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A particulate monitoring system includes a conduit in which to a pass a fluid sample from an input port to an output port. The particulate monitoring system receives a fluid sample inputted to the conduit through the input port. The fluid sample can include different sizes of particulate matter. The

A particulate monitoring system includes a conduit in which to a pass a fluid sample from an input port to an output port. The particulate monitoring system receives a fluid sample inputted to the conduit through the input port. The fluid sample can include different sizes of particulate matter. The particulate monitoring system controls a flow of the fluid sample through the conduit to age the particulate matter. Gravitational forces cause a portion of the particulate matter in the fluid sample to fall into a basin as opposed to being exhausted through the output port, which is disposed at a vertically higher level of the conduit than the input port. Thus, the particulate monitoring system outputs a portion of the original particulate matter in the fluid sample (e.g., particulate matter that does not drop into the basin out due to gravity) for analysis.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method comprising: receiving a fluid sample inputted to a conduit through an input port, the fluid sample including different sizes of particulate matter, the conduit extending vertically from the input port to an output port, the output port disposed at a vertically higher level of the conduit

1. A method comprising: receiving a fluid sample inputted to a conduit through an input port, the fluid sample including different sizes of particulate matter, the conduit extending vertically from the input port to an output port, the output port disposed at a vertically higher level of the conduit than the input port;controlling a vertical flow of the fluid sample through the conduit from the input port to the output port to age the particulate matter resident in the conduit, a portion of the particulate matter resident in the conduit reducing in aerodynamic equivalent diameter size due to the aging;outputting the portion of the particulate matter in the fluid sample from the output port of the conduit; andmonitoring a presence of particulate matter outputted from the output port of the conduit, the method further comprising:utilizing gravitational forces to separate, in the conduit, heavier particles in the fluid sample from lighter particles in the fluid sample;wherein the portion is a first portion, the method further comprising:controlling environmental parameters of the fluid sample in the conduit to simulate aging of the particulate matter in which a second portion of particles in the particulate matter received from the input port physically become heavier particles based on the controlled environmental parameters, the heavier particles settling in a basin of the conduit below the input port due to the gravitational forces as opposed to being otherwise outputted from the output port with lighter particles that are not heavy enough to settle in the basin due to the gravitational forces. 2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the gravitational forces are substantially opposite to the vertical flow of the fluid sample passing through the conduit from the input port to the output port; and wherein outputting the portion of the particulate matter includes outputting the first portion of the particulate matter in a vertical direction through the output port to a mass monitoring system, the vertical direction being substantially similar to a direction of the vertical flow of the fluid sample through the conduit. 3. The method as in claim 1 further comprising: controlling a flow rate of the fluid sample inputted to the input port of the conduit to: i) separate the heavier particles and the lighter particles from each other in the conduit, ii) output the lighter particles from the output port of the conduit, and iii) settle the heavier particles in the basin, the basin disposed at a vertically lower level than a level of the input port of the conduit. 4. The method as in claim 1 further comprising: controlling a temperature of the fluid sample in the conduit to age the particulate matter resident in the conduit, the controlled temperature reducing the aerodynamic equivalent diameter associated with the first portion of particulate matter. 5. The method as in claim 1 further comprising: controlling a relative humidity of the fluid sample in the conduit to age the particulate matter resident in the conduit, the controlled relative humidity reducing the aerodynamic equivalent diameter associated with the first portion of particulate matter. 6. The method as in claim 1, wherein outputting the portion of the particulate matter from the output port of the conduit includes: utilizing a tapered end of the conduit to focus the fluid sample to the output port of the conduit, the tapered end of the conduit increasing a density of the fluid sample as the fluid sample passes from the tapered end of the conduit to the output port; and wherein monitoring the presence of particulate matter outputted from the output port of the conduit includes: measuring a mass concentration of the particulate matter outputted from the output port as received through the tapered end of the conduit. 7. The method as in claim 1, wherein controlling the vertical flow of the fluid sample through the conduit to age the particulate matter includes: controlling a rate of the fluid sample passing vertically through the conduit such that a residence time of the particulate matter in the conduit is above a threshold value, presence of the particulate matter in the conduit above the threshold value reducing the aerodynamic equivalent diameter size of the first portion of the particulate matter passing through the conduit. 8. The method as in claim 1 further comprising: receiving the different sizes of particulate matter in the fluid sample through the input port; andcontrolling a rate of flow of the fluid sample inputted to the conduit through the input port, the rate controlling the vertical flow of the fluid sample through the conduit and which size of the different sizes of particulate matter in the fluid sample in the conduit pass through the output port of the conduit. 9. The method as in claim 1, wherein the fluid sample is a mixture of a gas sample and a dilution gas, the gas sample being a flue gas received from a smokestack, the gas sample including the particulate matter, the dilution gas having a substantially lower concentration of water than a concentration of water in the flue gas. 10. The method as in claim 9 further comprising: based on monitoring a relative humidity of the fluid sample in the conduit at a location in the conduit between the input port and the output port, adjusting a relative humidity of the dilution gas mixed with the gas sample to maintain the relative humidity of the diluted gas sample in the conduit at a desired level; andmonitoring a presence of particulate matter in the diluted gas sample outputted from the conduit. 