A method for measuring, in particular simultaneously measuring, different particle concentrations, in particular particulate matter concentrations, preferably in a flow, using a particle measuring system, in particular a particulate matter measuring system, comprising a photometric scattered light unit (1) with a measurement volume (16), wherein the scattered light unit (1) consists of at least one light transmitter (7) which emits (13) light signals, in particular pulsed light signals, and of at least one light-sensitive receiver system (8), which is arranged at at least one angle (15) and which receives the scattered light (14) from the particles (12) forming the particle concentration, characterized in that the scattered light unit (1) with measurement volume (16) is hermetically sealed with the exception of at least one fluid inlet (1a) and/or at least one fluid outlet (1b), which are provided with blocking devices (2, 3), wherein a sample of the fluid to be examined is applied to the scattered light unit (1) with measurement volume (16) and a predeterminable first number of measurement values is recorded.

An apparatus determines soiling of an object and includes a rinsing zone for rinsing off dirt particles built up on an object with a fluid. A collecting arrangement includes a retaining device for capturing the dirt particles rinsed off from the object and a measuring device measures a physical parameter of the captured dirt particles. A transport system moves the dirt particles captured with the retaining device to the measuring device to permit measuring the physical parameter of the captured dirt particles.

A particle counter for chemical solution in this disclosure uses a flow cell through which a chemical solution including particles flows, a laser light, and a light-receiving element array. Scattered light from the particles passing through a detection region on an optical path of the laser light in the flow cell is condensed to the light-receiving element array. The laser light in the center of the detection region has an energy density of 3×10.sup.8 mW/cm.sup.2 or more. Each of plural light-receiving elements (a) is larger in length and width than a spot diameter of the scattered light, and (b) receives the scattered light from a region with a size of 760 μm.sup.2 or less included in the detection region. The signal processing unit counts the particles passing through the detection region by use of a threshold corresponding to the smallest measurable particle size of 0.03 μm.

A method for the assessment of the dispersing capacity of new and used lubricating compositions, in particular for internal combustion engines, and of additives for lubricating compositions, comprises the steps of: providing a homogeneous dispersion of at least one carbonaceous particulate in a composition to be tested, consisting of a lubricating composition or a fraction or component thereof; acquiring at least one micrographic image of a sample of said homogeneous dispersion, deposited on an observation support; calculating the lacunarity of the acquired image as a parameter representative of the degree of dispersion of the particulate in the composition.

A mineral extraction system features at least one hydrocyclone, each having input piping, underflow piping, a cyclone portion and overflow piping; a particle size measurement device arranged on some part of the at least one hydrocyclone and configured to sense particles flowing in a process medium, and providing signaling containing information about the size of the particles in the process medium; and a controller having a signal processor configured to receive the signaling, and determine control signaling to control some part of the mineral extraction system, based upon the signaling received.

A flow cell device of the present invention comprises a flow path part in which a flow medium flows, and a flow cell part in which a flow path is formed.

A particle manipulation system uses a spiral focusing channel to focus particles into a distribution near the centerline of the flow. The spiral focusing channel may have first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion has a uniform cross section and curves in an arc of at least about 180 degrees, and the second portion has undulating sidewalls resulting in a varying cross section. The first portion may focus the particles substantially in a plane, and the second portion may focus the particles in a dimension orthogonal to the plane.

Techniques relate to forming a sorting device. A mesh is formed on top of a substrate. Metal assisted chemical etching is performed to remove substrate material of the substrate at locations of the mesh. Pillars are formed in the substrate by removal of the substrate material. The mesh is removed to leave the pillars in a nanopillar array. The pillars in the nanopillar array are designed with a spacing to sort particles of different sizes such that the particles at or above a predetermined dimension are sorted in a first direction and the particles below the predetermined dimension are sorted in a second direction.

The invention generally provides a system and method for detecting, measuring, and/or classifying particulate and/or water contaminants in a fluid supply line, storage tank, or sump. Embodiments of the invention provide a contaminant detection apparatus with a detection chamber and a detection module. The detection chamber includes a housing with an internal fluid conduit and one or more acoustic transducers disposed in the housing. Alarms and/or automatic signaling may be included to shut off valves or pumps when contaminants are detected.

An example system can include a support and two or more sensor elements mounted to the support. Each sensor element can be electrically connected to a common electrical node and may include: a respective quench resistor connected to a respective internal node; and a respective photodiode (PD) connected to the respective internal node; a differentiating element fed by at least one of the photodiodes; a first readout electrode fed by the common electrical node; and a second readout electrode fed by the differentiating element. The common electrical node may be connected to at least one of the quench resistors or at least one of the photodiodes.