Battery powered, portable fine dust
measurement device with detachable control panel, for outdoor, indoor
and workplace measurements
Benefits
• Continuous and simultaneous real-time measurement of PM1, PM2.5, PM10 and TSP-values
• Additional particle number concentration and particle size distribution
• Wide measuring range: 180 nm – 100 µm
• Adjustable time resolution from 1 s
• Direct comparison of different measurements
• Configuration of limit values possible
• High quality of measuring data through implementation of the sensor / evaluation algorithm of EN-certified Fidas® 200
• Additonal expanded range of applications
by possible separation of the measuring device and the Tablet-PC for
control (communication via WLAN)
• Up to eight hours of measurement time in battery mode
• Ergonomic design and low weight
• Intuitive and simple operation
• Integrated camera for documentation of the measurement
• Export function for measured data
• Possibility to generate a measurement report as pdf in Fidas® Frog
• Remote monitoring and control via network integration easily possible
• PDAnalyze Fidas® software for individual analysis of your measurement data on an external PC
• Check of calibration with test powder on site possible
• Reliable function
• Few maintenance
• No radioactive material
• No consumables
• Sensors for barometric pressure, temperature and rel. air humidity
Description
The fine dust measurement device Fidas® Frog allows for a fast, reliable and
quality-assured determination of fine dust e.g. monitoring within the
scope of Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) management at workplaces
(exposure assessment) or in the range of indoor air quality measurements
(e.g. for offices, public buildings such as schools, passenger
compartments…) .
It measures simultaneously the
environmentally relevant mass fractions PM1 , PM2.5, PM4, PM10, TSP as
well as the particle number and the particle size distribution within
the particle size range of 0.18 – 100 µm. By providing fine dust values
with high time resolution, the operator receives comprehensive
information for evaluation and assessment of the fine dust pollution for
the investigated application.
The very compact and light design as a
portable hand-held monitor with either battery or mains power operation
as well as the operation time of up to 8 hours per battery charge, allow
for a flexible application of the Fidas® Frog at any measurement sites.
Fig. 1: Fidas® Frog
Fidas® Frog communicates via WLAN with its
wireless operator´s panel (Tablet). By this it is possible to perform
measurements with a distance between the measurement site itself and the
operator of the Fidas® Frog, e.g. for sites difficult to access. This concept furthermore allows for the integration of one or more Fidas® Frog in an existing network and the control
of the connected devices from one central PC, e.g. for area-wide
monitoring of a production facility.
Fidas® Frog uses the recognized measurement
technology of optical light scattering of single particles and is
equipped with a LED light source with high intensity (dp min = 180 nm),
highly stable output and long lifetime. The sensor and the evaluation
routines of the Fidas® Frog are also used in the Fidas® 200, which is certified for monitoring of PM2.5 and PM10 in ambient air by TÜV/Umweltbundesamt and
which have been validated in comprehensive comparison campaigns versus
the gravimetric reference method. By implementing this well-approved
technique and by the numerous measures for quality assurances during the
production (e.g. comparison of each Fidas® Frog with a certified Fidas® 200), precise and quality-assured measurements can be ensured.
The calibration of the system can be checked
and adjusted, if necessary, easily and quickly also under field
conditions on site at any time with the help of a monodisperse test
powder.
Fidas® Frog operates with a volume flow of 1.4
l/min and is equipped with sensors for environmental conditions,
temperature, atmospheric pressure and relative humidity.
Principle of measurement
The actual aerosol sensor is an optical
aerosol spectrometer that determines the particle size using Lorenz‐Mie
scattered light analysis of single particles. The single particles move
through an optically differentiated measurement volume that is
homogeneously illuminated with white light. Each particle generates a
scattered light impulse that is detected at an angle of 85° to 95°
degrees. The particle number is measured based on the number of
scattered light impulses. The level of the scattered light impulse is a
measure of the particle size diameter.
The lower detection limit for immission
measurement was able to be reduced to 180 nm through improved optics,
higher light density using a new white LED as the light source, and
improved signal analysis (logarithmic analog digital converter). This
enables greatly improved detection, especially of smaller particles,
which are mainly found at high concentrations near roadsides (see Fig.
2).
Fig. 2: Higher sensitivity with the Fidas® fine dust measurement system for the 0.18 – 18 µm particle size range
The better the classification accuracy and
the resolution capacity, the more accurate the definition of the
particle size distribution.
Using a white light source enables a precise
and unambiguous calibration curve to be obtained, resulting in an
extremely high size resolution. The T-stop provides a precisely
defined optical measurement volume and enables particle measurement
without border-zone errors, resulting in a precise size measurement. The
new digitized electronic signal analysis system enables the rapid
identification and correction of coincidence, as necessary.
Fig. 3: Comparison of the algorithms for conversion of the particle size distribution by PM values
In order to convert the measured values into
a mass or mass fraction, the high-resolution particle size distribution
in each value is multiplied by a correlation factor that reflects the
different sources (e.g. combustion aerosols, tire wear, pollen) of the
environmental aerosol (see Fig. 3). A mass fraction is obtained by
additionally applying the separation curve to the determined particle
size distribution. Multiple separation curves can be used simultaneously
for the same size distribution, which enables the simultaneous output
of PM10, PM2.5, PM1 (and others). For example the Fidas® Frog can be operated with the same
conversion algorithm, which has also been implemented in the
type-approved and certified ambient air monitoring system Fidas® 200 for regulatory monitoring of ambient PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations.
Operation
The operation of the Fidas® Frog is intuitive and simple. With the
operator interface, all measured data can be evaluated and compared
directly. Already during the measurement, messages on exceeded limit
values are possible. These limit values can be defined either based on
legal requirements or on individual needs (see limit values in fig. 4).
#ff0000
Fig. 4: Display of measured values during a measurement
An integrated camera is documenting the
measurement set-up. By this pictures can be added for documentation
directly and in a comfortable way to the measured data set or the
measurement report in pdf, generated by the device itself. Fig. 5 shows
such a measurement report in pdf including data of the measurement
conditions saved by the user and graphical evaluation of the measurement
data. Pictures of a workplace measurement have exemplarily been
attached to this measurement report as well.
Fig. 5: Example for a measurement report (page 1 and 2)
The measured data can either directly be
printed or transfered to an USB-stick via the micro-USB-port and be
processed on an external PC. In this case, the evaluation software
PDAnalyze Fidas® offers various data evaluations especially for the particle size distribution and it offers possibilities for export.