An improved aerosol generator

An aerosolizer has been developed which automatically compensates for changes in the concentration and volume of a solution during aerosolization by adjustment of the temperature and pressure of the atomizing air jet. It represents the redesign of a generator previously used for short-term inhalation exposures (one-half to a few hours) where variability in solution concentration was not of great concern and solutions could be replenished daily. The stability of the original generator was quite inadequate, and it was not satisfactory for production of aerosols of constant physical characteristics over longer or repetitive time periods or where a minimum of manipulation is required--viz., for radioactive and other highly noxious materials. The redesigned aerosolizer should be valuable for long-term or repetitive use, since it requires no cleaning, merely refilling, and can 0e made as small or as large as experimental needs require. It should be particularly useful where correlations between the amount of deposition and aerosol characteristics are being studied.