DE102017008876A1 - A method for collecting aerosol particles from the air by means of a mobile or portable collecting device and associated mobile or portable collecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for collecting aerosol particles (2) from the air by means of a mobile or portable collecting device (20), characterized in that the collecting device (20) has an air inlet (22), a separating unit (24) for separating the aerosol particles to be collected (2) and a blower (26), and that, independently of a movement of the collecting device (20) the air is sucked by the blower (26) via the air inlet (22) and passed through the separation unit (24) and the Aerosol particles (2) are deposited from the air.

Description

The invention relates to a method for collecting aerosol particles from the air, in particular for collecting solid aerosol particles from the air, by means of a mobile or portable collecting device and an associated mobile or portable collecting device.

The ambient or ambient air surrounding us forms an aerosol, i. a two-phase system consisting of a gas and a particle phase with solid or liquid particles, such as pollen grains, spores or particulate matter. The determination of these aerosol particles by type and concentration is of interest for many scientific and application disciplines.

In agriculture, for example, the concentration of pollen grains is important not only in terms of the yield of crops, but also in terms of the spread of harmful fungal spores or genetically modified plant matter through the atmospheric air. In order to determine the concentration of these aerosol particles, the use of manned and unmanned aerial vehicles with aerosol particle collecting devices mounted thereon is known from the prior art in addition to stationary aerosol particle collecting devices.

Schmale et al .: Development and Application of an Autoriomous Aerial Vehicle for Precise Aerobiological Sampling above Agricultural Fields, Journal of Field Robotics 25 (3), 133-147 (2008), is a model airplane equipped with an internal combustion engine with a span of 2 , 4 m, on which 100 mm diameter Petri dishes are mounted as collecting equipment, which are covered during takeoff and landing of the model airplane and are held in flight during the 15-minute sampling in the air stream, causing the in-air Aerosol particles are deposited on the provided with an adhesive layer Petri dishes. The model aircraft is equipped with an automatic flight control and a positioning system so that predetermined positions can be approached automatically, for example to fly at an altitude of 60 to 300 m over an agricultural crop field and to collect the aerosol particles.

Compared to manned aircraft, such unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can be used to improve the possibilities of use, in particular the acquisition and operating costs are reduced and the exhaust and noise pollution of the environment is reduced.

From the DE 10 2012 108 179 A1 An airborne radioactivity measurement system with an unmanned drone is known.

From the DE 90 06 535 U1 Measuring device for airborne hazardous substances is known in which at least one sensor is formed with an electrochemical sensor and is connected via an intake passage and a metering pump with a suction port.

From the RU 128 868 U1 For example, a system for detecting radioactive material is known, the system comprising an unmanned aerial vehicle with a radiation detector and a video camera.

From the CN 104 477 398 A For example, an ionizing radiation detection device based on a remote-controlled quadcopter is known.

From the US 2009/0212157 A1 is a miniaturized surveillance aircraft drone known.

The invention has for its object to provide a method for collecting aerosol particles from the air by means of a mobile or portable collecting device and an associated collecting device, with which the possible applications can be further improved. In one embodiment, the concentration of the aerosol particles is to be determined with high time and spatial resolution, i. It should be possible to determine the concentration of the aerosol particles at a precise position as possible in space with the shortest possible duration of sampling.

This object is achieved by the method defined in claim 1 and by the specific collection device in claim 9. Particular embodiments of the invention are defined in the subclaims.

In one embodiment, the object is achieved by a method for collecting aerosol particles from the air by means of a mobile or portable collecting device, wherein the collecting device comprises an air inlet, a separation unit for separating the aerosol particles to be collected and a fan, and wherein independent of a movement of the collecting device the air is sucked in by means of the blower via the air inlet and passed through the separation unit and thereby the aerosol particles are separated from the air.

The fan is preferably electrically operable by means of a mobile electrochemical energy store. If the collector is operated on a vehicle or aircraft, the Energy storage of the vehicle or aircraft are used for the operation of the blower.

