Grantee Research Project Results
Size-Selection Aerosol Characterization Instrument
EPA Contract Number: EPD12007Title: Size-Selection Aerosol Characterization Instrument
Investigators: Timko, Michael
Small Business: Aerodyne Research Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: March 1, 2012 through August 31, 2012
Project Amount: $79,991
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2012) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: SBIR - Air and Climate
Description:
Aerodyne Research Inc. (Aerodyne) proposes to develop a new monitor that provides composition information of particles in the ultrafine (10-100 nm), fine (100 nm-2.5 µm) and coarse (2.5-10 µm) size modes in near real time. Particle monitoring technologies are important for better characterization of the environmental, health and visibility effects of both anthropogenic and biogenic aerosol particles. Current monitoring technologies either provide no chemical information or require extensive post-processing chemical analysis.
Based in part on previous EPA SBIR support, Aerodyne developed, field tested and commercialized the Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) to provide an affordable instrument to measure particle composition in near real time. As a sign of its relevance to the monitoring community, the company has already made 12 sales of the ACSM. Here, Aerodyne proposes modifications of the ACSM that will upgrade its performance to provide size resolution in the ultrafine, fine and coarse modes and integrate an optical particle sizer to provide size resolution for the coarse mode. Three recent developments at Aerodyne Research, Inc. make the upgrade possible: (1) semi-analytical models to describe particle focusing in aerodynamic lenses; (2) particle dispersion lenses; and (3) integration of light scattering particle detection with Aerodyne's Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) instrument. In this Phase I effort, Aerodyne will prove the feasibility of integrating these three developments with the ACSM technology. In Phase II, the company will fully integrate and field test these components in a new ACSM with greatly expanded capabilities and market opportunities.
Supplemental Keywords:
air pollution, particle monitoring, aerosol particles, aerodynamic lens, light scatter, particle dispersion lens, mass spectrometerProgress and Final Reports:
SBIR Phase II:
Size-Selecting Aerosol Characterization InstrumentThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.