A concept of an automated function control for ambient aerosol measurements using mobility particle size spectrometers
An automated function control unit was developed to regularly check the ambient particle number concentration derived from a mobility particle size spectrometer as well as its zero-point behaviour. The function control allows unattended quality assurance experiments at remote air quality monitoring...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2014-04-01
|
| Series: | Atmospheric Measurement Techniques |
| Online Access: | http://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/7/1065/2014/amt-7-1065-2014.pdf |
| _version_ | 1817995785677045760 |
|---|---|
| author | A. Schladitz M. Merkel S. Bastian W. Birmili K. Weinhold G. Löschau A. Wiedensohler |
| author_facet | A. Schladitz M. Merkel S. Bastian W. Birmili K. Weinhold G. Löschau A. Wiedensohler |
| author_sort | A. Schladitz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | An automated function control unit was developed to regularly check the
ambient particle number concentration derived from a mobility particle size
spectrometer as well as its zero-point behaviour. The function control allows
unattended quality assurance experiments at remote air quality monitoring or
research stations under field conditions. The automated function control also
has the advantage of being able to get a faster system stability response
than the recommended on-site comparisons with reference instruments. The
method is based on a comparison of the total particle number concentration
measured by a mobility particle size spectrometer and a condensation particle
counter while removing diffusive particles smaller than 20 nm in diameter.
In practice, the small particles are removed by a set of diffusion screens,
as traditionally used in a diffusion battery. Another feature of the
automated function control is to check the zero-point behaviour of the
ambient aerosol passing through a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA)
filter.
<br><br>
The performance of the function control is illustrated with the aid of a
1-year data set recorded at Annaberg-Buchholz, a station in the Saxon air
quality monitoring network. During the period of concern, the total particle
number concentration derived from the mobility particle size spectrometer
slightly overestimated the particle number concentration recorded by the
condensation particle counter by 2 % (grand average). Based on our first
year of experience with the function control, we developed tolerance criteria
that allow a performance evaluation of a tested mobility particle size
spectrometer with respect to the total particle number concentration. We
conclude that the automated function control enhances the quality and
reliability of unattended long-term particle number size distribution
measurements. This will have beneficial effects for intercomparison studies
involving different measurement sites, and help provide a higher data
accuracy for cohort health and climate research studies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T02:12:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-10372871ef764d73977333dc21a0242f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1867-1381 1867-8548 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T02:12:49Z |
| publishDate | 2014-04-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Measurement Techniques |
| spelling | doaj.art-10372871ef764d73977333dc21a0242f2022-12-22T02:18:23ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Measurement Techniques1867-13811867-85482014-04-01741065107310.5194/amt-7-1065-2014A concept of an automated function control for ambient aerosol measurements using mobility particle size spectrometersA. Schladitz0M. Merkel1S. Bastian2W. Birmili3K. Weinhold4G. Löschau5A. Wiedensohler6Saxon State Office for Environment, Agriculture and Geology (LfULG), Pillnitzer Platz 3, 01326 Dresden, GermanyLeibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS), Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, GermanySaxon State Office for Environment, Agriculture and Geology (LfULG), Pillnitzer Platz 3, 01326 Dresden, GermanyLeibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS), Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, GermanyLeibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS), Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, GermanySaxon State Office for Environment, Agriculture and Geology (LfULG), Pillnitzer Platz 3, 01326 Dresden, GermanyLeibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS), Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, GermanyAn automated function control unit was developed to regularly check the ambient particle number concentration derived from a mobility particle size spectrometer as well as its zero-point behaviour. The function control allows unattended quality assurance experiments at remote air quality monitoring or research stations under field conditions. The automated function control also has the advantage of being able to get a faster system stability response than the recommended on-site comparisons with reference instruments. The method is based on a comparison of the total particle number concentration measured by a mobility particle size spectrometer and a condensation particle counter while removing diffusive particles smaller than 20 nm in diameter. In practice, the small particles are removed by a set of diffusion screens, as traditionally used in a diffusion battery. Another feature of the automated function control is to check the zero-point behaviour of the ambient aerosol passing through a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. <br><br> The performance of the function control is illustrated with the aid of a 1-year data set recorded at Annaberg-Buchholz, a station in the Saxon air quality monitoring network. During the period of concern, the total particle number concentration derived from the mobility particle size spectrometer slightly overestimated the particle number concentration recorded by the condensation particle counter by 2 % (grand average). Based on our first year of experience with the function control, we developed tolerance criteria that allow a performance evaluation of a tested mobility particle size spectrometer with respect to the total particle number concentration. We conclude that the automated function control enhances the quality and reliability of unattended long-term particle number size distribution measurements. This will have beneficial effects for intercomparison studies involving different measurement sites, and help provide a higher data accuracy for cohort health and climate research studies.http://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/7/1065/2014/amt-7-1065-2014.pdf |
| spellingShingle | A. Schladitz M. Merkel S. Bastian W. Birmili K. Weinhold G. Löschau A. Wiedensohler A concept of an automated function control for ambient aerosol measurements using mobility particle size spectrometers Atmospheric Measurement Techniques |
| title | A concept of an automated function control for ambient aerosol measurements using mobility particle size spectrometers |
| title_full | A concept of an automated function control for ambient aerosol measurements using mobility particle size spectrometers |
| title_fullStr | A concept of an automated function control for ambient aerosol measurements using mobility particle size spectrometers |
| title_full_unstemmed | A concept of an automated function control for ambient aerosol measurements using mobility particle size spectrometers |
| title_short | A concept of an automated function control for ambient aerosol measurements using mobility particle size spectrometers |
| title_sort | concept of an automated function control for ambient aerosol measurements using mobility particle size spectrometers |
| url | http://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/7/1065/2014/amt-7-1065-2014.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT aschladitz aconceptofanautomatedfunctioncontrolforambientaerosolmeasurementsusingmobilityparticlesizespectrometers AT mmerkel aconceptofanautomatedfunctioncontrolforambientaerosolmeasurementsusingmobilityparticlesizespectrometers AT sbastian aconceptofanautomatedfunctioncontrolforambientaerosolmeasurementsusingmobilityparticlesizespectrometers AT wbirmili aconceptofanautomatedfunctioncontrolforambientaerosolmeasurementsusingmobilityparticlesizespectrometers AT kweinhold aconceptofanautomatedfunctioncontrolforambientaerosolmeasurementsusingmobilityparticlesizespectrometers AT gloschau aconceptofanautomatedfunctioncontrolforambientaerosolmeasurementsusingmobilityparticlesizespectrometers AT awiedensohler aconceptofanautomatedfunctioncontrolforambientaerosolmeasurementsusingmobilityparticlesizespectrometers AT aschladitz conceptofanautomatedfunctioncontrolforambientaerosolmeasurementsusingmobilityparticlesizespectrometers AT mmerkel conceptofanautomatedfunctioncontrolforambientaerosolmeasurementsusingmobilityparticlesizespectrometers AT sbastian conceptofanautomatedfunctioncontrolforambientaerosolmeasurementsusingmobilityparticlesizespectrometers AT wbirmili conceptofanautomatedfunctioncontrolforambientaerosolmeasurementsusingmobilityparticlesizespectrometers AT kweinhold conceptofanautomatedfunctioncontrolforambientaerosolmeasurementsusingmobilityparticlesizespectrometers AT gloschau conceptofanautomatedfunctioncontrolforambientaerosolmeasurementsusingmobilityparticlesizespectrometers AT awiedensohler conceptofanautomatedfunctioncontrolforambientaerosolmeasurementsusingmobilityparticlesizespectrometers |