In order to enable a mobile or portable use, it is advantageous if the entire air sucked in via the air inlet is fed to the separation unit, in particular also to a baffle separator. As a result, with intake air flow rates of, for example, less than 500 liters per minute, in particular less than 300 liters per minute and preferably less than 200 liters per minute, even during a short sampling period of less than 10 minutes, in particular less than 5 minutes and preferably less than 3 minutes, a sufficiently large volume of air for a meaningful sampling be sampled.

It is particularly advantageous that - regardless of a movement of the mobile collecting device - through the operation of the blower, the collecting device is traversed by the air to be sampled and thereby the aerosol particles are separated from the air and thereby collected. The collector may be portable and may include, for example, a handle for transporting or orienting the air inlet during collection of the aerosol particles. Alternatively or additionally, the collecting device can also be mounted on a land, air or water vehicle and operated while driving or in flight.

In one embodiment, the aerosol particles are deposited in the deposition unit on a preferably visible transparent light impact surface of a baffle. Preferably, the aerosol particles are impacted on the baffle. For this purpose, the baffle surface is preferably adhesive or binds the impinging aerosol particles in a different manner. The baffle may for example be formed by a gelatin layer.

In one embodiment, the air is directed by means of a free jet on the baffle, wherein the baffle can be arranged obliquely or transversely to the free jet. It is particularly advantageous if the free jet and the impact surface include an angle of more than 45 ° and less than 135 °, in particular more than 70 ° and less than 115 °, and preferably more than 85 ° and less than 95 °. The angle between the baffle surface and the free jet can also be changed manually or by a motor, in order to achieve or to improve a selectivity with regard to the aerosol particles to be collected.

In one embodiment, the flow rate of the air in the separation unit can be regulated, for example by a corresponding control of the fan or by connecting a bypass. As a result, the flow rate can be adapted to the type and / or number of aerosol particles to be collected. Thus, some aerosol particles, especially small and light aerosol particles, require a higher flow rate in the separation unit, and in particular in an impingement separator, to ensure separation and collection.

In one embodiment, the collecting device is arranged on a preferably unmanned vehicle or aircraft, in particular on an aircraft capable of hovering, and the collection of the aerosol particles takes place during operation of the vehicle or aircraft. In this case, for example, in the case of an aircraft, in particular an aircraft capable of hovering, such as a rotorcraft, the downdraft generated by the rotating propellers of the aircraft can advantageously be utilized by a suitable geometry and / or arrangement and / or orientation and / or orientation of the air inlet in order to achieve high capture efficiency the air intake can be achieved. The aircraft may but need not necessarily have lifted and be in flight, but the collection of the aerosol particles can also be done while only at least one of the propellers of the aircraft is in operation.

In one embodiment, multiple collection devices are operated simultaneously, either on a common land or air vehicle, or on multiple land or air vehicles. For example, several aircraft at different positions may take samples of the air, for example a swarm of flying drones equipped with collecting devices according to the invention. The flying drones can be controlled by one or a few operators or even fly completely autonomously.

In one embodiment, in addition to collecting the particles, counting of the aerosol particles, for example with an optical particle counter (OPC), and / or in-situ analysis or sorting of the aerosol particles, for example by cytometric methods, in particular flow cytometry, is performed. In this case, the modules of the particle counting and / or the cytometry may be connected in parallel or in series with the collecting device with respect to the air guide, in the case of the serial arrangement being upstream of the collecting device.

In one embodiment, the separation unit is inaccessible to particle separation outside operation of the collection device, particularly outside of operation of the blower. For example, the separation unit and in particular the impact surface of an impact separator can be closed and / or with preferably filtered air be backwashed as long as the process of collecting the aerosol container is not started and / or after this process has ended. This can prevent that, for example, during a movement of the collecting device, for example, on an aircraft in the climb or descent, the air inlet is flown and an unwanted entry of aerosol particles in the collecting takes place.

