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Published on: July 25, 2014
Multicomponent error model for mass measurement based size fractionating aerosol samplers.
1Health Sciences Center, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, USA.
Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
|February 8, 2000
Summary
Experimental errors in aerosol size distribution measurements can be complex. A new error model accounts for various error types, improving accuracy for aerosol concentration and size distribution determination.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Mass-based aerosol sampling devices like impactors are prone to experimental errors affecting size distribution.
- These errors can be additive, multiplicative, or power-function based, often combining non-linearly.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a comprehensive error theory for aerosol sampling devices.
- To estimate error bounds for measured aerosol size distributions and concentrations.
Main Methods:
- Extension of the Rocke and Lorenzato model for measurement errors.
- Inclusion of generalized parameters for empirical transformations and non-linear factors like bounce and entry losses.
Main Results:
- A theoretical multi-compartment error model was developed.
- Numerical examples demonstrated the feasibility of estimating error bounds for impactor measurements.
Conclusions:
- A complete error theory must integrate diverse functional relationships.
- Heuristic reductions can simplify complex error estimation processes for aerosol sampling data.
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