Efficient Electrostatic Particle-into-liquid Sampler Which Prevents Sampling Artifacts

Abstract

The present invention discloses an efficient electrostatic particle-into-liquid sampler (EPILS). The EPILS collects an aerosol sample in the dry mode and extracts it in the wet mode to prevent sampling artifacts. In the dry mode, a first stage utilizes carbon brushes as discharge electrodes to charge aerosol particles which are then collected on the cylinder wall by the electric field setup between the high-voltage central metal rod and the grounded cylinder in the second stage. In the wet mode, DI water is injected into the EPILS in a pulsation manner by opening and closing solenoid valves intermittently, which dislodges aerosol particles deposited on the cylinder wall effectively to become a liquid aerosol sample. The liquid aerosol sample is then analyzed for chemical compositions manually or automatically.