In one embodiment, the direction and / or the amount of wind is determined during operation of the vehicle or aircraft, in particular from the position of the vehicle or aircraft with respect to at least one of the three spatial axes and / or from the control or the current flow in the electric drive motors of the vehicle or aircraft. This is particularly advantageous in aircraft, especially in aircraft capable of hovering. For example, modern multicopters or flying drones have sensors that detect not only the position of the aircraft in space, but also the attitude angles of the aircraft with respect to the three mutually orthogonal spatial axes. From these angles, either directly on board the aircraft and / or after telemetry of this data to a ground station, the prevailing crosswind can be determined. Alternatively or additionally, the control and / or the electrical currents of the drive motors of the aircraft can be evaluated to determine the prevailing wind conditions.

In one embodiment, the invention is achieved by a mobile or even portable collecting device, which has an air inlet, a separation unit for separating the aerosol particles to be collected and a blower. If the collecting device has dimensions of less than 50 cm x 50 cm x 50 cm and a weight of less than 3 kg, in particular less than 2 kg and preferably less than 1.2 kg, the collecting device can be attached to an unmanned aerial vehicle in a particularly simple manner especially on an unmanned rotorcraft.

By using a rotorcraft, such as a helicopter, a very high spatial resolution of the determination of the type and concentration of the aerosol particles can be achieved because a rotorcraft can float during sampling at a predetermined point in space. However, in this case, the relative movement of the aircraft relative to the surrounding air is so low that the known from the prior art utilization of the flow of the collector due to the flight movement does not lead to sufficient separation of the aerosol particles. Although it could be used for a flow of the collecting device caused by the rotary downwind for example, by the collector is placed at a suitable point in the downdraft, but this solution should not be applied in the present invention.

Rather, the collecting device according to the invention on a preferably electrically operated blower, which generates an air flow, sucked by the air to be sampled via an air inlet from the surrounding air and the air flow thus generated with a comparison with the downdraft generated by the aircraft increased speed via a separation unit is performed, in which the aerosol particles to be collected are separated from the air flow. Due to the increased compared to the downwash of rotorcraft flow velocity of the air to be sampled within a shortened period of sampling, a sufficient volume of air can be sampled. This leads to a high temporal resolution of the results.

The achievable by the inventive device combination of high spatial and high temporal resolution of the determination of the type and concentration of the collected aerosol particles allows reliable knowledge not only about the current load of air with aerosol particles, but also a more accurate determination of the origin of the aerosol particles. This is of particular importance in terms of particulate matter pollution in cities, for example, because it allows a more precise determination of particulate matter sources.

In addition, the high spatial and temporal resolution makes it possible to improve the simulation models of, for example, particulate matter or pollen dispersal and thus a more reliable prediction of the expected particulate matter or pollen load.

In one embodiment, the rotorcraft is a multicopter having at least three, in particular at least four and preferably at least six rotors. The higher number of rotors compared to a helicopter offers improved flight stability and thus aviation safety, thereby simplifying the possibility of autonomous or semi-autonomous flying. If the multicopter has more than three rotors, in particular if the multicopter has more than four rotors, the controllability of the aircraft is maintained even if one rotor fails.

By using a multicopper, a versatile floating platform is provided, on which several control, measuring and / or collecting devices can be arranged at a suitable position if required. For example, the air intake of the Collecting device should not be located directly in the downwind of the rotor. For certain fields of application and / or certain aerosol particles, it is advantageous to arrange the air inlet of the collecting device centrically relative to the positions of the rotors on the multicopter. On the other hand, there are also applications, for example, depending on the wind conditions, in which it is advantageous to arrange the air inlet eccentric with respect to the positions of the rotors on the multicopter. In one embodiment of the device according to the invention, therefore, the position of the air inlet with respect to the positions of the rotors of the multicopters can be adjustable.

In one embodiment, the separation unit between the air inlet and fan is arranged, preferably the separation unit is connected directly or only via a connecting pipe to the air inlet. The fan draws the air through the air inlet to the separation unit. Preferably, the end of the air inlet facing the separation unit has the same cross-sectional area or even the same cross-sectional contour as the end of the separation unit facing the air inlet. As a result, a turbulence-free as possible air flow is achieved and prevents deposition of the aerosol particles at an undesirable location.

