Temperature and pressure effects on the performance of the portable TSI 3007 condensation particle counter: Implications on ground and aerial observations

Abstract

One of the most commonly employed instruments in the category of handheld condensation particle counters (CPCs) is the TSI 3007, which employs a simplified system for achieving a temperature difference between its saturator and its condenser in view of increasing portability, energy efficiency and autonomy. As a result, particle growth and consequently the detection efficiency of the instrument can be affected by the measurement conditions. In this work we measure the detection efficiency of the TSI 3007 CPC under temperatures and pressures that differ from standard conditions. Our results show that the performance of the CPC has a strong temperature dependence in the range of 5–30 °C, whereas it is not affected by ambient pressure when this varies between 0.7 and 1.0 atm. The temperature dependent detection efficiency of the instrument becomes significant at sizes below 20 nm. Recording the temperature at which this CPC is operated is therefore strongly advised, especially when required to determine the number concentration of sub-20 nm aerosol particles.