Abstract
The multicyclone aerosol sampler of Lippmann and Kydonieus has been redesigned for use in underground coal mines. It now includes an intrinsically safe battery-powered brushless dc motor coupled to a vane pump. Particles are collected by seven parallel samplers which surround a common inlet. Six samplers consist of a 10-mm nylon cyclone and a filter in series. Each cyclone operates at a different flow and has a different size cut. The seventh sampler is a filter alone. Analysis of the seven filter samples permits the construction of a size-mass distribution curve describing the airborne aerosol. Cyclone collection efficiencies were determind for aerodynamic particle sizes from 0.3 to 8 microns and for flow rates between 0.9 and 30 liters/min. The effects of particle electric charge, cyclone orientation, aerosol concentration, sample mass collected, and sampling rate pulsations on cyclone collection were also determined.