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FABRICATION, OPTIMIZATION, AND EVALUATION OF A MASSIVE VOLUME AIR SAMPLER OF SIZED RESPIRABLE PARTICULATE MATTER
Citation:
Mitchell, R., W. Henry, AND N. Henderson. FABRICATION, OPTIMIZATION, AND EVALUATION OF A MASSIVE VOLUME AIR SAMPLER OF SIZED RESPIRABLE PARTICULATE MATTER. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/4-78/031.
Description:
A prototype sampler which collects airborne particulate matter in three stages, 3.5 micrometers, 1.7 micrometers, and below 1.7 micrometers (the cutoffs of which closely fit the ACGIH respirable size curve) was constructed previously. Component failures and operational difficulties of the prototype were reviewed, and improvements made. The improvements consisted primarily of design modification and changes in the materials of construction to provide for better strength, durability, and to insure unattended operation and ease of maintenance. The re-designed samplers were tested experimentally. The reproducibility between two samplers operating in parallel was better than 5 percent, and efficiencies up to 99 percent. Test procedures and results for reproducibility, sharpness of cutoff stages and collection efficiencies are given in the text. The use of a conductive Teflon-clad electrostatic collector constitutes a significant advance. This report contains a narrative description of the work done, an equipment, materials and supplier list, and copies of engineering drawings to permit construction of the sampler described.