U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Government of the United States as Represented by the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

University of California

University of Southern California

Paul Alan Solomon

Constantinos Sioutas

Anthony D A Hansen

Thomas Kirchstetter

Anna-Marie Hyatt

The invention relates to a device for measuring, in near-real-time, the level of black carbon, brown carbon, organic carbon, total carbon and COin air. The device also provides for a direct calculation of aerosol angstrom coefficient as well as estimation of emissions rates of black carbon or brown carbon from nearby combustion sources.

Air pollution sensor to measure major carbon components in the environment

The method of the invention provides a simple, reproducible reference, or set of reference standards, as a validation of a calibration standard for filter-based measurements of light absorbing aerosol particles (black carbon and brown carbon) and organic carbon and elemental carbon particles found in indoor and outdoor environments, and in emission streams. The set of reference standards comprise grayscale images deposited by a mist or print at a known density on a substrate material. The reference standards may be made by a printer using as a substrate either paper or another material such as glass fiber, quartz fiber, polypropylene, or cellulose.

Reproducible reference standards for filter-based measurements of carbonaceous aerosols found in environmental samples

A multi-filter chemical speciation sampler and a virtual impaction particle separation inlet therefore are provided. The inlet includes a housing having a bottom, a collection tube that extends through the bottom, and collection apertures formed in the bottom, arranged around the collection tube; a first plate disposed on top of the housing, having acceleration nozzles disposed at the perimeter thereof; a second plate disposed in the housing below the first plate, having a central aperture and separation apertures disposed around the central aperture. The sampler includes: an inlet; a virtual impaction separator to further fractionate the PM into a course fraction and a fine fraction; a first separation assembly to divide the course fraction into coarse aliquots, comprising first filters to collect the coarse aliquots; a second separation assembly to divide the fine fraction into fine aliquots, comprising second filters to collect the fine aliquots.

Multi-filter chemical speciation sampler and virtual impaction particle separation inlet therefore

An apparatus for sampling ambient air to obtain coarse and fine fractions of particulate matter includes a single acceleration tube and a collection tube coaxially arranged along a central axis with a gap between facing distal ends thereof within a range of d/Dof 1 to 2, wherein d is the distance or gap between the distal ends and Dis the inside diameter of the outlet at the distal end of the acceleration tube. A housing surrounding the acceleration and concentration tubes is provided with a side-wall nozzle connected to a suction device for drawing a major portion of the sampled ambient air therethrough and for separation of particulate matter, as a fine fraction, from that major portion. A second suction device draws a minor portion of the sampled ambient air, containing the coarse fraction of the particulate matter, in a straight path approximating the central axis, through the acceleration tube and through the collection tube for passage through a filter for separation of the coarse fraction of particulate matter. The ratio of the flow rates of the major and minor portions of the sampled ambient air is adjusted to provide a cutpoint within the range of 2-3 microns. The apparatus is preferably operated with a flow rate for the sampled ambient air within the range of 900-1200 liters per minute.

Particle matter sampling method and sampler with a virtual impactor particle concentrator

A system for monitoring an aerosol including a plurality of particles is provided. Each of the particles has a size. The system includes an impactor assembly to receive the aerosol at a first flow rate and remove an exhaust portion of the particles that are less than a minimum particle size or greater than a maximum particle size. A remaining portion of the particles is emitted at a second flow rate lower than the first flow rate. A first sensor measures a characteristic of the remaining portion of the particles.

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Henderson, NV, United States of America

Paul Alan Solomon