Optical particle sensor apparatus and corresponding particle measurement method

Abstract

An optical particle sensor apparatus is equipped with a housing (MD) having an optical exit region (OF); an optical emitter device (LD) in the housing that is set up to emit an optical measurement beam (OB) for capturing particles; a focusing lens device (LE) in the housing for directing the optical measurement beam through the optical exit region to outside the housing in a focus region (FA), within which particle capturing is performable; an optical detector device (DD) arranged in the housing and set up to capture the measurement beam (OB') scattered by particles (P) and to output information produced using an algorithm relating to the presence of the particles; and a controllable adaptation device (C, E), which is set up to adapt at least one optical property of the lens device and/or of the optical emitter device and/or of the optical detector device based on an input signal (ES; ES′) that provides information relating to a presence and to optical properties of an external optical window (EF) arranged between the optical exit region and the focus region, to capture a particle beyond the external optical window.