laser aerosol spectrometer model 3340 ... aerosol spectrometer model 3340 operation and service...

LASER AEROSOL SPECTROMETER

MODEL 3340

OPERATION AND SERVICE MANUAL

P/N 6002729, REVISION G

SEPTEMBER 2015

LASER AEROSOL

SPECTROMETER

MODEL 3340 OPERATION AND SERVICE MANUAL

Product Overview 1

Unpacking and

System Setup

2

Description of the

Model 3340

3

Model 3340

Operation

4

Theory of Operation 5

Maintenance 6

Calibration 7

Troubleshooting 8

Appendixes

ii Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer

Manual His tory

The following is a manual history of the Model 3340 (Part Number

6002729).

Revision Date

A October 2009

B March 2010

C August 2011

D May 2013

E January 2014

F June 2014

G September 2015

iii

Warranty

Part Number 6002729 / Revision G / September 2015

Copyright ©TSI Incorporated / 200A-2014 / All rights reserved.

Address TSI Incorporated / 500 Cardigan Road / Shoreview, MN 55126 / USA

Email Address [email protected]

World Wide Web Site www.tsi.com

Fax No. (651) 490-3824

Limitation of Warranty

and Liability

(effective April 2014)

(For country-specific terms and conditions outside of the USA, please visit www.tsi.com.)

Seller warrants the goods, excluding software, sold hereunder, under normal use and service

as described in the operator's manual, to be free from defects in workmanship and material for

12 months, or if less, the length of time specified in the operator's manual, from the date of

shipment to the customer. This warranty period is inclusive of any statutory warranty. This

limited warranty is subject to the following exclusions and exceptions:

a. Hot-wire or hot-film sensors used with research anemometers, and certain other

components when indicated in specifications, are warranted for 90 days from the date of

shipment;

b. Pumps are warranted for hours of operation as set forth in product or operator’s manuals;

c. Parts repaired or replaced as a result of repair services are warranted to be free from

defects in workmanship and material, under normal use, for 90 days from the date of

shipment;

d. Seller does not provide any warranty on finished goods manufactured by others or on any

fuses, batteries or other consumable materials. Only the original manufacturer's warranty

applies;

e. This warranty does not cover calibration requirements, and seller warrants only that the

instrument or product is properly calibrated at the time of its manufacture. Instruments

returned for calibration are not covered by this warranty;

f. This warranty is VOID if the instrument is opened by anyone other than a factory

authorized service center with the one exception where requirements set forth in the

manual allow an operator to replace consumables or perform recommended cleaning;

g. This warranty is VOID if the product has been misused, neglected, subjected to accidental

or intentional damage, or is not properly installed, maintained, or cleaned according to the

requirements of the manual. Unless specifically authorized in a separate writing by Seller,

Seller makes no warranty with respect to, and shall have no liability in connection with,

goods which are incorporated into other products or equipment, or which are modified by

any person other than Seller.

The foregoing is IN LIEU OF all other warranties and is subject to the LIMITATIONS stated herein. NO OTHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR MERCHANTABILITY IS MADE. WITH RESPECT TO SELLER’S BREACH OF THE IMPLIED WARRANTY AGAINST INFRINGEMENT, SAID WARRANTY IS LIMITED TO CLAIMS OF DIRECT INFRINGEMENT AND EXCLUDES CLAIMS OF CONTRIBUTORY OR INDUCED INFRINGEMENTS. BUYER’S EXCLUSIVE REMEDY SHALL BE THE RETURN OF THE PURCHASE PRICE DISCOUNTED FOR REASONABLE WEAR AND TEAR OR AT SELLER’S OPTION REPLACEMENT OF THE GOODS WITH NON-INFRINGING GOODS.

TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE EXCLUSIVE REMEDY OF THE USER OR BUYER, AND THE LIMIT OF SELLER'S LIABILITY FOR ANY AND ALL LOSSES, INJURIES, OR DAMAGES CONCERNING THE GOODS (INCLUDING CLAIMS BASED ON CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY OR OTHERWISE) SHALL BE THE RETURN OF GOODS TO SELLER AND THE REFUND OF THE PURCHASE PRICE, OR, AT THE OPTION OF SELLER, THE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF THE GOODS. IN THE CASE OF SOFTWARE, SELLER WILL REPAIR OR REPLACE DEFECTIVE SOFTWARE OR IF

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.tsi.com/

http://www.tsi.com/

iv Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer

UNABLE TO DO SO, WILL REFUND THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE SOFTWARE. IN NO EVENT SHALL SELLER BE LIABLE FOR LOST PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, OR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES. SELLER SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR INSTALLATION, DISMANTLING OR REINSTALLATION COSTS OR CHARGES. No Action, regardless of form, may be brought against Seller more than 12 months after a cause of action has accrued. The goods returned under warranty to Seller's factory shall be at Buyer's risk of loss, and will be returned, if at all, at Seller's risk of loss.

Buyer and all users are deemed to have accepted this LIMITATION OF WARRANTY AND LIABILITY, which contains the complete and exclusive limited warranty of Seller. This LIMITATION OF WARRANTY AND LIABILITY may not be amended, modified or its terms waived, except by writing signed by an Officer of Seller.

Service Policy Knowing that inoperative or defective instruments are as detrimental to TSI as they are to our

customers, our service policy is designed to give prompt attention to any problems. If any mal-

function is discovered, please contact your nearest sales office or representative, or call TSI

at 1-800-874-2811 (USA) or (651) 490-2811.

Trademarks TSI, TSI logo are registered trademarks of TSI Incorporated.

Microsoft, Windows, are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

LabVIEW is a registered trademark of National Instrument Corporation.

HyperTerminal is a trademark of Hilgraeve, Inc.

Swagelok is a registered trademark of Swagelok Company of Solon, Ohio, USA.

Celeron is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.

Q-tips is a registered trademark of Chesebrough-Pond's Inc.

Sensidyne and Gilibrator are trademarks of Sensidyne, Inc.

Patents *US Patent Numbers; 5,907,575; 7,079,243; 7,295,585

v

Safety

This section gives instructions to promote safe and proper handling of the

Model 3340.

There are no user serviceable parts inside the instrument. Refer all repair

and maintenance to a qualified technician. All maintenance and repair

information in this manual is included for use by a qualified technician.

The Model 3340 is a Class I laser-based instrument. During normal

operation, you will not be exposed to laser radiation. However, you must

take certain precautions or you may expose yourself to hazardous radiation

in the form of intense, focused, visible light. Exposure to this light may

cause blindness.

Take these precautions:

Do not remove any parts from the Model 3340 unless you are

specifically told to do so in this manual.

Do not remove the Model 3340 housing or covers while power is

supplied to the instrument.

W A R N I N G

The use of controls, adjustments, or procedures other than those

specified in this manual may result in exposure to hazardous optical

radiation.

W A R N I N G

High voltage is accessible in several locations within this instrument.

Make sure you unplug the power source before removing the cover or

performing maintenance procedures.

vi Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer

L a b e l s

The Model 3340 has the following labels as shown in Figure 1.

Two Laser Safety Information Labels (front and back frame)

Two Cleaning Port Aperture Labels (Laser Optical Block)

Serial Number Label (back panel)

Calibration Label (Back Panel)

Laser Serial Number Label (Laser Tube)

Danger High Voltage Label (Power Entry Module)

Danger High Voltage Label (Laser Anode Cover)

Danger High Voltage Label (Laser HVPS)

Danger Laser Radiation (Optics Assembly)

Microsoft Windows

® 7

Operating System Certificate of authenticity on back of USB panel.

Figure 1

Location of Warning and Information Labels

Cleaning Port Aperture Labels

Laser Safety Label

High Voltage Labels

Laser Safety Label

Calibration Label

Serial Number Label

Safety vii

D e s c r i p t i o n o f C a u t i o n / W a r n i n g S y m b o l s

The following symbols and an appropriate caution/warning statement are

used throughout the manual and on the Model 3340 to draw attention to

any steps that require you to take cautionary measures when working with

the Model 3340:

Caution

C a u t i o n

Caution means be careful. It means if you do not follow the procedures prescribed in this manual you may do something that might result in equipment damage, or you might have to take something apart and start over again. It also indicates that important information about the operation and maintenance of this instrument is included.

Warning

W A R N I N G

Warning means that unsafe use of the instrument could result in serious injury to you or cause irrevocable damage to the instrument. Follow the procedures prescribed in this manual to use the instrument safely.

Caution or Warning Symbols The following symbols may accompany cautions and warnings to indicate

the nature and consequences of hazards:

Warns you that uninsulated voltage within the instrument may have sufficient magnitude to cause electric shock. Therefore, it is dangerous to make any contact with any part inside the instrument.

Warns you that the instrument contains a laser and that important information about its safe operation and maintenance is included. Therefore, you should read the manual carefully to avoid any exposure to hazardous laser radiation.

Warns you that the instrument is susceptible to electro-static discharge (ESD) and ESD protection procedures should be followed to avoid damage.

