Development of a two-stage virtual impactor for the generation of micrometer-scale monodisperse aerosols--颗粒学报PARTICUOLOGY

Lim, J.-H., Kim, I., & Yook, S.-J. (2024). Development of a two-stage virtual impactor for the generation of micrometer-scale monodisperse aerosols. Particuology, 95, 189-197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.partic.2024.09.017

Development of a two-stage virtual impactor for the generation of micrometer-scale monodisperse aerosols

Jun-Hyung Lim, Igor Kim, Se-Jin Yook^*

School of Mechanical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea

10.1016/j.partic.2024.09.017

Volume 95, December 2024, Pages 189-197

Received 23 May 2024, Revised 17 September 2024, Accepted 20 September 2024, Available online 3 October 2024, Version of Record 16 October 2024.

E-mail: ysjnuri@hanyang.ac.kr

Highlights

• A device to generate μm-scale solid aerosol particles within a narrow size range was developed.

• Two virtual impactors with clean air cores were connected in series.

• Target particle size range was altered by changing nozzle size and operating flow rate.

• Monodisperse aerosol particles were classified at a geometric standard deviation of 1.04–1.14.

Abstract

Monodisperse particles are useful across a wide range of industrial applications, such as LCD displays, solar cells and rechargeable batteries, due to their uniformly small sizes. However, generating high volumes of monodisperse particles remains challenging. In this study, it was aimed to generate monodisperse aerosols by classifying micrometer-scale solid aerosol particles within a narrow size range. Accordingly, a new particle-size classification device with two virtual impactors connected in series and clean air cores was developed. The first-stage virtual impactor had a slightly larger cutoff size than the second-stage, and the major flow discharged from the first-stage was directed to the second-stage. The target particle size range was altered by changing the nozzle sizes in the first and second stages or by adjusting the flow rate. Subsequently, the classification performance of the two-stage virtual impactor was simulated and validated through an experiment using Arizona test dust. The implemented combinations of cutoff sizes for the first and second stages were 3.0 and 2.0 μm, 3.9 and 2.7 μm, or 6.7 and 4.8 μm. As a result, monodisperse aerosol particles were classified at a geometric standard deviation of 1.04–1.14 and a particle size range of 2–6.7 μm. The two-stage virtual impactor developed herein may be useful for various research and performance evaluations, as it can classify micrometer-scale solid particle aerosols that exhibit high monodispersity.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Virtual impactor; Clean air core; Dust collection efficiency; Monodispersity

文章导读