Sampling of carbon fiber aerosols

Abstract

This paper describes theoretical and experimental studies undertaken in connection with the problem of sampling carbon fiber aerosols in an ambient environment. Calculations indicate that carbon fiber aerosols with an 8-μm fiber diameter and a density of 1.8 g/cm3 can be sampled by a sampler designed to collect particles in the 10–30–μm aerodynamic diameter range if fibers up to a few millimeters in length are to be collected. An approach is then described in which carbon fiber aerosols are collected in the impactor of the inlet of a dichotomous sampler. Experimental data are presented showing that the impaction characteristics of the carbon fiber aerosol can be predicted with a reasonable degree of accuracy by approximating the shape of the fibers by a prolate ellipsoid. © 1983 Elsevier Science Publishing Co., Inc.