In one embodiment, the separation unit has a baffle separator with which the aerosol particles to be collected can be separated from the air on a baffle surface which is preferably transparent to visible light. As an alternative or in addition to a baffle separator, a filter element can also be used as a separation unit. By using an impact separator, however, high air volume flows can be achieved even with a comparatively low blower output. This not only protects the energy reserves of the airworthy device, but also leads to the fact that within a short time a sufficiently large volume of air can be sampled. The baffle surface is preferably flat, which simplifies, for example, the microscopic evaluation of the aerosol particles deposited on the baffle surface. For a transmitted light microscopic evaluation, it is also advantageous if the baffle surface or the sample support forming the baffle surface is transparent to visible light.

In one embodiment, the impact separator can also have a plurality of baffles or a plurality of sample carriers forming the baffles, which can be positioned automatically or remotely controllable in the free jet of the baffle separator. For example, the impact separator can have an impact turret with a plurality of baffles, which can be successively brought into the free jet by turning the impact turret. Thus, several samples can be carried out within a flight, for example at different vertical or horizontal spatial positions.

In one embodiment, the baffle separator is nozzle-less, preferably the cross-sectional area of the air duct in the separation unit is constant, at least up to the end of the air duct facing the baffle and the exit of the free jet. As a result, deposition of the aerosol particles to be collected at an undesired location is reliably prevented.

In addition, the air volume flow is higher than when using a nozzle, which in turn a shorter time duration of sampling and thus a higher temporal resolution of the results can be achieved.

In one embodiment, the air inlet of the collecting device is arranged above at least one rotary wing of the aircraft, preferably above all rotary wings of the aircraft. Investigations have shown that as a result the air flow can be taken from a region of space in which comparatively small turbulences occur and thus the sampling by the collecting device is representative of the surrounding ambient air.

In one embodiment, the vertical distance between the air inlet and the adjacent rotary vane is more than 25% of the diameter of the adjacent rotary vane, in particular more than 55% and preferably more than 95%. As a result, the air inlet takes place from a spatial area in which the surrounding air is only slightly swirled by the downdraft of the rotors, and there is no distortion of the result of the sampling.

In one embodiment, the air inlet is widened towards its free end, in particular conical or widened in the form of a hyperboloid. By adapted to the dimensions of the air inlet fan power sucked from the fan via the air inlet into the collector air in the region of entry into the air inlet in magnitude and / or direction substantially the same speed as that in the immediate vicinity of the air inlet moving Air. The sucking of the air into the collecting device is thus essentially isokinetic and / or isoaxial; in any case, the remaining differences in magnitude and direction do not cause a significant falsification of the result of the sampling. For example, the difference between the amount of intake air speed and the ambient air speed may be less than 50% of the higher speed amount, in particular less than 30% and preferably less than 25%.

Due to the expansion takes place in the course of the intake as uniform as possible acceleration of the intake air. This makes it possible, for example, more than 15 m / s, more preferably more than 30 m / s and preferably more than 45 m / s, the flow rate required for efficient deposition, depending on the type, mass, size and shape of the aerosol particles to be deposited to achieve even with isokinetic sampling. In a preferred embodiment, the flow velocity in the region of the outlet of the free jet in the separation unit is between 30 m / s and 100 m / s, in particular between 40 m / s and 65 m / s.

In one embodiment, the opening of the air inlet is more than 2 cm ² and less than 250 cm ² , in particular more than 4 cm ² and less than 150 cm ² and preferably more than 8 cm ² and less than 60 cm ² . This can be achieved in coordination with the clear width of the air line in the collecting device, in particular with the clear width in a baffle, even with essentially isokinetic sampling, the flow rates required for sufficient separation of, for example, pollen grains.

In one embodiment, the air inlet is oriented vertically upwards. This is particularly advantageous for hovering or vertical flight and for substantially windless ambient air, because then the air is isoaxially sucked into the air inlet.

In one embodiment, the air inlet relative to the aircraft is pivotable, in particular pivotable about a horizontal axis or pivotable about two mutually perpendicular and preferably horizontal axes. This is advantageous if the sampling is to take place during a horizontal flight, for example, when the pollen concentration is to be measured along the edge of a corn field, or if there is a significant wind speed. In this case, the air inlet can be pivoted such that the sampling takes place isoaxial despite the horizontal flight or the wind speed.

