US 8,739,602 B2 · Portable ultrafine particle sizer (PUPS) apparatus

Abstract

The Portable Ultrafine Particle Sizer (PUPS) invention is provided. The PUPS is an instrument which can measure particle number concentration for particle sizes under 200 nanometers in-situ. The PUPS is a compact design for quick mounting on vehicles. Size discrimination is accomplished using a compact reverse Differential Mobility Analyzer (rDMA). Particle charging is accomplished using corona ionization. Concentration measurements are completed using a unique flexible printed circuit board electrode which can be removed for cleaning, disposal or chemical analysis of collected particles at the end of its in situ measurement life.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A portable apparatus for measuring aerosol particle concentration and particle size distribution, the apparatus comprising:

a corona ionizer for applying, a negative charge via a negative kilovolt DC potential to the aerosol particles, wherein the corona ionizer comprises:
at least one tungsten needle;
a concentric ground ring electrode;
a reverse differential mobility analyzer (rDMA) for separating and quantifying aerosol particles based on electrical mobility, wherein the rDMA comprises:
at least one central repulsion electrode;
at least one ground ring electrode;
and
at least one detection circuit controller.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

12/908,280Filed 20 Oct 2010

Published

US 2012/0099105 A126 Apr 2012

Granted

3 Jun 2014

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification3 codes

G01N 15/0255
Investigating particle size or size distribution: with mechanical, e.g. inertial, classification, and investigation of sorted collections
G01N 15/0266
Investigating particle size or size distribution: with electrical classification
G01N
Investigating or analysing materials by determining their chemical or physical properties

Portable ultrafine particle sizer (PUPS) apparatus

Life of this patent

Portable ultrafine particle sizer (PUPS) apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8