Indicates the connector is connected to earth ground and cabinet ground.

viii Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer

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ix

Contents

Manual History .......................................................................................... ii

Warranty ................................................................................................... iii

Safety ......................................................................................................... v Labels ...................................................................................................... vi Description of Caution/Warning Symbols .............................................. vii

About This Manual .................................................................................. xi Purpose ................................................................................................... xi Related Product Literature ...................................................................... xi Submitting Comments ............................................................................. xi

CHAPTER 1 Product Overview ............................................................ 1-1 Product Description .............................................................................. 1-1 Applications .......................................................................................... 1-2 How the Model 3340 Operates ............................................................ 1-2

CHAPTER 2 Unpacking and System Setup ........................................ 2-1 Packing List .......................................................................................... 2-1 Mounting the Sensor ............................................................................ 2-2 Power Connection ................................................................................ 2-2 Connections to the Computer .............................................................. 2-3

CHAPTER 3 Description of the Model 3340 ........................................ 3-1 Front Panel ........................................................................................... 3-1 Back Panel ........................................................................................... 3-2 Internal Components ............................................................................ 3-4

CHAPTER 4 Model 3340 Operation...................................................... 4-1 Quick Start Guide ................................................................................. 4-1 Unit Controls......................................................................................... 4-3 Collecting Data ................................................................................... 4-15

CHAPTER 5 Theory of Operation ......................................................... 5-1 Instrument Subsystems ........................................................................ 5-1 Particle Coincidence .......................................................................... 5-10

CHAPTER 6 Maintenance ..................................................................... 6-1 Cleaning Optics .................................................................................... 6-1

CHAPTER 7 Calibration ........................................................................ 7-1 Calibration Mode Controls .................................................................... 7-2 Calibration ............................................................................................ 7-6

CHAPTER 8 Troubleshooting and Service ......................................... 8-1 Technical Contacts ............................................................................... 8-2 Returning the Laser Aerosol Spectrometer for Service ....................... 8-3

APPENDIX A Model 3340 Specifications ............................................A-1 Dimensional Diagram ........................................................................... A-2

x Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer

APPENDIX B Using Serial Data Commands ....................................... B-1 Pin Connectors..................................................................................... B-1 Baud Rate ............................................................................................ B-2 Format (8-Bits, No Parity) .................................................................... B-2 Stop Bits and Flow Control .................................................................. B-2 Bi-directional Serial Command Protocol .............................................. B-2 Data File and Output Format ............................................................... B-8

APPENDIX C Computer Related Issues .............................................. C-1 Regional Settings and LabVIEW

® Software ........................................ C-1

Remote Desktop Operation ................................................................. C-9

Index

Reader’s Comments

xi

About This Manual

P u r p o s e

This is an operation and service manual for the Model 3340 Laser Aerosol

Spectrometer.

R e l a t e d P r o d u c t L i t e r a t u r e

Model 3076 Constant Output Atomizer Manual (part number

1933076 TSI Incorporated)

Model 3079 Portable Atomizer Manual (part number 1930070 TSI

Incorporated)

Model 9302 Atomizer Manual (part number 190142 TSI Incorporated)

Model 9306 Six-jet Atomizer Manual (part number 1930099 TSI

Incorporated)

Model 3433 Small Scale Powder Disperser Manual (part number

1933769 TSI Incorporated)

S u b m i t t i n g C o m m e n t s

TSI values your comments and suggestions on this manual. Please use

the comment sheet, on the last page of this manual, to send us your

opinion on the manual’s usability, to suggest specific improvements, or to

report any technical errors.

If the comment sheet has already been used, send your comments to:

TSI Incorporated

500 Cardigan Road

Shoreview, MN 55126

Fax: (651) 490-3824

E-mail Address: [email protected]


xii Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer


1-1

C H A P T E R 1 Product Overv iew

This chapter contains a product description of the Model 3340 Laser

Aerosol Spectrometer and a brief description of how the instrument

operates.

P r o d u c t D e s c r i p t i o n

The Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer, shown in Figure 1-1, is a

high sensitivity laser particle size spectrometer designed for sampling and

counting airborne particulates from 90 nm to 7.5 µm using a patented*

contamination resistant Helium-Neon active cavity laser. The spectrometer

is operated via a built-in computer utilizing the Windows® 7 operating

system running an executable LabVIEW® “Virtual Instrument (VI)” interface

to provide instrument control, data display, recording and output. Each

instrument includes a 10” color LCD flat panel display, USB keyboard and

Mouse, and a 40GB HDD. Also provided are a 10/100 Ethernet interface

and 9 pin RS-232 interface.

Figure 1-1

Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer

*US Patents Numbers; 5,907,575; 7,079,243; 7,295,585

1-2 Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer

A p p l i c a t i o n s

The Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer has application in the

following areas:

Inhalation toxicology

Atmospheric studies

Ambient air monitoring

Drug-delivery studies

HEPA/ULPA Filter testing and characterization

Indoor air-quality monitoring

Biohazard detection

Basic research

Characterization of test aerosols used in particle-instrument calibration

Performance evaluations of other aerodynamic devices

H o w t h e M o d e l 3 3 4 0 O p e r a t e s

The Model 3340 operates on the principle that the light scattered by a

particle within an active laser cavity is a direct function of its size. Particles

produce pulses of light during transit through the laser beam. The light

pulses are sensed by a pair of detectors that in turn are analyzed by four

cascading amplifier stages coupled to analog-to-digital converters for

sizing. Particles are aerodynamically focused to a sample stream diameter

smaller than the laser beam diameter in order to avoid edge effects.

The Model 3340 contains a computer running the Windows® 7 operating

system. It is assumed that the instrument user is familiar with the normal

operation of this operating system on a computer. The operating program

LAS-3340_3p3_090519.exe is accessed by a desktop icon. This program,

written in National Instruments LabVIEW® provides a user-friendly virtual

instrument (commonly called a VI) panel for the control, data display, and

data logging for the Model 3340.

Refer to Chapter 5, “Theory of Operation,” for a detailed description.

2-1

C H A P T E R 2 Unpacking and System Setup

This chapter provides information concerning the accessories shipped with

the sensor and describes basic setup procedures.

P a c k i n g L i s t

Table 2-1 provides a packing list of all items that should have been shipped

to you as the Model 3340 and accessory kit. Please compare the list to the

items you received. If any items are missing, notify TSI immediately.

Table 2-1

Accessories Packing List

Qty Description

1 Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer

1 Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer Manual

1 Microsoft Windows® 7 Distribution Disk

1 Microsoft®

Office Software License

1 Line Cord

1 USB Mini Keyboard

1 USB Mouse

1 Zero Count Inlet Filter Assembly

1 Calibration Certificate

The special dual-box packaging and foam cradle are designed to protect

the Model 3340 from rough handling during shipping. It is recommended

that you retain the shipping box for use when returning the unit to TSI for

service and/or calibration. Take proper lifting precautions when removing

the instrument from the shipping box.


M o u n t i n g t h e S e n s o r

The Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer requires no special mounting

requirements other than the ventilation requirements (see below). The

cabinet has four non-marking rubber feet that give the instrument a good

grip on clean, level surfaces and two additional feet mounted on retractable

legs at the front of the unit that allow the unit to be angled for user

convenience.

Ventilation Requirements The Model 3340 cabinet is designed to be cooled by room air drawn in

from the bottom of the cabinet and exhausted through the back of the

cabinet.

The cabinet should be installed with at least 2-inch (50-mm) clearance

between the back panel and any other surface. Most important, the cabinet

should be set on a clean, hard surface so that the exhaust air can move

freely from the cabinet.

P o w e r C o n n e c t i o n

Connect the AC power cord (supplied) to the IDC power input module on

the back of the Model 3340 and then into an available power outlet. It is not

necessary to select the correct voltage, the spectrometer accepts line

voltage of 85 to 260 VAC, 50 to 60 Hz, 200 W, single phase. The

connection is self regulating.

Toggle the on/off switch at the POWER connection to the on position to

verify the sensor has power.

Unpacking and System Setup 2-3

C o n n e c t i o n s t o t h e C o m p u t e r

There are three USB ports incorporated into the front panel. The keyboard

and mouse should be plugged into these ports. Optionally, a USB flash

drive may be plugged into the third USB port for file transfers. There are

10/100 Ethernet port (RJ45) and RS-232 ports on the I/O panel above the

power inlet module on the back panel. The I/O panel also contains an

exhaust port.

Front Panel USB Ports Back Panel RS-232 and Ethernet

Figure 2-1

Computer Connections to the Model 3340

3-1

C H A P T E R 3 Descr ipt ion of the Model 3340

This chapter describes the front panel, back panel, and internal

components of the Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer.

F r o n t P a n e l

The components of the front panel are the color LCD display and a panel

with three USB ports. The keyboard and mouse attach via the USB ports.

The color LCD display is used in combination with the mouse and

keyboard as the main interface to the unit.

Figure 3-1

Front Panel of the Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer

The 640 480 pixel LCD display provides continuous real-time display of

sample data, access to the various operating menus (tabs) and the

Windows® 7 operating system.


Inlet

The inlet on the top of the unit is protected by two guards to avoid damage

(Figure 3-2). While these guards may look like handles, the unit should not

be picked up by these guards. Typically the unit ships with the inlet “zero-

count” filter attached to one of the guards.

Figure 3-2

Inlet with Two Guards

B a c k P a n e l

As shown in Figure 3-3, the back panel of the Model 3340 allows for power

and data connections. The back panel also has a pump exhaust port and a

fan with fan guard.

Figure 3-3

Back Panel of the Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer

Description of the Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer 3-3

AC Power Connector The AC Power Connector accepts the line cord (supplied) to provide AC

power to the spectrometer. The connector has a built-in on/off switch.

Power consumption and line voltage specifications can be found in

Appendix A, "Model 3340 Specifications".

Note: Make certain the line cord is plugged into a grounded power outlet.

Position the Model 3340 so the power cord connector is easily

accessible.

Pump Exhaust Sample aerosol is exhausted through the Exhaust Port.

The pump exhaust connector is a ¼-inch Swagelok®-style connector that

allows control of the exhaust flow. The exhaust can be vented to a hood or

connected in line to equalize pressure when sampling from a chamber or in

an aircraft. The exhaust flow is 10 to 100 sccm. Make certain the exhaust

tube allows the exhausted sample to flow freely (check for crimps and

constrictions).

Note: If the aerosol sample is exhausted without tubing, make certain you

do not block the Pump Exhaust.

