DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SEPARATING PARTICLES FROM AEROSOLS FOR CONDITIONING TEST AEROSOLS FOR PENETRATION MEASUREMENT ON FILTERS

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and a method for separating particles from aerosols for conditioning test aerosols for penetration measurement on filters. The device for separating particles from aerosols for conditioning test aerosols for penetration measurement on filters is characterised in particular by being able to generate test aerosols for penetration measurement having particular and defined properties. For this purpose, at least one sieve, which fills the aerosol-conducting cross section of the component, is located in an aerosol-conducting, preferably tubular, component having an inlet and an outlet for the aerosol, for impingement and/or impaction of particles from the aerosol. Furthermore, the aerosol-conducting, preferably tubular, component has at least one port for supplying or removing air in the direction of flow of the aerosol upstream of the sieve for impingement and/or impaction of particles from the aerosol or a part supplying aerosol to the component.

Claims

1. A method for separating particles from aerosols for conditioning test aerosols, comprising the following steps: a. introducing an aerosol into an aerosol-conducting component having an inlet and an outlet for the aerosol, b. impingement and/or impaction of particles from the aerosol using at least one sieve (4) which fills the aerosol-conducting cross section of the component, wherein the sieve is formed of wires arranged in parallel or predominantly in parallel, and wherein the sieve has a wire diameter in the range of 20 ?m to 50 ?m, and c. supplying air or removing air in the direction of flow of the aerosol upstream of the sieve or upstream of the inlet for the aerosol.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein steps b. and c. are carried out simultaneously.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein an at least partial mixture of the aerosol and the supply air takes place in step c.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the inflow velocity of the at least one sieve is in the range of 0.010 to 5 m/s as a result of supplying air or removing air in step c.

5. A device for separating particles from aerosols for conditioning test aerosols for penetration measurement on filters, comprising: an aerosol-conducting component having an inlet and an outlet for the aerosol, at least one sieve which fills the aerosol-conducting cross section of the component for impingement and/or impaction of particles from the aerosol, wherein the sieve is formed of wires arranged in parallel or predominantly in parallel, and wherein the sieve has a wire diameter in the range of 20 ?m to 50 ?m, wherein the aerosol-conducting component has at least one port for supplying air or removing air in the direction of flow of the aerosol upstream of the sieve or of the inlet for the aerosol.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the sieve is arranged in the aerosol-conducting component such that the wires of the sieve are flowed through transversely.

7. (canceled)

8. The device according to claim 5, wherein the wires of the sieve have circular or polygonal cross sections.

9. The device according to claim 5, wherein the sieve consists of a metal or a metal alloy.

10. The device according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of sieves are arranged in succession in the aerosol-conducting component in the direction of flow of the aerosol.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the sieves are arranged such that a wire of a sieve arranged downstream in the direction of flow are each located in the space between two wires of the sieve arranged upstream, such that the wires of the downstream sieve are located in the flow of the aerosol after the upstream sieve.

12. The device according to claim 5, wherein an air-conveying device connected to the port for supplying air and an aerosol-conveying device connected to the inlet of the component and/or an aerosol generator are connected to a control device.

13. A method, comprising: separating particles from aerosols for conditioning test aerosols for penetration measurement on filters using a device according to claim 5.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein steps b. and c. are carried out simultaneously.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein an at least partial mixture of the aerosol and the supply air takes place in step c.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the inflow velocity of the at least one sieve is in the range of 0.010 to 5 m/s as a result of supplying air or removing air in step c.

17. The device according to claim 8, wherein the sieve consists of a metal or a metal alloy.

18. The device according to claim 8, wherein a plurality of sieves are arranged in succession in the aerosol-conducting component in the direction of flow of the aerosol.

19. The device according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of sieves are arranged in succession in the aerosol-conducting component in the direction of flow of the aerosol.

Description

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

[0043] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment. The exemplary embodiment is intended to describe the invention without limiting it.

[0044] The invention is explained in more detail with reference to drawings.

[0045] In the drawings:

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a device for separating particles from aerosols with a port for supplying air and

[0047] FIG. 2 shows a device in connection with an aerosol generator.

[0048] A device for separating particles from aerosols for conditioning test aerosols for penetration measurement on filters consists substantially of an aerosol-conducting tubular component 1 having an inlet 2 and an outlet 3, sieves 4 which completely fill the aerosol-conducting cross section of the component 1, and a port 5 for supplying air 6.

