Apparatus and system for simultaneously measuring particle concentration and biocontaminants in an aerosol particle flow
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
G01N-021/53
G01N-021/27
G01N-021/64
G01N-021/65
G01N-021/94
G01N-001/22
G01N-015/14
G01N-021/3504
G01N-021/35
G01N-021/67
G01N-021/71
G01N-015/00
출원번호
US-0345478
(2012-09-18)
등록번호
US-9880097
(2018-01-30)
국제출원번호
PCT/US2012/055917
(2012-09-18)
국제공개번호
WO2013/043600
(2013-03-28)
발명자
/ 주소
Evenstad, Jim
Qi, Dahu
Hairston, Peter P.
Niccum, Darrick
출원인 / 주소
TSI Incorporated
대리인 / 주소
Kagan Binder, PLLC
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
11
초록▼
An apparatus and method for improving aerosol particle characterization and detection accuracy in clean room applications that includes an optical particle sizer that receives a particle containing aerosol sample at a higher flow rate which is operatively coupled to an inertial aerosol concentrator
An apparatus and method for improving aerosol particle characterization and detection accuracy in clean room applications that includes an optical particle sizer that receives a particle containing aerosol sample at a higher flow rate which is operatively coupled to an inertial aerosol concentrator for concentrating particles received from the optical particle sizer and delivering a lower flow rate, particle enriched output. The system further includes an optical sensor for sensing of intrinsic particle fluorescence of the lower, particle-enriched flow, since intrinsic fluorescence is a useful indicator of biological particles and biological particle viability, including bacterial particles. The system as a whole provides a measure derived from a single inlet flow both of total particles and of viable microbial particles based on their spectroscopic properties.
대표청구항▼
1. A particle characterization system comprising: an optical particle counter or sizer with an inlet configured to receive an aerosol particle sample directly from a monitored area at a particle counter inlet flow rate sufficient to sample one cubic meter of the aerosol particle sample in less than
1. A particle characterization system comprising: an optical particle counter or sizer with an inlet configured to receive an aerosol particle sample directly from a monitored area at a particle counter inlet flow rate sufficient to sample one cubic meter of the aerosol particle sample in less than an hour, the optical particle counter adapted to use light scattering to measure the particles in the aerosol sample at least as small as about 0.5 micrometers with at least about 50% efficiency;an aerosol particle concentrator having a concentrator inlet of which is coupled to an outlet of the optical particle counter or sizer and adapted to receive the aerosol particle sample from the monitored area at the particle counter inlet flow rate from the optical particle counter or sizer and configured to emit a major flow at a major flow rate and emit a portion of the aerosol particle sample with an enriched concentration of particles therein at a minor flow rate that is lower than the particle counter inlet flow rate, wherein the concentrator includes a first and a second annular housing section with cooperating annular nozzle sections that form an annular acceleration nozzle, the concentrator including an exit aperture and a conduit attached to the second annular housing section; andan optical spectral measurement device coupled to a concentrator outlet of the concentrator and configured to receive the enriched aerosol particle sample at the lower minor flow rate and is measured at a rate equivalent to least about one cubic meter per hour, the spectral measurement device adapted to spectrally measure light emitted or absorbed by the particles in the enriched aerosol sample and thereby discriminate intrinsic fluorescence of biological particles at least as small as about 2.0 micrometers with at least about 50% efficiency,wherein the system is configured in a single instrument to measure a total particle count and sort in a size distribution the particles in the aerosol sample directly from the monitored area and measure biological particle count in the aerosol particle sample from the monitored area at the particle counter inlet flow rate, and wherein the system is configured to receive the aerosol particle sample at the particle counter inlet flow rate without using a second concentrator or virtual impactor. 2. The particle characterization system of claim 1, wherein the spectral measurement is used to determine one or more constituents of the particle. 3. The particle characterization system of claim 2 in which 2 or more settings are provided to alter the sensitivity of the determination of the particle constituent. 4. The particle characterization system of claim 2, wherein the spectral measurement is used to determine if the particles include biological constituents. 5. The particle characterization system of claim 1, wherein the spectral measurement is fluorescence. 6. The particle characterization system of claim 5, wherein the fluorescence measurement is used to determine if the particles include biological constituents. 7. The particle characterization system of claim 2, wherein the spectral measurement is selected from the group consisting of Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, Spark Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Infrared Absorption spectroscopy, and mass spectroscopy. 8. The particle characterization system of claim 1, further comprising an electronic and software data processor that discriminates measured parameters for biological or viable particles from those of non-biological or nonviable particles. 9. The particle characterization system of claim 1, wherein the minor flow rate is about 10% of the particle counter inlet flow rate. 10. The particle characterization system of claim 1, wherein the particle counter inlet flow rate is about 28.3 to about 30.3 liters per minute and the minor flow rate is about 0.5 to about 4 liters per minute. 