Serial Port The Serial Port is a standard RS-232 serial connection that allows

communications between the spectrometer’s internal computer and an

external computer. Limited external control of the virtual instrument for

automated testing is possible by using the RS-232 serial port. See

Appendix B "Using Serial Data Commands" for details.

10/100 Ethernet Port The I/O panel includes a standard 10/100 Ethernet (RJ-45) connection for

providing network access to the spectrometer.

®Swagelok is a registered trademark of Swagelok Company of Solon, Ohio, USA


I n t e r n a l C o m p o n e n t s

The location of the functional systems and electronics of the Model 3340

are shown in Figure 3-4 and include:

Digital PC board

Analog PC boards

Flow Strut & Filters

Power PC board

Power Supply

Laser Optical Block

Detector PC board

Figure 3-4

Internal Diagram of the Model 3340 Laser Particle Spectrometer

24V Power Supply

Power PC Board Digital PC Board

Flow Strut & Filters

Flow PC Board

Dip-Hold PC-Board

Panel PC Board & Display

Reference Monitor PC

Board

He-Ne Laser

Laser Optical Block Strut

Laser Optical Block1o Detector & Analog

PC Boards (Inside)

2o Detector & Analog PC Boards (Inside)

4-1

C H A P T E R 4 Model 3340 Operat ion

This chapter describes how to set up and operate the Model 3340. These

instructions assume that the Model 3340 is connected to an AC power

source, the power on/off switch on the back panel has been switched to the

“On” position and that the computer has finished booting. The instrument

contains a computer which runs the Windows®

7 operating system. It is

assumed that the instrument user is familiar with the normal operation of

this operating system on a computer. The default user name entered at the

factory is TSIINC and the default password is 3340. Users may create

additional logins to suit their needs.

Q u i c k S t a r t G u i d e

This is an overview of basic operation using the default values set in the

unit when it is shipped. A more detailed explanation of each control follows

the quick start guide.

1. Double-click on the desktop icon for the LabVIEW® virtual instrument

as shown below. (Note: Desktop appearance may vary from example.)


2. Once the virtual instrument has loaded, click on the Controls tab (this

is typically the default mode) and verify the laser reference is between

1.0 and 2.8 volts.

3. Click on the Histogram tab. Initially the “Run” button will be a light

gray indicating that the unit is not sampling data. Click the Run button

once to start sampling. The “Run” button will turn a dark gray indicating

the unit is sampling, and clicking Run again will stop sampling. Click

the Stop button to terminate the program.

With the Zero-Count filter attached to the inlet tubing, the unit should

count fewer than one particle per 5 minutes within 30 minutes of power

application. Normally “Zero-Count” operation is achieved within a few

minutes of power application.

Model 3340 Operation 4-3

U n i t C o n t r o l s

The TSI 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer is completely controlled through

the virtual instrument software. All instrument and run settings can be

defined in the software. The following paragraphs explain in detail which

settings are controlled on which tabs of the software.

Controls Tab

This tab shows the current sample flow rate , the sample flow rate

setting window , the current sheath flow rate , the current laser

reference voltage and the ambient pressure and temperature.

The sample flow rate may be adjusted in three ways:

Clicking on the top or bottom of the control button adjacent to the

setting window .

Clicking and dragging the slider control .

Entering the desired flow in the control setting window .

The sample flow is controlled by an internal mass-flow controller that

contains integral sensors to adjust for local pressure and temperature.

These sensors are separate from the sensors that are displayed on the

controls tab. Out-of-range settings (greater than 100 sccm or less than

≈0.3 sccm) will cause the flow controller to shut down.

The sheath flow is factory preset and is not adjustable from the virtual

instrument.


The laser reference voltage is a monitor of the relative laser power and is

not adjustable by the user. Reference values less than 1.0 V or greater

than 2.8 V after warm-up may be an indicator that the unit needs to be

serviced.

The Pressure and Temperature sensors are internal, non-precision

sensors intended for approximate measurements only.

Map Tab Primary Controls The histogram map values currently in use are displayed in the map table.

As shown here, the map is the default 90 to 7500 nm (0.09 to 7.5 µm) with

logarithmic channel spacing over 99 channels. An advanced user may

adjust these settings to give better resolution over the size range of

interest.

The most commonly used map controls are:

Minimum histogram value .

Maximum histogram value

Number of size bins .

Generate a Linear map .

Generate a Logarithmic map .

The “Commit” button will flash yellow any time the map parameters

have been changed. In addition, there are graphical illustrations of the size

scale and number of channels.

Note: The default minimum and maximum sizes may vary from the actual

loaded map.


To change the map, minimum and maximum map values may be adjusted

three ways:

Clicking on the top or bottom of the control button (directly adjacent

to the control setting window).

Clicking and dragging the slider tabs on the size scale bar .

By keyboard entry in the control windows & .

In a similar fashion, the number of size channels may be adjusted by the

button, by clicking and dragging the slider tab on the channel bar or

by keyboard entry in the control window . After the desired size range

and/or channel numbers have been entered, clicking the Linear button

will generate a map with linear channel spacing between the specified

values. Clicking the Log button will generate a map with logarithmically

spaced size channels. The standard default 90 to 7500 nm size map in the

Model 3340 has logarithmic channel spacing, while the maps used to

generate the instrument calibration reports use linear channel spacing.

In the following example, the minimum size was set to 90 nm, the

maximum size was set to 189 nm and the “Linear” button was clicked

causing the virtual instrument to generate an evenly spaced map of 99 size

channels between 90 and 189 nm (1 nm bins) and the Commit button

changed to a blinking yellow mode to indicate changes have been made to

the map but they have not been downloaded into the digital electronics.

Clicking the Commit button causes the new map to be downloaded

from the PC to the digital interface electronics. The unit will stop sampling

when the control is activated. The blue progress bar adjacent to the control

indicates the download status. While updating the electronics, the progress

bar will make multiple passes before the update is complete. Wait until the

bar is stable before resuming sampling.

Note: The “Commit” button is accessible from all tabs.


The map limits may be set anywhere in the units operating range (90 to

7500 nm) such as the 90 to 189 nm range in the example above.

Note: The minimum and maximum settings are integer numbers and

although the size bins are calculated to 2 decimal points it is

generally not useful to set bin widths less than 1nm.

Clear, Load, and Save Controls

Custom maps with variable channel spacing can be created by entering

new values into the map grid. In the example below a custom map was

created to allow the Model 3340 to emulate an old 31 channel instrument

formerly used in filter testing.


The map was first cleared using the “Clear” button then the new map

values (in nm) were manually entered and the number of size channels

was changed to 31 (note new position of slider). To save this map, the

‘Save” button was selected and the map was saved as “0A-

3_32ch.map” in an appropriate directory. Saved maps may be loaded by

clicking the Load button . It is suggested that descriptive filenames (such

as those shown in the Open dialog box example below) be used to easily

differentiate various maps.

When loading map files ensure that an actual map file is selected before

clicking OK as the virtual instrument does not validate the selected file.

After loading a map file, make sure to set the number of size bins to the

correct value. The number displayed in the size channel control ( in the

figure above) has to match the number of the last size channel (31 in the

figure above). If the value for the number of size channels is not set

correctly, the acquired spectrum will not be displayed correctly when

choosing size as the x-axis.

Note: Saving and Loading maps changes the virtual instrument default

map pointer to the selected map which will be automatically loaded

the next time the virtual instrument is started.


The map file format is a simple line delineated text file with one size entry

per line as shown below:

Map files can also be created and edited using a text editor such

as Notepad.

Over and Under Controls

The map may be set up to show particle counts outside the range of the

map. In the example below, a map was set up from 100 to 199 nm (1 nm

bins) then the “Under” and “Over” controls were activated. This setup

allows for monitoring the activity in the size range outside of immediate

interest.


Note: Having both Over and Under active simultaneously reduces the total

number of channels available to 98 . The 99th channel size bin

was then deleted to make this an “all oversize particles” channel.

When the instrument is sampling, the first channel will display

undersize counts and the last channel will display oversize counts.

These are displayed in red to differentiate them from the standard

histogram counts as illustrated below. The “Under” and “Over”

controls may be used separately, in combination, or left inactive

which is the standard operating mode.

Calibration Mode Controls

There are additional controls that are normally hidden on this tab This is

discussed in the Configuration Tab section.

(continued on next page)


Histogram Tab The Histogram tab will be the most utilized screen in the virtual instrument

as it has the sample controls, histogram data display controls, and

recording control.

Sampling Controls

The “Run” button is displayed in light gray when inactive and dark gray

when active. Clicking on the Run button toggles the unit sampling process.

The sample accumulation time may be set by direct text entry in the

hour/minute/second windows, by clicking the top or bottom of the button

adjacent to the windows or by clicking and dragging the associated sliders.

Sample times may be set from 0.1 second to 60 hrs, 60 min & 60 seconds.

When the unit is sampling, elapsed time is displayed in the windows to the

right of the time labels . When the “Forever” button is active, the unit

samples continuously. When it is inactive, the unit samples for a preset

number of samples then it stops sampling. The number of samples is set in

the sample window by text entry, slider, or button. This may be preset

from 1 to 99 samples. The current sample number is displayed in the

accumulated sample window .


Histogram Display Controls

The size channels that the histogram displays are set in the map tab but

the histogram controls determine how the data is presented. The histogram

X-axis may be set with the “Chan Size” switch to display by channel

number or by bin size and in size mode the “Lin Log” switch can select

either linear or logarithmic scaling (the X-axis “Lin Log” switch is not visible

when set to channel). The histogram Y-axis may be set with the “Log Lin”

switch for either linear or logarithmic scaling. In addition, the Y-axis may

be set to display cumulative channel totals by clicking the Cumm button

. The mode window may be set to “Counts” for raw counts or “Conc.”

for concentration (n/cc) with the button.