In one embodiment, the blower is controllable and thereby adjustable by the fan in the separation unit air flow adjustable. As a result, an isokinetic sampling is ensured, for example, even with changing wind conditions. In addition, the flow velocity in the collecting device, in particular in a baffle separator, can thereby be adapted to the aerosol particles to be collected.

In one embodiment, the flow rate of the air volume flow in the separation unit is more than 25 l / min and less than 2,000 l / min, more preferably more than 50 l / min and less than 1,500 l / min and preferably more than 100 l / min and less than 1,000 l / min. The flow velocity must be sufficiently large, in particular when using an impact separator in the separation unit, in order to ensure a reliable separation of the aerosol particles to be collected. The required flow rate depends on the type, mass, size and shape of the aerosol particles to be collected. Provided that the once deposited on the baffle aerosol particles adhere reliably, an increase in the flow velocity tends to increase the deposition rate. Accordingly, for each type of aerosol particle, there is a threshold flow velocity above which deposition of, for example, more than 95% is ensured.

In one embodiment, the collecting device further comprises a volume flow sensor with which the air volume flow flowing through the separation unit can be measured. This ensures that the sampled air volume can be determined reliably and, above all, in situ, even when the flow velocity in the collecting device changes, for example as a result of a decreasing blower output.

• 1 zeigt eine Seitenansicht eines Ausführungsbeispiels einer erfindungsgemäßen flugfähigen Vorrichtung zum Einsammeln von Aerosolpartikeln aus der Luft,
• 2 zeigt detailreicher und in vergrößerter Darstellung eine Seitenansicht der Sammeleinrichtung der 1,
• 3 zeigt eine lichtmikroskopische Aufnahme eines Probenträgers mit abgeschiedenen Aerosolpartikeln, und
• 4 zeigt einen vergrößerten Ausschnitt des Fotos der 3.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the subclaims and the following description in which an embodiment is described in detail with reference to the drawings. The features mentioned in the claims and in the description may each be essential to the invention individually or in any desired combination.

• 1 shows a side view of an embodiment of an airworthy device according to the invention for collecting aerosol particles from the air,
• 2 shows more detailed and enlarged view of a side view of the collection of the 1 .
• 3 shows a light micrograph of a sample carrier with deposited aerosol particles, and
• 4 shows an enlarged section of the photo of the 3 ,

The 1 shows a side view of an embodiment of an airworthy device according to the invention 1 for collecting aerosol particles 2 from the air. The device 1 has an unmanned and remotely controllable aircraft 10 and a collecting device disposed thereon 20 for collecting the aerosol particles 2 on. According to the invention is the aircraft 10 a rotorcraft. In the exemplary embodiment, a multicopter with a total of six rotors 12 all in a horizontal plane 42 are arranged and each a two-bladed propeller 14 having a diameter of about 40 cm. The collecting device 20 has an air inlet 22 , a separation unit 24 for separating the aerosol particles to be collected 2 , a volumetric flow sensor 28 and a fan 26 on.

The rotors 12 or the associated motors 16 are via support arms 52 on a central plate 50 of the aircraft 10 arranged. At the central plate 50 can also use the collection facility 20 as well as further, in the 1 not shown, but for the operation of the aircraft or the device 1 required or advantageous components of the device 1 be attached, the attachment directly or indirectly by an intermediate element 60 can be done. In the rotors 12 Opposite direction extends the landing gear 54 of the aircraft 10 ,

Every rotor 12 is of an individually associated and preferably brushless electric motor 16 driven. The control of the total of six electric motors 16 , which is decisive for the flight behavior and in particular the stability of a possible hovering, as well as the electrical energy supply by a rechargeable electrochemical energy storage is not shown, since this is commercially available components of the aircraft 10 is.

