Theory of multi-nozzle impactor stages and the interpretation of stage mensuration data

Abstract

We describe a general theory of multi-nozzle cascade impactor stages and show how testers of inhaled drug products, such as metered-dose or dry-powder inhalers, can decide, solely from the stage nozzle dimensions, whether any used impactor is satisfactorily operating within its expected aerodynamic performance range. We first account for the realistic shape of particle collection efficiency curves and show that the effective diameter, described by Roberts and Romay (2005), is sufficiently accurate as the primary indication of the aerodynamic performance. To ensure that a used impactor is performing in the same aerodynamic range allowed for new impactors, one must also satisfy the other, more secondary factors of cascade impaction aerodynamics, most notably the distance to the collection surface relative to the nozzle diameter. We show what this constraint means in practice for used Next Generation Impactors (NGIs; Marple et al. 2003a,b; 2004), and show that partially occluded nozzles are the most likely nozzles to fail this test. Applying this principle that used impactors should perform in the same aerodynamic range as new impactors, we derive constraints on the nozzle diameters of any used NGI (Table 6, main text). We can partially apply this principle to other common impactors used for inhaler testing, such as the Andersen and the Marple-Miller, but are hindered by the absence of a published acceptable range for the distance to the impaction collection surface and by the limited published information on the shape of their stage collection efficiency curves. Copyright © American Association for Aerosol Research.