The following examples show the same particle data displayed in many of

the available combinations:


Channel Cursor

The histogram has a red X-axis channel cursor that may be dragged to find

the size and total counts for a specific histogram channel. The Y-axis

cursor automatically adjusts to scale the counts in that channel. Information

about the selected channel is displayed at the bottom of the window.

Record Control

This control is discussed in the Collecting Data section.


Configuration Tab The configuration tab is not used during typical operation. It displays the

active User Mode , Configuration file name , and date . There is

also a Password Entry window and “Enter Password” control used to

access other user modes. There is also a switch to normalize histograms

to bin width .

The “Operator” mode is the default startup mode used for the majority of

the time. The “Calibration” mode is accessible by entering the calibration

password into the password field then clicking Enter Password. This is

discussed in Chapter 7, Calibration.

Calibration Tab The Calibration tab is visible but grayed-out as it is not accessible in

Operator mode. This is discussed in Chapter 7, Calibration.


C o l l e c t i n g D a t a

After the Model 3340 is set up and operating with the desired map, flow,

and sample interval, click Run on the histogram tab to start sampling.

Clicking the Record button brings up a dialog box that allows you to

select a name and location for a data file.

Note: The virtual instrument “pauses” while the record dialog is being

completed. When recording, the “Record” button will be displayed in

dark gray to indicate it is active.

After clicking the Record button, a “Choose a Data File to Write” dialog box

will open.

The virtual instrument currently defaults to the root directory (C:\) for saving

data files as illustrated above. As the root directory can quickly become

cluttered with data, it is recommended that you create a data directory

(such as C:\Data ) or click on My Documents and save the data

there or in a subfolder. The default filename is based on the date and

time the file was created as: “yyyymmddhhmmss.xls”.


The following example illustrates a renamed data file in an alternate

folder (“Data” from the previous example). Clicking OK will start the data

recording and return to the Histogram tab—a feature of the virtual

instrument. Data files recorded with an “xls” extension also create a same

name “ini” file that records the unit configuration as illustrated by the pre-

existing data file recorded earlier the same day . If you select an existing

file for the filename, the virtual instrument will append the data to the

original file with a new header to indicate the break in data.

Data File Format The “xls” data file created by the virtual instrument is a “text-tab” delimited

file rather than being a true Microsoft® Excel

® data file. It can be opened in

any text editor; however, it produces a very “wide” file with 114 fields that

are more easily viewed in a spreadsheet. The recording starts with a 2-line

header row that defines the data fields followed by as many rows of data

as are recorded by the user.

Note: The virtual instrument was developed to serve the needs of several

different instruments and there are some fields that do not currently

apply to functions in the 3340. This header is too wide to reproduce

here but is shown in a reduced form at the end of Appendix B.

5-1

C H A P T E R 5 Theory of Operat ion

The Model 3340 is a laser aerosol spectrometer that measures the size of

particles based on the amount of light scattered by the particle as it passes

through an intense laser beam.

In the instrument, particles are confined to the centerline of the laser beam

by sheath air. Side-scattered light is collected by dual Mangin mirror pairs

that focus the collected light onto two solid-state photodetectors. The

electronics convert the light pulses into electrical pulses the amplitude of

which are then measured to determine the diameter for each individual

particle. Transit times are also measured and minimum and maximum

transit thresholds may be set for each detector gain stage.

The particle range spanned by the Model 3340 is from 0.09 to 7.5 µm and

particle data are binned into up to 100 user defined size channels.

I n s t r u m e n t S u b s y s t e m s

The TSI Model 3340 is an optical-scattering laser-based aerosol particle

spectrometer system for accurately and precisely sizing particles in the

range from 90 nm to 7.5 µm in diameter. It uses fully user-specified size

binning of up to 100 channels anywhere within its size range.

The spectrometer instrument consists of five general subsystems,

described in this chapter.

1. The main optical subsystem responsible for generating the laser light,

detecting the scattering from the particles and providing a mechanical

enclosure for the optical system and for delivery of the sample aerosol.

2. The flow system for bringing the sample aerosol through the optical

interaction region, including flow control and measurement.

3. The analog electronics system for amplifying and processing the

particle signals.

4. The digital electronics system for analyzing particle signals, binning

signals according to user-specified bin mappings and generating a

histogram of number of particles in the specified bins, and for

communicating with the PC and system monitor/control functions.

5. An onboard PC running Windows and a specialized application GUI for

instrument control, setup and data reporting and collection.


Figure 5-1

Block Diagram of Optical Particle Spectrometer

Optical System The Optical system consists of

The laser and associated components and optics.

The detection system, including collection optics and photodetectors

and reference monitoring.

Mechanical housing for above.

Laser and Associated Components and Optics

The laser is a Helium-Neon gas laser. It operates in the fundamental

(TEM00) spatial mode on the 633 nm laser line with an intracavity power ~1

to 10 W. The laser mode has a 1/e2 intensity diameter of ~400 µm at the

interaction region. The standing wave laser mode is perpendicular to the

flow of particles. Particle scatter is collected in a direction perpendicular to

both the particle flow and the laser standing-wave. As particles traverse the

laser mode, they scatter light into the detection system. The amount of light

scattered is a strong function of the particle size.

Detection System

The detection system consists of two pairs of Mangin collection optics

capable of collecting light over a large solid angle. The Mangins image the

volume of space at which the flow intersects the laser mode onto a

photodiode. There are two pairs of collecting optics: one pair images onto

an Avalanche Photo Diode (APD) for detecting the smallest particles (the

primary scattering detection system). The other pair (located on the

opposite side of the block) images onto a low-gain PIN photodiode for

Theory of Operation 5-3

detection of the upper size range of the instrument (the secondary

scattering detection system). Each detector is amplified in a current-to-

voltage stage which feeds the analog electronics system. The system can

detect particles as small as 90 nm (≥50% efficiency, <01 count/ 5 minute

dark count rate). The system size sensitivity is limited by several noise

sources: a fundamental noise process from the photon shot noise on the

detected molecular scatter from background gas, a fundamental noise

process from the Johnson noise in the photodiode transimpedence

feedback resistor and from technical noise of various sources.

Mechanical Housing

The laser and detection optics are built into a sealed mechanical enclosure

(the optical block, Figure 5-2 and Figure 5-3).

Figure 5-2

Side View of Optical Block


Figure 5-3

Top View of Optical Block

Flow System The mechanical laser mount forms a sealed block around the laser and the

input/output jets. A pump draws on an exhaust jet pulling flow through the

inlet jet and across the laser mode. The input jet is an aerodynamically

focused assembly with a sample nozzle of 500-µm diameter and a sheath

nozzle of 760-µm diameter. The tip of the sheath jet sits close to the edge

of the laser mode. Sample flows are between 5 and 100 sccm and the

sheath flow is typically 650 sccm. Particle velocity depends on sheath flow

rate, but is on the order of 50 to 100 m/s. The particles are confined to a

region of space whose extent is limited to a fraction of the laser mode size.

This yields a sizing resolution of approximately 5% of the particle size.


Figure 5-4

Schematic Diagram of Flow System


Analog Electronics The analog chain converts the photocurrent of the detector photodiodes to

a voltage and processes that signal (called the particle signal). The chain is

repeated for the primary and secondary detection systems.

The particle signal is fed into two different AC gain stages, differing in gain

as specified below. In total there are four gain stages: high and low for

each of the primary and secondary detection systems.

Gain Stage Labeling Convention

High Gain Low Gain

Primary detector G3 G2

Secondary detector G1 G0

Gain ratios:

G3/G2 = 50

G2/G1 = 20

G1/G0 = 20

Note: The gain ratios G3:G2 and G1:G0 are pure electrical amplification

gain ratios. The G2:G1 ratio is more complicated since it involves

two independent photodetectors with independent electronics and

on opposite sides of the optical block. See the discussion in

Chapter 7, Calibration.

The gain stages also provide low-pass filtering to the signal. Each gain

stage then feeds its own baseline restoration circuit, which restores the 0

Volt base line which is disturbed by frequent particle signals after AC

coupling. The particle signal is then passed to a peak hold circuit which

tracks the rise of the photo-signal as a particle crosses the laser and holds

the peak value. The digital system then processes the signal and when

complete, issues a reset to the baseline restore and peak hold electronics.

Figure 5-5

Block Diagram of Analog Electronics


Digital Electronics System Digital electronics are used for pulse height analysis and monitoring and

control of on-board systems such as flow meters and environmental

variables.

Analog-to-Digital Converters and Peak Height Analysis

For each of the four gain stages (2 primary, 2 secondary) there is an

associated Analog-to-digital (ADC) converter. The ADCs run a 16-bit

conversion at 100 kHz sample rate. The chain of events is begun as a

particle traverses the laser mode and begins scattering light. The particle

signal from the highest gain stage on the primary detector (G3) feeds an

analog comparator. If the signal exceeds a preset (user-settable) threshold

it generates a particle trigger. The threshold value is independent of the

particular active bin map: it is should be set to register the smallest

detectable particle (90 nm diameter) under typical operating parameters.

After a trigger is generated and after a small delay to allow the particle

signal to reach its maximum, the 4 ADCs sample the 4 peak-held particle

signals from the four gain stages. Starting from highest gain (G3) and

working down in gain, the first ADC that is not in saturation is the valid

particle ADC. The value of this ADC is read and compared to a look-up

table of bin boundaries previously loaded into memory. Depending on

where in the look-up table the particle signal belongs, a counter for the

appropriate channel is incremented (There are certain conditions which will

post-invalidate a particle event, for example, if the event falls outside

certain timing requirements.) After the particle signal is sampled, a reset is

sent to the peak hold circuit and the cycle repeats for the next particle.