In the 1 is the ready to fly state of the device 1 shown in which the device has an outer diameter of rotor blade tip to rotor blade tip of about 130 cm and a take-off weight of 4.5 kg. This allows flight times of typically 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the airspeed, altitude and the density of air at the site. The maximum vertical climbing speed is about 5 m / s, so that, if necessary, altitudes of more than 1,000 m can be reached.

The aircraft 10 the device 1 is controllable via a radio remote control, could fly on demand and depending on the control technology used but also autonomously or at least teilautautonom. The same or a further radio remote control is also the collecting device 20 controllable, in particular the blower 26 can be switched on or off or its performance can be regulated.

The vertical distance 44 the upper free end of the air inlet 22 to the adjacent rotor 12 in the exemplary embodiment is about 40 cm, thus about as much as the diameter of the propeller 14 , Lateral is the air intake 22 in the illustrated embodiment eccentric with respect to the mid-vertical axis of the aircraft 10 arranged, but can also be arranged centrally if necessary.

The 2 shows more detailed and enlarged view of a side view of the collector 20 of the 1 , The representations of the 1 and 2 are not to scale, but some components are shown enlarged for the purpose of explaining the operation. The air intake 22 is formed by a kind of funnel, which has the shape of a hyperboloid in the embodiment. In the air intake 22 become the aerosol particles 2 starting from the speed at the free end of the air inlet 22 which is essentially the flow rate of the air intake 22 outside flowing air corresponds to the higher value in the cylindrical, in particular circular cylindrical pipe 56 accelerated. At its free end, the air intake 22 a circular contour with a diameter of 7 cm. The circular cylindrical pipeline 56 has an inner diameter of 0.9 cm. The aspect ratio between the free end of the air inlet 22 and the pipeline 56 is about 60: 1. If you increase the pressure in the course of the air intake 22 and the pipeline 56 neglected, the air flows in the pipeline 56 therefore about 60 times faster than at the free end of the air intake 22 ,

In the exemplary embodiment, the pipeline leads 56 into the separation unit 24 and there may also be part of the impact separator, with which the air flow as a free jet and preferably nozzle-free on a flat baffle 32 is directed. The baffle 32 is through a sample carrier 34 Made of glass, on the in the area below the end of the pipeline 56 a visible light transparent adhesive layer 36 is applied with a thickness of about 1 mm, to which the aerosol particles adhere. The in the 2 sectional adhesive layer 36 is circular in plan view and is of a likewise circular support ring 38 enclosed, the drainage of the adhesive layer 36 , For example, due to the influence of the free jet or due to increased temperature reliably prevented. The clear width of the support ring 38 is more than 10% larger, in particular more than 20%, and preferably more than 35%, as the inside diameter of the pipeline 56 ,

At a flow rate in the pipeline 56 of about 50 m / s and a distance between the end of the pipeline 56 and the layer 36 between 50% and 200% of the clear width of the pipeline 56 should correspond and in the embodiment is about 10 to 15 mm, in any case more than 95% of the aerosol particles, in particular the pollen grains, on the baffle 32 deposited. Higher flow velocities tend to result in a higher deposition rate, especially of the smaller particles, provided that they are sufficiently firmly attached to the layer 36 be liable or impacted and not be replaced by the free jet again.

By using a sample holder that is transparent to light 34 can the collected aerosol particles 2 be quickly and easily analyzed with a light microscope or a digital camera, if necessary, automatically by using pattern recognition and / or still on site by appropriate portable equipment. This possibility of rapid evaluation represents a particular advantage, so that the collecting device 20 possibly also independent of the aircraft 10 new and inventive.

The results obtained so far suggest that at least with a suitable choice of the geometry of the air inlet 22 and the pipeline 56 as well as the power of the blower 26 not only pollen grains and spores can be completely separated and collected, but also fine dust and bacteria with a typical size of 1 to 10 microns. In addition, probably also aerosol particles 2 with a size of less than 1 micron, for example, the particularly dangerous ultrafine dusts and possibly also bacteria with a typical size of 0.1 microns.

