Abstract

Abstract. In this study we characterized the performance of three new particle counters able to detect particles smaller than 3 nm during the Helsinki condensation particle counter (CPC) workshop in summer 2016: the Aerosol Dynamics Inc. (ADI; Berkeley, USA) versatile water condensation particle counter (vWCPC), TSI 3777 nano enhancer (TSI Inc., Shoreview, USA) and modified and boosted TSI 3010-type CPC from Université Blaise Pascal called a B3010. The performance of all CPCs was first measured with charged tungsten oxide test particles at temperature settings which resulted in supersaturation low enough to not detect any ions produced by a radioactive source. Due to similar measured detection efficiencies, additional comparison between the 3777 and vWCPC were conducted using electrically neutral tungsten oxide test particles and with positively charged tetradodecylammonium bromide. Furthermore, the detection efficiencies of the 3777 and vWCPC were measured with boosted temperature settings yielding supersaturation which was at the onset of homogeneous nucleation for the 3777 or confined within the range of liquid water for the ADI vWCPC. Finally, CPC-specific tests were conducted to probe the response of the 3777 to various inlet flow relative humidities, of the B3010 to various inlet flow rates and of the vWCPC to various particle concentrations. For the 3777 and vWCPC the measured 50 % detection diameters (d50s) were in the range of 1.3–2.4 nm for the tungsten oxide particles, depending on the particle charging state and CPC temperature settings, between 2.5 and 3.3 nm for the organic test aerosol, and in the range of 3.2–3.4 nm for tungsten oxide for the B3010.

Highlights

  • The work of Stolzenburg and McMurry (1991) started a new chapter in aerosol research with their prototype laminar flow condensation particle counter (CPC) capable of detecting 3 nm aerosol particles via condensation of butanol vapor

  • It took until 2011 to commercialize the diethylene glycol (DEG)-based mixing-type CPC technology, when Vanhanen et al (2011) published their version of the DEG-based particle size magnifier (PSM), today sold as the Airmodus A10 PSM (A11 nano condensation nuclei counter when combined to Airmodus A20 butanol CPC)

  • Each of the CPCs are operated with different working fluids utilizing different geometries, and first we find the d50 for tungsten oxide test particles for each CPC at temperature settings where do not detect ions from a radioactive source

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Summary

Introduction

The work of Stolzenburg and McMurry (1991) started a new chapter in aerosol research with their prototype laminar flow condensation particle counter (CPC) capable of detecting 3 nm aerosol particles via condensation of butanol vapor. Compared to the previous CPC designs, the significant improvements in the instrument included minimized diffusion losses in the sampling line and a sheath flow in the condenser to focus the particle beam to the maximum butanol supersaturation region in the middle of the condenser (Wilson et al, 1983). Kangasluoma et al.: Characterization of three new condensation particle counters published their design on the particle size magnifier (PSM) used to study heterogeneous nucleation of dibutyl phthalate vapor onto small ions Their advances were made possible by the development of a new differential mobility analyzer (DMA) combined to an electrospray source, allowing the CPC testing with well-characterized monomobile samples. It took until 2011 to commercialize the diethylene glycol (DEG)-based mixing-type CPC technology, when Vanhanen et al (2011) published their version of the DEG-based PSM, today sold as the Airmodus A10 PSM (A11 nano condensation nuclei counter when combined to Airmodus A20 butanol CPC)

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