The look-up table is the heart of the peak-height analysis in this instrument.

It can be reset by the user at any time to generate an arbitrary bin

mapping. The user specifies the boundaries of the channels and this is

automatically converted, via the calibration curve, relative gains and

calibration points into a mapping of voltages at each of the gain stages.

The mapping process is transparent to the user and occurs every time a

bin map is committed to the instrument (see the Calibration section below).

Monitoring/Control

The digital system also provides monitoring and control of onboard

systems. It reads and sets the mass flow controller for monitoring and

control of the sample flow. It reads the electronic flowmeters for the sheath

flow (flow is controlled by a mechanically-actuated needle valve). The laser

reference from the reference photodiode is sampled on an ADC and read

in the digital electronics module. Additional housekeeping parameters such

as case temperature and ambient barometric pressure are also monitored.

All parameters which are read by the digital system are logged with the

sample data. All parameters which are set are stored in configuration files.


On-board PC The on-board PC provides all user interface to the instrument. It is an

800 mHz Celeron® single-board computer running the Windows

® 7

operating system. The monitor is a standard 640 × 480 LCD display. All

normal OS operations are handled by Windows®, e.g., networking, file

management, printing, etc. The user interface is a virtual instrument written

in National Instruments LabVIEW® (see Chapter 4). Communication with

the digital electronics system is via internal RS-232. The update rate of the

PC I/O is 10 times per second.

Calibration

Calibration is an important process for any particle spectrometer

instrument. The Model 3340 with its high resolution and large number of

arbitrarily settable bins poses unique challenges in this area. Several

features have been added to this instrument to make the calibration

process as easy and accurate as possible.

There are four separate gain stages which must be “stitched” together for

accurate, seamless sizing across the full dynamic range of the instrument.

The gain stages are labeled in the table in a preceding section. There are

two types of gains that need calibrating: absolute and relative gains.

Relative gains are used to calibrate gain stages to one another. Absolute

gain is used to fix the overall scale to a known particle size.

The relative gain calibration is somewhat automated, though the results

can always be altered if you need to make slight adjustments. The relative

gain calibration works by sampling an ambient air distribution which

contains particles of all sizes measured by the spectrometer. The

instrument detects a particle on adjacent gain stages (for example G3 and

G2), noting the signal size on both gain stages (in volts). (For example a

150 nm particle might be 7.5 V on G3 and 0.150 V on G2.) By noting many

such events, a relationship between the signal size of a particle on the two

gain stages can be determined---the relative gain. A linear fit to the data for

many events produces a relative gain and an offset between adjacent gain

stages. By running this procedure on all adjacent gain stage pairs (G3 and

G2; G2 and G1; G1 and G0) a complete specification of the relative gains

can be developed, linking the optical and electronic signals across the

range of the instrument (which spans 6 decades of signal size in volts).

In addition to the relative gains is the calibration curve, that is, the shape of

the particle signal size (in volts) and the particle size (in nm). Once the

relative gains are known the corrected response for the entire instrument

can be formed from the calibration curve. The calibration curve has several

distinct regions. Since the wavelength of the instrument is 633 nm, it is

expected that all particles below approximately 300 nm will lie on a sixth-

power curve, that is, the particle signal is a sixth-power of the particle size.

Larger particle sizing is based on an approximation to a Mie curve

appropriate for the scattering response of the instrument. The very largest

particles have a response curve based on the square of the particle

diameter. This is a complicated function which must be both calculated and

confirmed by test particle measurement during factory calibration. In the

event that you have a preferred curve (empirical or theoretical, with for


example a different index of refraction), the built-in curve can

be overwritten.

Figure 5-6

Example Calibration Curve

In principle, if all the relative gains are known accurately, and the

calibration curve is known, the instrument need only be calibrated in an

absolute sense at one point—any point in fact. In practice it is best to use a

trusted particle or a few trusted particles. For factory calibration, the

particle sizes used are a nominal 0.100 µm (100 nm) for Gain 3, 0.200 µm

(200 nm) for Gain 2, 0.500 µm (500 nm) for Gain 1 and 3 µm for Gain 0. In

addition the transition region in Gain 1 is further defined by nominal 0.9 µm

(900 nm) and 1 µm (1000 nm) particles. The specific particles used during

calibration may be verified on the unit calibration certificate.

In some cases, you may have preferred particles to use for calibration. In

this case as many particles as needed may be used. If the particles do not

all fall on the preset instrument calibration curve, the calibration curve is

altered slightly to ensure that the calibration particles will return a result

which is the stated size of the particle. The data representing signal size for

a given particle size is entered in the virtual instrument and is referred to as

calibration points. Note that alteration of the calibration curve from the

preset may be required in order to accommodate several possible

inconsistencies: for example, particles that have been inconsistently sized

with other methods; nonlinearities in the instrument’s detection electronics;

or improved empirical data on the non-power law portion of the curve.

One comment on the relative gains is needed. In the particle-size regions

where detection passes from one gain stage to another, there can be

discontinuities in the histograms produced. The histograms are very

sensitive to the relative gain parameters, and the relative gain parameters

are experimental quantities, subject to statistical and systematic error. The

stitching region between G2 and G1 is particularly prominent in this regard,

since detection technique changes between these gain stages (they are


physically different photo-detectors). The relative stitching will never be

perfect and the ability to zoom in on these transition regions can

overemphasize the stitching errors. You can optimize the stitching

parameters to accommodate unusual requirements in this area; however,

the semi-auto-calibration provided should be adequate in most cases.

Whenever changes are made to the relative gain parameters, the

calibration curve or the calibration points, the new parameters will be used

in the generation of the next bin map as it is committed to the instrument.

P a r t i c l e C o i n c i d e n c e

Particle coincidence is typically defined as more than one particle in the

viewing volume of the particle counter creating a signal that causes the

counter to incorrectly classify the particles as a single, mis-sized particle.

Coincidence typically increases somewhat linearly with particle

concentration until the saturation limit is reached. Above this point

instrument operation is unpredictable. This, along with particle transit time

and processing time is factored into the 3000 particle/second count limit.

Coincidence may be reduced by reducing the instrument flow rate and/or

diluting the sample.

Note: Changing the lower limit of the bin map to exclude small particles

from the histogram does not affect the total number of particles the

instrument has to process and has no effect on coincidence. This is

also why the count limit flag may be displayed even though

relatively few particles are being counted in the histogram.

6-1

C H A P T E R 6 Maintenance

Most components of the Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer are solid-

state and require little or no maintenance. This section provides information

about the maintenance procedures that are required.

The Model 3340 does not normally require maintenance beyond the

occasional optical cleaning. The optical system is designed to minimize

contamination and it is not unusual for units to operate for years without

any significant contamination. In addition, the unit is designed with

automatic gain control (AGC) which allows continued accurate particle

sizing with varying laser power.

That said, it is possible for contaminants to end up on the laser optics

which can reduce the laser power to a point where the unit will no longer

zero count or provide adequate resolution of particles. The best indicator of

this is to check the laser reference voltage on the controls tab. If the

reference has declined significantly from the calibration reference recorded

on the calibration label then the optics may be contaminated.

C l e a n i n g O p t i c s

Before starting this operation, read the following safety information and

become familiar with the warning and caution labels found on the

instrument.

Laser High Voltage Supply The laser in this instrument is powered by a high voltage

supply. There is a warning sticker on this power supply.

The supply is capable of producing peak voltages of 9 KV

with an average current of less than 1 milliamp and

continuous voltages of 1.9 KV at a current of 6 milliamps.

The anode wire from this supply is attached to the laser tube anode

connector. This part of the laser is covered. There is a sticker on the anode

cover denoting the danger here.

WARNING: Failure to observe these high voltage

labels can result in injury or death.


Laser Safety Information This instrument is a Class 1 laser product as defined by the National

Center for Device and Radiological Health (formerly BRH). It has an

internal cavity with no user-accessible transmitted output power. The

internal cavity develops high resonant energy that is inaccessible to you.

Warning labels are located near the cleaning ports.

WARNING: The performance of procedures other

than those specified in this manual may result in

exposure to light radiation that can cause

blindness.

Laser Bench Cleaning The critical optics of the bench are the laser window and the external

mirror. These optics are accessible via two cleaning ports illustrated below.

Note: Even though the following cleaning procedures are executed with

the laser turned on, and a cotton swab is inserted into the laser

beam, the procedure is safe. As this procedure is done in the actual

laser cavity, the laser beam is severely attenuated (or even

extinguished) as soon as a solid object is inserted into the beam.

Figure 6-1

Laser Bench Cleaning

Maintenance 6-3

The following pictures illustrate the optics to be cleaned.

Laser Window HR Mirror

Figure 6-2

Laser Bench Optics

To clean the optics you will need the following tools and supplies:

3/32 inch hex driver for cleaning port screws

PH1 (Phillips #1) screwdriver for lid screws

Cotton swabs (“Q-tips®” or Medical Grade recommended)

Reagent, Spectroscopic or Analytic Grade acetone

The monitor voltage varies during the warm up period. The instrument

should have been on for 30 minutes before performing this procedure.

Cleaning Procedure

1. Remove the 16 flat Phillips-head cover screws and remove the unit

cover.

2. Attach the zero count filter to the inlet jet tubing.

3. Put the virtual instrument in the controls tab. Monitor the laser

reference display during the optics cleaning procedure.

4. Disconnect the Ferrule nut that connects the input tubing of the flow

assembly to the exhaust jet of the optical bench.

®Q-tips is a registered trademark of Chesebrough-Pond's Inc.


