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Low-cost wind tunnel for aerosol inhalation studies
I P Chung1, D Dunn-Rankin, R F Phalen
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Irvine 92717.
American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal
|April 1, 1992
Summary
A new, affordable wind tunnel effectively disperses small aerosol particles for research. Performance tests confirm its capability in maintaining particle uniformity for aerosol studies.
Area of Science:
- Engineering
- Environmental Science
- Aerosol Science
Background:
- Aerosol studies require controlled environments for accurate measurements.
- Existing wind tunnels can be expensive and inaccessible for some research settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and construct a low-cost wind tunnel suitable for aerosol research.
- To evaluate the performance of the wind tunnel in terms of aerosol uniformity.
Main Methods:
- A commercial nebulizer generated test aerosols (2- and 0.46-micron particles).
- A custom four-hole injector introduced aerosols into the wind tunnel.
- An optical particle counter measured particle concentration and distribution.
Main Results:
- The wind tunnel demonstrated good performance in maintaining aerosol uniformity.
- Velocity profiles and particle concentration distributions were evaluated at two flow rates.
- The system proved effective for studies involving small aerosol particles.
Conclusions:
- The developed low-cost wind tunnel is a viable tool for aerosol research.
- The system's performance is suitable for experiments requiring uniform small particle dispersion.
- This design offers an accessible solution for aerosol uniformity studies.