Patent ID: 7174767
Filing Date: 2007-02-13
Classification: G01G,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of analysis of the particulate content of an aerosol, comprising: passing reference aerosols of known content over a sample collector which accumulates particles from said aerosol; measuring at least one parameter relating to the respective collected sample of particals; varying at least one condition relating to the respective aerosol sample; monitoring said parameter for the select conditions as said conditions are varied, producing data for said respective aerosol sample relating to said parameter, storing said data; passing an aerosol of unknown particulate content and measuring said parameter for said varying conditions to produce the respective data, wherein said condition is varied cyclically with respect to time and deconvoluting said data against previously stored data using a multivariable non-linear optimization algorithm to produce information relating to the content of the unknown particulate content; collecting the particles by precipitation and with a mass sensor for measuring of the weight of collected particles on the mass sensor versus clansed time; and diluting the sample aerosol at different dilution ratios with clean gas or air, wherein the dilution ratio is varied between 1 and 10.