The United States of America, as Represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services

Regents of the University of Minnesota

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Pramod S Kulkarni

Christopher Joseph Hogan, Jr

Chaolong Qi

Philip Efthimion

Jikku Moolamkunnam Thomas

Prasoon Diwakar

Disclosed herein are aerosol particle growth systems including polymer electrolyte membranes and related methods of increasing the size of aerosol particles. In some embodiments, an outer housing contains a reservoir of a working fluid, and a PEM conduit extends through the outer housing, the reservoir, and the working fluid so that the working fluid is in contact with an outer surface of the PEM conduit. The conduit can be generally helical or coiled, for example. In some embodiments, the working fluid is molecularly transported across the PEM and disperses into an aerosol flowing through the PEM conduit. As the aerosol flows through the PEM conduit, the aerosol particles act as nucleation sites for the gaseous working fluid, which condenses on the particles, causing the particles to grow in size and making them easier to detect, collect, measure, count, study, or otherwise investigate.

Aerosol particle growth systems using polymer electrolyte membranes

Particles of a flow of aerosol are collected and analyzed by passing them through a housing having an inlet area, an outlet area, and a collection and analysis area. A collection electrode has a tip disposed in the flow path in the collection and analysis area. Particles are collected on the tip of the collection electrode. A microwave pulse is applied to the collection and analysis area such that a plasma is created. Atomic emissions produced during at least part of the microwave step are collected for analysis of the ablated particles.

Electrode-assisted microwave-induced plasma spectroscopy

Particles of a flow of aerosol are collected and analyzed by passing them through a housing having an inlet area, an outlet area, and a collection and analysis area interconnecting the inlet and outlet areas. A collection electrode has a tip disposed in the collection and analysis area and particles are collected thereon. After collection, the particles are ablated and atomic emissions are collected for analysis of the particles.

Method and apparatus for aerosol analysis using optical spectroscopy

A bipolar charger includes a housing with a main chamber and positive and negative electrode chambers facing each other. The electrode chambers each have a ground electrode and a high voltage electrode that cooperate to create a cloud of ions. An aerosol flowing from an inlet passage through the main chamber and out an outlet passage mixes with the clouds of ions, thereby providing an aerosol with a steady-state electric charge distribution.

Growing community of inventors

Mason, OH, United States of America

Pramod S Kulkarni