrate, directing a liquid onto the substrate to establish a liquid film thereon, the fluid medium being directed into the chamber at a rate such that the fluid medium can be removed from the chamber while permitting the particles therein to impact the liquid film, and drawing off the liquid having the particles embedded therein to collecting locations on the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.