Collection of Czechoslovak Chemical Communications - digital archive 

Abstract

A simple and inexpensive laboratory generator of test aerosol is described. The generator is based on the principle of pneumatic atomization of a solution of a soluble compound by high-velocity air stream. After evaporation of solvent from produced droplets, solid particles are formed. The generator provides continuous unattended long-term operation with constant aerosol output. The performance characteristics of the generator were evaluated by spraying solutions of NaNO₃ and (NH₄)₂SO_4. The generator produced polydisperse aerosol in a fine region of particle sizes with a geometric mean diameter of 52.1 nm and a geometric standard deviation of 1.90 for the NaNO₃ concentration in the sprayed solution 30 g/l. The total number concentration of the produced aerosol was 3.14 × 10⁷ cm^-3 at a nominal air flow rate 78 l/min. The number concentration of particles increased with increasing flow rate of solution, solute concentration and pressure of compressed air through the atomizer or with decreasing total air flow rate through the generator. The change in any of these variables can be used to adjust the particle number concentration. NaNO₃ aerosol generation rate was 0.172 mg/min for the NaNO₃ concentration in the sprayed solution 30 g/l.

Keywords: Aerosol generator; Polydisperse aerosol; Fine aerosol; Nitrate; Pneumatic atomization; Nebulization.

References: 25 live references.