Aerosol sizing by optical means

Single particle optical counters, which operate on the principle of light scattering, are useful for in situ aerosol size analysis. Several commercial counters were calibrated using ideal and nonideal aerosols. Ideal aerosols with a spherical, smooth surface were generated either by nebulizing PSL suspensions or by feeding solutions of DOP or Cargille index-of-refraction liquids into a vibrating orifice generator. Nonideal, light-absorbing particles of irregular shape were generated by the same vibrating orifice or by a fluidized bed.