11. The method as in claim 10, wherein controlling the vertical flow of the fluid sample through the conduit to age the particulate matter includes: controlling a voluminous rate of inputting the fluid sample into the input port, the voluminous rate controlling a residence time of the particulate matter in the conduit to be above a time threshold value, presence of the particulate matter in the conduit above the time threshold value simulating aging of the particulate matter that would otherwise occur if the fluid sample were exhausted into open atmosphere, the simulated aging reducing the aerodynamic equivalent diameter size of the first portion of the particulate matter passing through the conduit. 12. A particulate monitor system comprising: a conduit configured to receive a fluid sample through an input port, the fluid sample including different sizes of particulate matter;a flow controller to control a flow rate of the fluid sample through the conduit to age the particulate matter resident in the conduit, aging of the particulate matter reducing an aerodynamic equivalent diameter of a portion of the particulate matter resident in the conduit;an output port disposed at a vertically higher level of the conduit than the input port, the output port configured to output a portion of the particulate matter in the fluid sample; anda monitor to analyze a presence of particulate matter outputted from the output port of the conduit;wherein gravitational forces separate heavier particles from lighter particles in the fluid sample;wherein the portion is a first portion; andwherein the controller is configured to control environmental parameters of the fluid sample in the conduit to simulate aging of the particulate matter in which a second portion of particles in the particulate matter received from the input port physically become heavier based on the controlled environmental parameters and settle in a basin due to the gravitational forces. 13. The particulate monitor system as in claim 12, wherein the gravitational forces are substantially opposite to a directional flow of the fluid sample passing through the conduit from the input port to the output port. 14. The particulate monitor system as in claim 12, wherein the flow controller controls a flow rate of the fluid sample from the input port to the output port through the conduit to: i) separate the heavier particles and the lighter particles in the conduit, ii) output the lighter particles from the conduit through the output port, and iii) settle the heavier particles in the basin, the basin disposed at a vertically lower level than a level of the input port. 15. The particulate monitor system as in claim 12 further comprising: a temperature controller to control a temperature of the fluid sample in the conduit. 16. The particulate monitor system as in claim 12 further comprising: a relative humidity controller to control a relative humidity of the fluid sample passing through the conduit. 17. The particulate monitor system as in claim 12, wherein the conduit includes a tapered end in which to focus the fluid sample for analysis by a mass monitor; and wherein the mass monitor generates information indicating a particle size distribution of particulate matter outputted from the output port. 18. The particulate monitor system as in claim 12, wherein the flow controller controls a rate of the fluid sample through the conduit such that the particulate matter resident in the conduit is present in the conduit above a time threshold value. 19. The particulate monitor system as in claim 12, wherein the flow controller controls a rate of the flow of the fluid sample through the conduit to control which portion of the different sizes of particulate matter in the fluid sample overcome the gravitational forces and pass through the output port of the conduit. 20. The particulate monitor system as in claim 12 further comprising: a relative humidity sensor disposed in the conduit; anda relative humidity controller configured to monitor a relative humidity of the fluid sample in the conduit, the relative humidity controller controlling a relative humidity of a dilution gas that is mixed with a received gas sample to produce the fluid sample and maintain the relative humidity of the fluid sample in a desired range. 21. The method as in claim 1 further comprising: controlling environmental parameters of the fluid sample in the conduit to simulate aging of the particulate matter that would occur if the fluid sample was otherwise exhausted into the atmosphere, the controlled environmental parameters including temperature and relative humidity. 22. The method as in claim 21, wherein the aerodynamic equivalent diameter size of the first portion of particulate matter decreases below a threshold value based on the aging. 23. The method as in claim 1 further comprising: setting the vertical flow rate to a first velocity setting in which a majority of particles, as received in the fluid sample, above a first threshold value pass through output port; andsetting the vertical flow rate to a second velocity setting in which a majority of particles, as received in the fluid sample, above a second threshold value pass through output port. 24. The method as in claim 11, wherein the fluid sample is a flue gas received from a smoke stack, aging of the particulate matter in the conduit simulating plume conditions of the flue gas otherwise exiting the smoke stack into the atmosphere. 25. A particulate monitor system comprising: a conduit configured to receive a fluid sample through an input port, the fluid sample including different sizes of particulate matter, the fluid sample being a flue gas received from a smoke stack;a flow controller to control a flow rate of the fluid sample through the conduit to age the particulate matter in the fluid sample, aging of the particulate matter reducing an aerodynamic equivalent diameter of a portion of the particulate matter in the fluid sample;an output port disposed at a vertically higher level of the conduit than the input port, the output port configured to output the portion of the particulate matter in the fluid sample;a monitor to analyze a presence of particulate matter outputted from the output port of the conduit;wherein the portion is a first portion;wherein the flow controller controls a rate of the fluid sample passing through the conduit such that a residence time of the particulate matter in the conduit is above a threshold value, presence of the particulate matter in the conduit above the threshold value increasing an aerodynamic equivalent diameter size of a second portion of the particulate matter in the fluid sample; andwherein the flow controller controls a flow rate of the fluid sample from the input port to the output port through the conduit to change the aerodynamic equivalent diameter of the particles and: i) separate heavier particles in the fluid sample from lighter particles in the fluid sample, ii) output the lighter particles caused by aging from the conduit through the output port, and iii) settle the heavier particles caused by aging in a basin disposed at a vertically lower level than a level of the input port.