Figure 6-3

Disconnecting Ferrule Nut

5. Remove the four cleaning port screws.

6. Remove the cleaning port from the laser window side.

7. Look into the cleaning port and see if there are bright sparkles on the

surface of the window. This indicates contamination however it is

possible to have contamination that does not show as “sparkles”.

8. Wet a cotton swab with a few drops of acetone and shake off excess.

The swab should be slightly wet, not dripping.

9. Immediately swipe across the surface of the window in one direction.

Note: Use the cotton swab only once. Do not wait an excessively

long time between wetting the swab and performing the

cleaning. The glue of the swab will migrate to the fibers and

contaminate the surface. You may need to try different

cleaning directions to get the surface clean. An absence of

sparkles on the surface and a higher monitor voltage indicate

that the surface is clean.

10. Replace the cleaning port and reconnect the Ferrule nut of the tubing

of the flow assembly. Allow the pump to run for about a minute and

track the monitor voltage.

11. If the voltage remains higher, disconnect the ferrule nut from the

exhaust jet and clean the external mirror of the optical bench. Use the

previously described procedure. If the optical bench has not had a

significant loss of power, the monitor voltage should be within 50% of

the original voltage.

12. Once the surfaces have been cleaned and the monitor voltage

maximized, do a zero count test to check that there is not a zero count

failure in the first channel of the instrument.

13. If it is not possible to raise the monitor voltage to 50% of the original

level, contact TSI.

14. When finished, re-install the cleaning port screws and replace the unit

cover, securing with the 16 Phillips-head screws. Do not use grease

or lubricant when reinstalling the cleaning ports, so as not to risk

contamination of the optics.

Maintenance 6-5

Inlet Jet The alignment of the inlet jet is critical to the performance of the Model

3340. While it is “locked down” it is still possible to move it under the right

circumstances. For this reason, the inlet jet is completely recessed inside

the unit in order to protect it from bumps, scrapes overtorquing and

mishandling.

Figure 6-4

Inlet Jet

The inlet is brought out through the cover port with the 0.063” ID/0.125” OD

tubing.

In the event that you need to change the inlet tubing you will need to

remove the 16 cover screws and the cover in order to access the

Swagelok® fitting on the inlet jet.

The tubing MUST be fully inserted into the jet, approximately 1.3” (3.3 cm)

from the front of the ferrule as shown below before the knurled ferrule nut

is tightened or a “particle trap” may develop in the jet.

Note: The knurled ferrule nut should be tightened “Finger tight” only to

avoid potential misalignment of the jet.


Figure 6-5

Inserting Tubing into Jet

In the highly unlikely event that the inlet jet becomes misaligned TSI

recommends factory service. Inlet jet alignment requires the availability of a

monodispersed particle generator, 100 nm calibration particles and

knowledge of their use. Additionally, an oscilloscope may be required in

some cases.

Please contact TSI if you feel that the inlet jet may be misaligned.

7-1

C H A P T E R 7 Ca l ibrat ion

Calibrating the Model 3340 is a moderately complex procedure requiring

some specialized equipment and calibration materials. It is recommended

that the instrument be returned to the factory for calibration. However,

some users may wish to use different particle standards for the primary

calibration points (such as NIST vs. JSR or Duke) or add additional

calibration points beyond what are normally provided. For those users who

wish to perform calibrations with PSL particle size standards, the following

equipment is required:

Particle Generator capable of supplying filtered air to nebulize and dry

PSL (Polystyrene Latex) calibration particles suspended in DI water

PSL Calibration Particles (NIST, Duke, JSR, etc.)

Nebulizer(s)

Filtered Deionized water to dilute particle samples

Note: This discusses the basics of using the calibration mode in the

instrument. This does not necessarily produce an ISO calibration

unless ISO standards are followed.


C a l i b r a t i o n M o d e C o n t r o l s

Configuration Tab The software starts in the operator mode which does not allow changes to

be made in the calibration. To enter the calibration mode type the

calibration password obtained from TSI in the password window and

click the Enter Password button with the mouse. Contact TSI Customer

Service for the calibration password.

Note that the User Mode window now indicates “Calibration” and the

former “Enter Password” button is now labeled “Revert Mode”. The

“Save”, “Load” and “Revert to Factory Configuration” buttons are now

active.

Calibration 7-3

Save Button

The “Save” button will be used when saving changes to the configuration. It

is highly recommended that this file be renamed rather than over-writing

the original configuration file. A typical unit is shipped with the configuration

file C:\PH\config.cfg as shown in the “Active Config” window above. TSI’s

suggestion is to rename the configuration file C:\PH\configmmddyy.cfg

where mmddyy is the month, day, and year the change was made. This

keeps a record of each configuration change and allows for recovery of a

previous configuration in the event an undesired change was inadvertently

saved.

Note: The “Save” dialog box may default to the directory in which data

was last saved. It is recommended that configuration files always be

recorded in the C:\PH directory. The virtual instrument creates a

pointer file called last.cfg which points to the saved configuration

file. The configuration file saves all major parameters (flow rate,

sample time, calibration points, etc.) used by the virtual instrument.

This file is updated any time a configuration is saved or loaded.

Load Button

The “Load” button is used to open an alternate configuration file. One use

for this is when a specific alternate calibration is desired for a specific test

without altering the normal calibration. An alternate configuration file can

be created and loaded for specific tests. When the tests are complete, the

original configuration can be loaded which will then be loaded when the

virtual instrument is started.

Revert to Factory Configuration Button

“Revert to Factory Configuration” is a way to recover if a configuration file

has become corrupted or was saved with parameters that cause the unit to

function incorrectly. A duplicate copy of the “as shipped” configuration file

named factory.cfg is loaded when this button is clicked. When using this

feature it is very important that you immediately change the filename from

factory.cfg by clicking on the Save button and entering a new file name.

Otherwise, the original settings in the C:\PH\factory.cfg file will be

overwritten and lost when saving subsequent changes.


Map Tab Calibration Controls

Calibration Mode displays additional controls that are normally hidden on

this tab. The additional controls allow plotting Voltage or Time

histograms for each gain stage (G3-G0 buttons) .

Voltage mode is most useful when calibrating and is discussed in the

calibration example section. Time mode is primarily a troubleshooting tool

and is not discussed in this manual.

Calibration Tab The calibration tab is available after entering the calibration password. The

Calibration Curve subtab shows the calibration curve for the unit and the

calibration point controls .

Calibration 7-5

Additionally the calibration curve window has a pair of cursors that can

be dragged to indicate size and relative voltage of any point on the

curve. In the example above, the cursors have been set to indicate the

100 nm calibration point.

The figure above is an enlargement of the calibration control section from

the previous example, illustrating the first calibration point “0” which is

set in Gain stage 3 as 870 mV for a 100 nm particle . A minimum

of 1 calibration point (0) is required for unit operation.


The above screens are illustrations of the saturation points (red) that

separate the gain stages G3 - G0 and the calibration points (white) that are

displayed in the calibration curve. The bottom two calibration points in the

curve are calculated and not changeable from the virtual instrument.

A minimum of 1 calibration point (point 0 in gain 3) is required for unit

operation. The virtual instrument will extrapolate the remainder of the curve

based on this value. Additional points to compensate for differences

between the theoretical curve and the actual unit response may be entered

(typically at least one point per gain stage). The standard Model 3340

Laser Aerosol Spectrometer calibration involves two extra points in the

transition section for a total of six calibration points.

C a l i b r a t i o n

A full calibration procedure is not included here but the steps involved in

creating an intermediate calibration point are illustrated below. It is

assumed that the calibrator has the requisite equipment and training to

generate PSL calibration particles.

Example: Adding a Calibration Point for 0.269 µm PSL Particles The unit should be set up and zero-counting with the inlet filter for at least

30 minutes prior to calibration. Ideally, the reference will be between 2.2

and 2.7 volts. If the reference is significantly lower from the voltage

recorded on the calibration sticker, the unit may need cleaning. If the

reference is less than 1.0 volt or greater than 2.9 volts, contact TSI for

instructions. The flow should be set to 50 sccm, and if desired, the flow can

Calibration 7-7

be verified with a reference standard such as a Sensidyne Gilibrator®,

compensating for local atmospheric pressure and temperature.

Set up the Map The map is typically set to bins ≈1% of the stated particle size with the map

limits set such that the test particle will be near the center of the map.

Typically all 99 channels are used although this is sometimes reduced for

particles >2 µm. In the case of a 269 nm (0.269 µm) particle you would use

2.5 nm bins. If you start at 125 nm the maximum size limit would be 125 +

(99 × 2.5) = 372.5 but as you are limited to integer sizes the upper limit will

be set to 373 as shown here. The map could as easily be set to 130-378,

etc.

®Sensidyne and Gilibrator are trademarks of Sensidyne, Inc.


Initial Sampling Go to the histogram tab and begin sampling. Particle generation should

result in 500 to 1000 counts in the peak channel in one minute or more. If

the “Warning! The particle count rate exceeds the maximum allowed” flag

is active, the generation rate should be reduced. As shown here the

calculated curve has placed the primary 269 nm particle peak channel

within 1 channel (the secondary peak is from doublets).

To create an actual calibration point for this particle, the voltage must be

known. Going back to the map tab the “Voltage” and “G2” buttons were

selected and a map of 1000 to 8500 mV was created and committed.

Sampling again shows the same particle on a voltage scale.

Calibration 7-9

Look for the approximate center of the main peak rather than the channel

with the maximum number of counts. Here, the center of the peak is

≈5000 mV.

Entering the Calibration Voltage

Selecting the Calibration tab, the Points button is scrolled to select the

next higher calibration point above our calibration particle. In this case the

next higher point was in G1 for the 499 nm particle. Right-clicking within

the calibration control area will bring up a menu and “Insert Element

Before” should be selected. If no higher point had existed, the first blank

location would be used without inserting a new point.