On the air intake 22 opposite side becomes a continuing pipeline 58 from the separation unit 24 led out. The vertical continuing pipeline 58 has a bend of 90 °, but only by the special structural requirements due to the aircraft used in the embodiment 10 are conditional. In the horizontal section of the continuing pipeline 58 is an element 18 arranged to equalize the air flow. Subsequently, the collection device 20 a volume flow sensor 28 on, for example, with a measuring range of 0 to 1,000 liters / minute. After that is the blower 26 Arranging the air through the entire collection device 20 sucks and mechanically on the central plate 50 of the aircraft 10 can be attached.

The 3 shows a light micrograph of a sample carrier 34 with deposited aerosol particles, and the 4 shows an enlarged section of the photo of the 3 , The duration of sampling was only five minutes and was conducted in March in an open field near Tübingen. The numerous collected and obviously very different in terms of type and size aerosol particles prove the effectiveness of the collection device 20 ,

In the enlarged view of the 4 are different pollen grains 40 of hazel, birch, poplar and yew with a maximum extent in the image area of 20 to 40 microns can be seen, also numerous black soot particles 46 with an extent of 5 to 15 μm as well as some transparent mineral particles 48 with different extent. The still visible smaller aerosol particles with a maximum extent of at least less than 5 microns suggest that with the collection device of the invention 20 Also so-called fine dust particles of the size class PM2.5 can be deposited and possibly also fine dust in the sub-micrometer range.

In contrast to optical particle counters, the collecting device according to the invention offers 20 the advantage that not only a numerical value of the particle load is output as a result, but that the aerosol particles 2 on a sample carrier 34 for immediate further analysis, for example on their chemical composition. This result is achieved with a portable and highly mobile collection device 20 according to the invention even on an unmanned aerial vehicle 10 can be attached, and with a duration of sampling of only a few minutes.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102012108179 A1 [0006]
• DE 9006535 U1 [0007]
• RU 128868 U1 [0008]
• CN 104477398 A [0009]
• US 2009/0212157 A1 [0010]

Claims (10)

Method for collecting aerosol particles (2) from the air by means of a mobile or portable collecting device (20), characterized in that the collecting device (20) comprises an air inlet (22), a separating unit (24) for separating the aerosol particles (2) to be collected a fan (26), and that, independently of a movement of the collecting device (20), the air is sucked in via the air inlet (22) by means of the blower (26) and passed through the separation unit (24) and thereby the aerosol particles (2) be separated from the air. Method according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the aerosol particles (2) are deposited in the separation unit (24) on a preferably transparent to visible light baffle surface (32) of a baffle (30), preferably be impacted. Method according to Claim 2 , characterized in that the air in the separation unit (24) is directed by means of a free jet on the baffle surface (32), wherein the free jet and the baffle surface (32) preferably include a right angle. Method according to Claim 3 , characterized in that the flow velocity of the free jet in the region of its outlet is more than 15 m / s, in particular more than 30 m / s and preferably more than 45 m / s. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 4 , characterized in that the flow velocity of the air in the separation unit (24) is controllable, for example by a corresponding control of the blower (26). Method according to one of Claims 1 to 5 , characterized in that the separation unit (24) outside an operation of the collecting device (20), in particular outside an operation of the blower (26), is inaccessible for particle separation. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 6 , characterized in that the collecting device (20) is arranged on a preferably unmanned vehicle or aircraft (10), in particular on an aircraft capable of hovering (10), and that the collection of the aerosol particles (2) during operation of the vehicle or aircraft (10). Method according to Claim 7 , characterized in that during operation of the vehicle or aircraft (10) the direction and / or the amount of the wind is determined, in particular from the position of the vehicle or aircraft (10) with respect to at least one of the three spatial axes and / or from the control or the current flow in the electric drive motors of the vehicle or aircraft (10). Collecting device (20) for collecting aerosol particles (2) from the air, wherein the collecting device is mobile or portable, characterized in that the collecting device (20) an air inlet (22), a separation unit (24) for separating the aerosol particles to be collected (2 ) and a fan (26). Collection device (20) according to Claim 9 , characterized in that the separation unit (24) has a baffle separator (30), by means of which the aerosol particles (2) to be collected can be separated from the air on a baffle surface (32) which is preferably transparent to visible light.

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