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Measuring ultrafine aerosols by direct photoionization and charge capture in continuous flow

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

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Authors

Nishida, RT 
Boies, AM 

Abstract

Direct ultraviolet (UV) photoionization enables electrical charging of aerosol nanoparticles with- out relying on the collision of particles and ions. In this work, a low-strength electric field is applied during particle photoionization to capture charge as it is photoemitted from the par- ticles in continuous flow, yielding a novel electrical current measurement. As in conventional photocharging-based measurement devices, a distinct electrical current from the remaining pho- tocharged particles is also measured downstream. The two distinct measured currents are proportional to the total photoelectrically active area of the particles. A three dimensional numerical model for particle and ion (dis)charging and transport is evaluated by comparing simulations of integrated electric currents with those from charged soot particles and ions in an experimental photoionization chamber. The model and experiment show good quantitative agreement for a single empirical constant, KcI, over a range of particle sizes and concentrations providing confidence in the theoretical equations and numerical method used.

Description

Keywords

37 Earth Sciences, 3701 Atmospheric Sciences, 40 Engineering, Bioengineering

Journal Title

Aerosol Science and Technology

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0278-6826
1521-7388

Volume Title

52

Publisher

Informa UK Limited