Met One Instruments, Inc.

Michael A Potter

Richard K DeFreez

Thomas L Pottberg

An apparatus comprising one or more pairs of analyzers measures light absorbing particulates, including black, brown, and ultraviolet light absorbing organic aerosols, suspended in gaseous samples, such as air. One analyzer receives an ambient gas sample, while the other analyzer is coupled to a dilution inlet that mixes ambient gas with a proportion of clean gas, whereby the two received samples have different particulate concentrations. Filters with identical filter areas accumulate particulates as the respective samples flow through with equal flow rate and velocity. An optical source and detector for each filter measures a changing property (e.g. attenuation at one or more wavelengths) as particulates accumulate. A computer uses the differential particulate accumulation from the ambient and diluted samples to compensate for filter loading effects upon the measurement to provide an accurate indication of particulate concentration in the ambient sample.

Twin-spot light absorbing particulate monitoring instrument

A nephelometer for detecting the concentration of particulates in a sample aerosol is provided with a branched flow path with a sample aerosol input, a clean gas input and an output leading to an optical sensor unit. At least one of the inputs has periodic variable flow so that a concentration-modulated gas stream is supplied to the optical sensor unit. The detector output of the sensor unit is processed in synchrony with the concentration modulation to filter out DC components, such as 1/f noise and parasitic instrument noise.

Growing community of inventors

Wilderville, OR, United States of America

Michael A Potter