Clicking this will insert a new point with the original number and will “bump”

all higher calibration points up one number. The resultant calibration curve

will be very distorted at this point as the inserted value is in G0, with 0 mV

for 0 nm as shown here. Also, the “Commit” button will start flashing yellow

indicating a calibration change has been made but not sent to the

electronics.

To finish creating the calibration point the gain stage, voltage (as

determined by particle data from the voltage histogram) and particle size

will be entered into the appropriate calibration windows as shown. When

finished, the calibration curve should be (relatively) smooth and the commit

button may be pressed to download the new curve values.

Calibration 7-11

The particles will then be sampled again with the appropriate size map to

verify that the voltage entered was correct. If the peak is not in the desired

location then the voltage is adjusted until the peak is in the desired

location. In this case, the peak was in the desired location on the first pass.

If the peak channel was too high, the calibration voltage would be

increased until the peak was in the right channel. If the peak was too low,

the calibration voltage should be reduced. This is a trial-and-error process.

Once the calibration is deemed correct, the new calibration may be saved

by clicking on the Configuration tab, clicking save and following the

dialog. Changing the filename is recommended as a precaution.

Note: Clicking stop or removing power from the unit will wipe out any

unsaved changes. This can be useful if changes were made

inadvertently, it is only necessary to stop and restart the virtual

instrument to clear undesirable changes.

Changes in existing calibration points may be made in a similar fashion by

adjusting the calibration voltage without the need to insert a new calibration

point.

Gain Stitches An additional aspect of calibration are the three Gain ratio “Stitch” tabs

(G3:G2, G2:G1 and G1:G0). As the unit has two detectors, each with two

stages of amplification there are four gain stages with three overlap zones.

The stitch function measures ambient particles that fall in this overlap zone

and plots the higher gain vs. the lower gain for particles that appear in both

gain stages simultaneously. From this, a slope (gain ratio) and offset are

calculated that the virtual instrument uses in order to smoothly “stitch” the

data together at the overlap.


G3:G2 Gain Stitch

Click on the G3:G2 Gain tab. The existing ratio and offset from the

configuration file are used to generate the red line. Click Run to initiate the

stitch data collection. If you want to terminate the stitch process before it is

completed, click Run a second time to stop the stitch process.

The program will plot each particle that appears simultaneously in each

gain stage. Once enough data have been collected to begin analysis, the

program will create a line corresponding to the center of the distribution

and these numbers will be updated as each additional particle is

measured. The “Commit” button will start flashing yellow as soon as either

the ratio or offset changes from the previously committed value. The graph

will build until the required number of particles (as indicated in the “Pts 3”

box) are reached at which point the “Run” button will show as inactive

(light gray).

Calibration 7-13

At this point, the “Commit” button can be clicked to download the new stitch

to the electronics.

G2:G1 Gain Stitch

As this stitch is measuring two photodetectors across the laser cavity it is

subject to more variation than the previous stitch as shown here. Fewer

particles are collected as ambient aerosol tends to show a geometric

decrease in counts as particle size increases.

Note: The “Align” button is for factory technician use and is not

described here.


G1:G0 Gain Stitch

This stitch requires the fewest number of particles as natural ambient

aerosol typically contains relatively few large particles and this stitch

generally takes much longer to accumulate than the other stitches. This

example taken early in the stitch process shows about 13 particles have

been plotted. The “Commit” button is flashing and the yellow “Warning! The

particle count rate exceeds the maximum allowed” flag is active. This flag

may be ignored during stitching.

This shows the same stitch run after completion. Note that the ratio and

offset have changed from the earlier example.

When the stitches have been completed, the results may be saved by

clicking the configuration tab and clicking Save as previously described.

8-1

C H A P T E R 8 Troubleshoot ing and Serv ice

This appendix lists some potential problems and their solutions.

Note: If none of the solutions provided corrects the problem, call your TSI

representative for advice.

Table 8-1

Troubleshooting Symptoms and Recommendations

Symptoms Recommendations

Unit does not turn on. Check for good contact between the power cord and the wall outlet. Check for

power at the outlet. Check fuses (2A 5 × 20) in power inlet.

Fan comes on but computer does not

boot. Contact TSI for instructions.

LabVIEW® virtual instrument displays

error messages on startup. Check for recent changes in the operating system and software installations.

Check if any files have recently been moved, deleted, etc.

The “Warning! The particle Count

exceeds the maximum allowed” flag

is active.

This is an indicator that the concentration of aerosol that the instrument is

sampling is too high to accurately measure. This flag is activated when the count

rate exceeds 3000 particles/sec. Although the 3340 can measure aerosols at

concentrations greater than this value, concentration errors due to coincidence

will increase and some of the particles will not be counted. To correct this

problem you may either reduce the flow rate or dilute the sample.

Note: This flag can be ignored when running stitches (Calibration mode).

“NAN” is displayed in display

windows such as pressure,

temperature, etc.

“NAN” indicates “Not A Number” which is usually indicative of a problem with the

configuration file. Check the configuration tab to verify that a valid configuration

file is loaded.

Unit reports low or no reference

voltage.

See “Cleaning Optics” section for cleaning instructions. If this does not help or if

laser is not ionizing (pink/red glow visible through slot in anode cover), contact

TSI.

No reference or no particle data

above Gain 2.

Turn the unit off and remove the lid. Check for loose monitor cable(s) inside unit.

NEVER plug/unplug internal cabling with the power on! Rarely occurs, but most

likely to occur after rough handling of unit.

Sample flow rate is incorrect. Verify the external flow measurement has been corrected for pressure and

temperature.

Compare inlet flow vs. outlet flow. Differences greater than ≈0.5 sccm may

indicate a leak has developed. Contact TSI if this occurs.

Possible corrupt configuration file. Enter the calibration password on the

Configuration tab. Note the current configuration file path and name then click

the Revert to Factory Configuration button and re-measure flow. If this is

correct, click save and rename the configuration file. If the flow is still incorrect

click load and re-load the original configuration file and contact TSI.

No sample or sheath flow. Possible Pump failure or Flow PC board failure. Contact TSI


T e c h n i c a l C o n t a c t s

If you have any difficulty installing the Laser Aerosol Spectrometer, or if

you have technical or application questions about this instrument,

contact an applications engineer at one of the locations listed below.

If the Laser Aerosol Spectrometer fails, or if you are returning it for

service, visit our website at http://service.tsi.com or contact TSI at:

TSI Incorporated

500 Cardigan Road

Shoreview, MN 55126 USA

Phone: +1-800-874-2811 (USA) or +1 (651) 490-2811

E-mail: [email protected]

TSI GmbH Neuköllner Strasse 4 52068 Aachen GERMANY

Telephone: +49 241-52303-0 Fax: +49 241-52303-49 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.tsiinc.de

TSI Instruments Ltd. Stirling Road Cressex Business Park High Wycombe, Bucks HP12 3ST UNITED KINGDOM

Telephone: +44 (0) 149 4 459200 Fax: +44 (0) 149 4 459700 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.tsiinc.co.uk

http://service.tsi.com/



http://www.tsiinc.de/


http://www.tsiinc.co.uk/

Troubleshooting and Service 8-3

R e t u r n i n g t h e L a s e r A e r o s o l S p e c t r o m e t e r f o r S e r v i c e

Before returning the Laser Aerosol Spectrometer to TSI for service, visit

our website at http://service.tsi.com or call TSI at 1-800-874-2811 (USA) or

(651) 490-2811 for specific return instructions. Customer Service will need

this information when you call:

The instrument model number

The instrument serial number

A purchase order number (unless under warranty)

A billing address

A shipping address.

TSI recommends that you keep the original packaging (carton and foam

inserts) of the Laser Aerosol Spectrometer for use whenever the Laser

Aerosol Spectrometer is shipped, including when it is returned to TSI

for service.

http://service.tsi.com/

A-1

A P P E N D I X A

Model 3340 Speci f icat ions

The following specifications—which are subject to change—list the most

important features of the Laser Particle Spectrometer.

Table A-1

Specifications of Model 3340

Measurement Technique ...................... Light scattering

Particle Type ........................................ Airborne solids and liquids

Particle Size Range .............................. 0.090 to 7.5 µm optical size (PSL equivalent)

Zero Count ........................................... <1 particle counted in 5 minutes (JIS standard)

Counting Efficiency ............................... >50% at 90 nm

Particle Concentration Range ............... 18,000 particles/cm3 at 10 cm

3/min

3,600 particles/cm3 at 50 cm

3/min

1,800 particles/cm3 at 95 cm

3/min

Maximum Particle Concentration .......... 3000 particles per second

Display Resolution ................................ Up to 100 user-defined channels

Resolution ............................................ Within 5% at 0.1 m diameter

Sampling Time ..................................... User Selectable from 1 second to 60 hours, 60 min, 60 sec

Flow

Sample Flow Rate ................................

Sheath Flow Rate .................................

Atmospheric Pressure Correction .........

10 to 95 sccm. ±5% @ 50 sccm.

Nominally 650 ccm ± 5%.

Sample flow automatically corrected by internal flow controller

Environmental Operating

Conditions

Operating Temperature ........................

Operating Humidity ...............................

Operating Altitude .................................

10 to 30°C (50 to 86°F)

10 to 90% RH non-condensing

Sea level to 4000 meters (13,000 ft)

Aerosol Medium ................................... Designed for use with air. Do NOT use with pressurized, explosive, corrosive,

toxic, or other hazardous gases.

