Two linear slot nozzle virtual impactors for concentration of bioaerosols /
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis eBook |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
[College Station, Tex.] :
[Texas A&M University],
[2005]
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Link to OAK Trust copy |
| Abstract: | Two experimental configurations of linear slot nozzle virtual impactors were constructed and experimentally investigated for use as bioaerosol concentrators. In one configuration, the Linear Slot Virtual Impactor (LSVI), the nozzle was a straight slot having a length of 89 mm (3.5"). In the second configuration, the Circumferential Slot Virtual Impactor (CSVI), the nozzle was curvilinear following a circular path having a diameter of 152.4 mm (6.0") and the resulting total slot length was 479 mm (18.8"). Multiple prototypes of the two configurations were constructed having nozzle widths that varied from 0.508 mm (0.015") to 0.203 mm (0.008"). Optical and physical measurements were made of the nozzle dimensions in the critical region of the virtual impactor units. For the LSVI units the misalignment between the acceleration nozzle and the receiver nozzle was measured between 6 [u] m (0.00025") and 29 [u]m (0.00114"). This represented a range of 2% to 10% misalignment relative to the acceleration nozzle width. The CSVI Unit 1 and 2 misalignments were measured to be 15 [u]m (0.00061") and 9 [u]m (0.00036"), or 10% and 1.8% relative misalignment, respectively. The virtual impactors were tested with liquid and solid monodisperse aerosol particles. For operation at flow rate conditions predicted from the literature to produce a cutpoint of 0.8 [u]m AD, an acoustic resonance was observed, corresponding to significant nozzle wall losses of particles and an absence of normal particle separation in the virtual impactor. The onset of the resonance phenomenon was observed to begin at a nozzle Reynolds number of approximately 500 for the LSVI configuration, and 300 for the CSVI configuration. For flow rates just below the onset of resonance, normal virtual impactor behavior was observed. The value of Stk₅₀ was 0.58 for both devices, corresponding to a particle cutpoint size of 1.1 [u]m AD for the LSVI configuration and 2.2 [u]m AD for the CSVI. The collection efficiency was greater than 72% for all particle sizes larger than twice the cutpoint up to the largest particle size tested ([unable to reproduce symbol] 10 [u]m AD). The peak collection efficiency for both concentrators was greater than 95%. |
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| Item Description: | Vita. Abstract. "Major Subject: Mechanical Engineering" Title from author supplied metadata (automated record created on Feb. 17, 2005.) Electronic resource. |
| Physical Description: | 1 online resource. |
| Format: | System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references. |