[0049] FIG. 3 shows a device for separating particles from aerosols for conditioning test aerosols for penetration measurement on filters to the port 9 at an aerosol generator 8 consisting of an aerosol-conducting tubular component 1 having an outlet 3, sieves 4 which completely fill the aerosol-conducting cross section of the component 1, and a port 5 for supplying air 6.

[0050] FIG. 4 shows the density function q.sub.0log of the particle size distribution of the aerosol after the separator in accordance with the air supply volume flow (0, 60 and 90 l/min).

[0051] FIG. 5 shows the median value of the particle size distribution in accordance with the supply air volume flow.

[0052] FIG. 1 shows a device for separating particles from aerosols having a port 5 for supplying air 6, in a basic illustration.

[0053] The aerosol-conducting tubular component 1, hereinafter only referred to as the component 1, has the inlet 2 for the primary aerosol and the outlet 3 for the secondary aerosol. The sieves 4 arranged at a distance from one another and in succession are located in the component 1 for impingement and/or impaction of particles from the aerosol flowing through the component 1. The sieves 4 are formed from wires arranged in parallel or predominantly in parallel. The sieves 4 are arranged in the component 1 such that the wires of the sieves 4 are flowed through transversely. Furthermore, the sieves 4 are arranged such that a wire of a second sieve 4 arranged downstream in the direction of flow of the aerosol is located in the distance between two wires of the first sieve 4 arranged upstream, such that the wires of the second sieve 4 are located in the flow of the aerosol after the first sieve 4. The wires of the sieves 4 are arranged in succession in gaps.

[0054] The dimensions of cross sections of adjacent wires can be identical or different from one another. Furthermore, the wires can have circular or polygonal cross sections. Moreover, the shapes of cross-sections of adjacent wires can be identical or different from one another. Edges of the wires which are polygonal in cross section can in this case point in the direction of the inlet 2 of the component 1 for the aerosol.

[0055] Cylindrical wires as body impactors and their arrangement in parallel so as to form a sieve 4 are an advantageous embodiment. Such wires in geometrically defined form are easily and cost-effectively available. By selecting the wire diameter and the flow rate of the aerosol through the sieve 4, the separation particle size of the device is adjustable. The sequential arrangement of sieves 4 in combination with different inflow velocities can influence both the separation particle size and the steepness of the separation function. The distance between the sieves 4 can be selected such that separated liquid aerosol material, such as oil from the sieve 4 or the sieves 4, runs downwards and can be discharged as a liquid film from the component 1. One possible embodiment of the arrangement of several sieves 4 forms an alternating series connection of sieves 4 for separation and sieves 4 having significantly larger wire spacings as spacers between sieves 4.

[0056] In the direction of flow of the aerosol before the sieves 4 for impingement and/or impaction of particles from the aerosol, the component 1 has at least one port 5 for supplying air 6.

[0057] FIG. 2 shows a device in connection with an aerosol generator 8 in a basic illustration.

[0058] In one embodiment, an air-conveying device 7 connected to the port 5 for supplying air and an aerosol generator 8 upstream of the component 1 can be connected to a control device 10. The output 9 of the aerosol generator 8 is connected to the inlet 2 of the component 1 for this purpose.

[0059] FIGS. 4 and 5 show the influence of the supply air flow on the aerosol particles. FIG. 4 shows the density function g.sub.0log of the particle size distribution of the aerosol after the sieve in accordance with the supply air volume flow (0, 60 and 90 l/min), wherein a displacement is observed in accordance with the supply air volume flow, i.e. a decrease in the particle diameter with increasing supply air flow.

[0060] FIG. 5 shows the median value of the particle size distribution in accordance with the supply air volume flow (0, 15, 30, 60 and 90 l/min). A decrease in the particle size is likewise observed with increasing supply air volume flow.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0061] 1 aerosol-conducting component [0062] 2 inlet of the aerosol-conducting component [0063] 3 outlet for secondary aerosol [0064] 4 sieve [0065] 5 port for supplying air [0066] 6 supply air [0067] 7 air-conveying device [0068] 8 aerosol generator [0069] 9 output of the aerosol generator [0070] 10 control device