11. The particle characterization system of claim 1, further comprising a collection filter operatively coupled to the outlet of the spectral measurement device and adapted to collect particles from the spectral measurement device to provide for a secondary, off-line assessment of particle viability or composition. 12. A particle characterization system comprising: an aerosol particle concentrator having an inlet configured to receive an aerosol particle sample flow from a monitored area at a concentrator inlet flow rate sufficient to sample one cubic meter of the aerosol sample in less than an hour, the concentrator configured to emit a majority of the sample flow at a lower major flow rate, and emit a minority of the sample flow containing an enriched concentration of the aerosol particles at a minor flow rate that is lower than each of the concentrator inlet and major flow rates, wherein the concentrator includes a first and a second annular housing section with cooperating annular nozzle sections that form an annular acceleration nozzle, the concentrator including an exit aperture and a conduit attached to the second annular housing section;an optical particle counter or sizer having an inlet of which is coupled to an outlet of the concentrator emitting the major flow, the optical particle counter or sizer adapted to use light scattering to count the particles in the major flow sample at least as small as about 0.5 micrometers with at least about 50% efficiency; anda spectral measurement device having a spectral measurement inlet coupled to a concentrator outlet of the concentrator emitting the minor flow, the spectral measurement device configured to receive the enriched aerosol sample flow, measured at a rate equivalent to least about one cubic meter per hour, and adapted to spectrally measure light emitted or absorbed by the particles in the enriched aerosol sample to thereby discriminate intrinsic fluorescence of biological particles at least as small as about 2.0 micrometers with at least about 50% efficiency,wherein the system is configured in a single instrument to measure at a sample flow rate of at least one cubic foot per hour a total particle count as the sum of particles measured in the major flow and minor flow, and to sort in a size distribution the particles in the aerosol sample directly from the monitored area, and to measure biological particle count in the aerosol sample from the monitored area at the concentrator flow rate. 13. The particle characterization system of claim 12, wherein the spectral measurement is used to determine one or more constituents of the particles. 14. The particle characterization system of claim 13, wherein the spectral measurement is used to determine if the particles include biological constituents. 15. The particle characterization system of claim 12, wherein the spectral measurement is fluorescence and the fluorescence measurement is used to determine if the particles include biological constituents. 16. The particle characterization system of claim 13, wherein the spectral measurement is selected from the group consisting of Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, Spark Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Infrared Absorption spectroscopy, and mass spectroscopy. 17. The particle characterization system of claim 12, further comprising an electronic and software data processer that discriminates measured parameters for biological or viable particles from those of non-biological or nonviable particles. 18. The particle characterization system of claim 12, wherein the minor flow rate is about 10% of the concentrator inlet flow rate. 19. The particle characterization system of claim 18, wherein the concentrator inlet flow rate is about 28.3 to about 30.3 liters per minute and the minor flow rate is about 1 to about 4 liters per minute, with the concentrator major outlet flow rate being the difference between the concentrator inlet flow and concentrator minor outlet flow. 20. The particle characterization system of claim 12, further comprising a collection filter operatively coupled to an outlet of the spectral measurement device and adapted to collect particles from the spectral measurement device to provide for a secondary, off-line assessment of particle viability or composition. 21. A method of counting particles and of characterizing the viability of the particles in an aerosol sample that is flowing at a high rate, the method comprising the steps of: receiving the aerosol sample at an optical particle counter or sizer with an inlet from a monitored area at a particle counter inlet flow rate sufficient to sample one cubic meter of the aerosol sample in less than an hour and using light scattering to measure or count the particles in the aerosol sample at least as small as about 0.5 micrometers with at least about 50% efficiency;configuring with an aerosol particle concentrator a portion of the aerosol sample that is at the particle counter inlet flow rate to have an enriched increased concentration of particles therein and to flow at a minor flow rate, wherein then minor flow rate is lower than the particle counter inlet flow rate and is sufficiently low to spectrally measure light emitted by the particles;spectrally measuring light emitted or absorbed by the particles in the particle enriched aerosol sample received from an outlet of the concentrator, measured at a rate equivalent to least about one cubic meter per hour and thereby discriminate intrinsic fluorescence of biological particles at least as small as about 2.0 micrometers with at least about 50% efficiency, andproviding both a total particle count measurement, sorting in a size distribution the particles in the aerosol sample, and providing a measurement of biological particle count in the aerosol sample from a single instrument using the aerosol sample from the monitored area at the particle counter inlet flow rate. