Electrooptical System and Technique for Direct Quantitative Measurement of the Mass Concentration of Monodisperse Aerosols.

This invention relates to an electrooptical system and technique for direct quantitative measurement of the mass concentration of monodisperse aerosols by means of filling an enclosed chamber with a cloud or a sequence of separate clouds of essentially transparent and spherical, aerosolized particles or droplets of known density and known or selectively controlled particle size. While within the confines of the chamber the cloud, or each of the sequence of clouds, of aerosolized particles is maintained in a homogeneous condition and irradiated with a beam of high-intensity and constant wavelength irradiation selected to possess a wavelength to particle size ratio wherein attenuation of the irradiation will be almost exclusively, if not nearly entirely, attributable to optical scattering. The mass concentration of the cloud, or each of the sequence of clouds, of aerosolized particles is directly and quantitatively measured, or monitored, as a direct function of the measured magnitude, or intensity, of the attenuated beam of irradiation transmitted through the cloud. The results provide a reliably accurate measurement to within a minimal margin of error or- 10 or less.