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the particle enriched aerosol sample is configured using the concentrator that is coupled to the optical particle counter that receives the aerosol sample at the particle counter inlet flow rate, wherein the concentrator includes a first and a second annular housing section with cooperating annular nozzle sections that form an annular acceleration nozzle, the concentrator including an exit aperture and a conduit attached to the second annular housing section from which the particle enriched aerosol sample flows from the concentrator at the minor and lower rate. 23. A method of counting particles and characterizing the viability of the particles in an aerosol sample that is flowing at a high rate, the method comprising the steps of: configuring with an aerosol particle concentrator with an inlet a portion of the aerosol sample that is received from a monitored area at a concentrator inlet flow rate sufficient to sample one cubic meter of the aerosol sample in less than an hour to have an enriched increased concentration of particles therein, emitting from a first outlet of the concentrator a majority of the received sample flow at a major flow rate that is lower than the concentrator inlet flow rate, and emitting from a second outlet of the concentrator a minority of the sample flow containing an enriched concentration of the aerosol particles at a minor flow rate that is lower than each of the concentrator inlet and major flow rates;providing an optical particle counter or sizer that receives from the first outlet of the concentrator the majority of the aerosol sample at the major flow rate and uses light scattering to count the particles in the majority aerosol sample at least as small as about 0.5 micrometers with at least about 50% efficiency; andproviding a spectral measurement device that receives from the second outlet of the concentrator the minority aerosol sample flow at the minor flow rate, measured at a rate equivalent to least about one cubic meter per hour to thereby discriminate intrinsic fluorescence of biological particles at least as small as about 2.0 micrometers with at least about 50% efficiency and spectrally measures the light emitted or absorbed by the particles in the aerosol sample; andproviding a total particle count measurement, sorting in a size distribution the particles in the aerosol sample and providing a measurement of biological particle count in the aerosol sample from a single system using the aerosol sample from the monitored area at the concentrator inlet flow rate. 24. A particle characterization system comprising: an optical particle counter or sizer with an inlet configured to receive an aerosol particle sample directly from a monitored area at a particle counter inlet flow rate sufficient to sample one cubic meter of the aerosol sample in less than an hour, the optical particle counter adapted to use light scattering to measure the particles in the aerosol sample at least as small as about 0.5 micrometers with at least about 50% efficiency;an aerosol particle concentrator having a concentrator the inlet of which is coupled to an outlet of the optical particle counter or sizer and adapted to receive the aerosol sample at the particle counter inlet flow rate from the optical particle counter or sizer and configured to emit a major flow at a major flow rate and emit a portion of the aerosol sample with an enriched concentration of particles therein at a minor flow rate that is lower than the particle counter inlet flow rate; andan optical spectral measurement device coupled to an outlet of the concentrator and configured to measure at a rate equivalent to at least one cubic meter per hour and receive the enriched aerosol sample at the lower minor flow rate, the spectral measurement device adapted to spectrally measure light emitted or absorbed by the particles in the enriched aerosol sample to thereby discriminate intrinsic fluorescence of biological particles at least as small as about 2.0 micrometers with at least about 50% efficiency,wherein the system is configured in a single instrument to measure a total particle count and sort in a size distribution the particles in the aerosol sample directly from the monitored area and measure biological particle count in the aerosol sample from the monitored area at the particle counter inlet flow rate, and wherein the system is configured to receive the aerosol sample at the particle counter inlet flow rate without using a second concentrator or virtual impactor. 25. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of combining a first set of particle measurement data at the major flow rate and a second set of particle measurement data from the spectral measurement device at the minor flow rate to generate the total particle measurement or count for the aerosol sample at the particle counter inlet flow rate. 26. The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of combining a first set of particle measurement data from the optical particle counter or sizer at the major flow rate and a second set of particle measurement data from the spectral measurement device at the minor flow rate to generate the total particle measurement or count for the aerosol sample at the concentrator inlet flow rate. 27. The system of claim 24 further comprising a sheath air flow surrounding the sampled aerosol within the spectral measurement device.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (11)
Haglund,John S.; McFarland,Andrew R., Circumferential slot virtual impactor for concentrating aerosols.
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