Calibration Particles ............................. NIST traceable Polystyrene Latex (PSL) Spheres

Laser Source ........................................ >1W intercavity power 633 nm Helium-Neon gas laser

Detectors .............................................. Avalanche Photo Diode (APD) and PIN photodiode

Front Panel Display .............................. 10” Color, 640 by 480 pixels

Operating System & Software .............. Windows® 7, executable VI (virtual instrument) based on LabVIEW 7.1 -

generated executable, Microsoft Office®

Power ................................................... 100 to 240 VAC, 50 to 60 Hz, 200 W, single phase

A-2 Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer

Communications ................................... 10/100 Ethernet (RJ45 Jack) for input/output, RS-232 for output only (9-pin D

connector), USB port, for keyboard/mouse, solid-state memory devices, or

portable DVD/CD external drive.

Outputs ................................................. RS-232 and Ethernet ports

Dimensions (HWD) ............................... 25 cm 43 cm 56 cm (10 in. 17 in. 22 in.)

Weight .................................................. 24 kg (53 lb.).

Fuse .....................................................

Internal fuse not accessible to user

2, 2A 250V 5 20mm in power entry module

3.5A 250V 3AG hard wired in power supply

TSI and TSI logo are registered trademarks of TSI Incorporated.

D i m e n s i o n a l D i a g r a m

B-1

A P P E N D I X B Us ing Ser ia l Data Commands

This appendix contains information you need if you are writing your own

software for a computer or data acquisition system. Information includes:

Pin connectors

Baud rate

Parity

Command definitions and syntax.

P i n C o n n e c t o r s

The Model 3340 has a single A-pin, D-subminiature connector port on the

back panel labeled SERIAL PORT (See Figure 3-3 and Figure B-1). This

communication port is configured at the factory to work with RS-232 type

devices. Table B-1 provides the signal connections.

Figure B-1

SERIAL PORT Pin Designations

Table B-1

Signal Connections for RS-232 Configurations

Pin Number RS-232 Signal

1 — 2 Transmit Output 3 Receive Input 4 — 5 GND 6 — 7 — 8 — 9 —

5 4 3 2 1

9 8 7 6

B-2 Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer

B a u d R a t e

The baud-rate setting is the rate of communication in terms of bits per

second (baud). The Model 3340 uses a baud rate setting of 115,200. For

proper communications, make sure that all software used with the

instrument is set at the appropriate rate.

F o r m a t ( 8 - B i t s , N o P a r i t y )

The Model 3340 RS-232 data output format uses eight data bits with no

parity as the only setting.

S t o p B i t s a n d F l o w C o n t r o l

The Model 3340 uses a Stop bits setting of 1 and a Flow Control Setting

of None.

B i - d i r e c t i o n a l S e r i a l C o m m a n d P r o t o c o l

The Bi-directional Serial Command protocol is designed to allow limited

remote control operation of the spectrometer via the RS-232 port. It allows

you to start a single sample of a user-defined length, verify the status of the

sample, get the sample distribution including sample time, flows, reference,

etc., stop sampling, and verify the map that is in use from a separate

control computer.

Note: This does not allow remote control of map settings, flow rate, or

configuration/calibration settings. This is primarily useful for

automated test setups where the control computer may also be

controlling flow, temperature, etc., and processing the data.

A standard M-F RS-232 cable will need to be connected between the test

computer and the spectrometer which is running the virtual instrument.

Using Serial Data Commands B-3

Test Computer Settings (illustrated in HyperTerminal®) Use settings of 115,200 bps, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit, and no

flow control.

Note: Hyperterminal is used to demonstrate a serial communication

program. It does not come preinstalled with Windows 7 Operating

System. Other Serial communication programs may be used as well

(i.e., HyperTerminal® Private Edition).

For the illustrations here HyperTerminal® was set to echo locally, append

linefeeds, and wrap lines.

®HyperTerminal is a trademark of Hilgraeve, Inc.


Status Command Format: status <Enter>.

This command verifies the status of the sample. The response of “Not

running” indicates the computer and the spectrometer are communicating

and that the program was not currently taking data. If the program was

sampling (whether under RS-232 control or direct local control), the

response would be the total number of particles counted followed by the

seconds remaining in the current sample.

Note: In all the following examples, the “Enter” key was pressed after

the screenshot was taken as the unit response overwrites input

text line.

Start Command Format: start n <Enter>.

Where n is the desired sample time in seconds. This command is used to

start a single test sample. In this case a 60 second sample was started.

The response “OK” indicates the command was accepted.


Entering the previously described status command gives a response of

“1464, 41.0” indicating that the unit had counted 1464 particles and there

were 41.0 seconds left in the sample.

The sample was allowed to finish, then the status command was repeated.

This time the “Not running” response indicates the sample is finished.

Distribution Command Format: distribution <Enter>

This command causes the unit to send the sample data to the control

computer in a comma delimited format. In this example “679” is the number

of counts in the first channel, “701” is the number of counts in the second

channel, etc. At the end of the channel data the unit sends the following

data: set sample time, date and time the sample was started, sample flow,

sheath flow, Reference Voltage, Pressure, and Temperature.

Note: If the unit was running, but a sample had not been started, the

distribution data is invalid. If the unit has not finished with the

sample, the distribution data will be an intermediate value in the

sample. There is nothing to indicate that the sample is not complete,

it is recommended to always verify that the status has returned to

“Not running” before requesting the distribution.


(Distribution data outlined in red)

Map Command Format: map <Enter>

This command causes the unit to send the bin map currently in use to be

sent to the control computer.

(Map size bins outlined in red)

If the map "Under" option is active, the map is preceded by a -1. If the map

"Over" option is active, the map is followed by 9999 (not shown).


Stop Command Format: stop <Enter>

This command terminates a sample in progress. In the example, a 60-

second sample was started then stopped part way through the sample.

The response “OK” indicates the command was accepted.

Invalid Commands Any command that is not recognized generates an “?Invalid Command!”

response as demonstrated by entering a misspelled stop command in the

example below.


D a t a F i l e a n d O u t p u t F o r m a t

A typical data file opened in Notepad with extra tabs inserted in the two

header rows to make the columns align correctly (Note: word-wrap is off). It

is generally easier to open data files in a spreadsheet such as Microsoft®

Excel® software but Notepad illustrates the exact recorded time format

whereas Excel® will often change the time format.

Field Description

Date Date at the end of the record interval

Time Time at the end of the record interval

Accum Secs. Sample Accumulation Time

Scatter Volts Background Light Level

Current Volts N/A in the Model 3340

Sample sccm Sample Flow Rate (measured)

Ref. Volts Laser Reference Voltage

Temp. Volts N/A in the Model 3340

Sheath sccm Sheath Flow Rate (measured)

Diff. Volts N/A in the Model 3340

Box K Internal Temperature Sensor (°K)

Purge sccm N/A in the Model 3340

Pres. kPa Internal Ambient Pressure Sensor

Aux. Volts N/A in the Model 3340

Flow sscm N/A in the Model 3340

90.00 94.11 Size Range & counts in 1st data channel

9411 98.41 Size Range & counts in 2nd

data channel

98.41 102.91 Size Range & counts in 3rd

data channel

etc.

C-1

A P P E N D I X C Computer Rela ted Issues

R e g i o n a l S e t t i n g s a n d L a b V I E W®

S o f t w a r e

Many European Regional and Language Options use a comma (,) as a

decimal point and may use periods (.) as digit grouping separators. Our

LabVIEW® configuration files are created using a period (.) as a decimal

point. Changing the regional settings in Microsoft® Windows

® operating

system can create a conflict as it no longer interprets the decimal correctly.

Note: If decimal points other than (.) and (,) exist in Windows® operating

system, the same issue would apply to them.

Example: Default Windows® English (United States) Setting vs. Windows

®

default French (France) Setting.

C-2 Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer

Note: Number Format is 123,456,789.00.

Note: Number format is: 123 456 789,00.

Computer-Related Issues C-3

After applying a comma decimal delimiter format and starting LabVIEW®

virtual instrument, note that the Sample flow on the Controls tab is zero

and the Calibration Curve is quite distorted (calibration password is

required to access the curve). Not shown is the configuration tab which

will show a trigger threshold of 0,000 rather than the normal value for

the instrument.

Figure C-1

Distorted Calibration Curve


Figure C-2

Normal Appearance of a Typical Model 3340 Calibration Curve (requires calibration password to access)

This issue has caused confusion and unnecessary instrument service

returns. To avoid this, LabVIEW® software has an instruction line to ignore

the local decimal point. Unfortunately, this means that the data files

produced by the virtual instrument will continue to use the period delimiter.

Procedure to Allow use of Regional Settings with Non-Period Local Decimal Points A method that appears to work (but has not been thoroughly tested) is to

convert the unit’s configuration and map files to comma format, leaving

LabVIEW® software to use the local decimal point set in Windows

®

operating system. This has the advantage that any data files it writes will

also use the local decimal point. To do this, use Notepad (or Wordpad) to

edit the configuration file (typically config.cfg or config#xx.cfg in the

C:\PH directory. If in doubt, look on the configuration tab in the virtual

instrument to verify the name of the active configuration file it is using. In

this example it is C:\PH\config.cfg.


1. Open this file in Notepad (or Wordpad).

Note: Before editing, save backup copies of any files you are changing in

another directory to preserve the original files!


2. Select Edit>Replace.


3. In the “Find what” field enter a period (.) and in the “Replace with” field

enter a comma (,) (or other local decimal point if different).


4. Click Replace All then close the Replace dialog box. Note that the

decimal points are now all commas (,).

5. Save the resulting file using the same name and directory as the

original file, i.e., C:\PH\config.cfg.

6. Open the file C:\PH\LAS-3340_3p3_090519.ini. Highlight the line

useLocalDecimalPt=False as shown here and delete it (alternatively,

you could edit this to read “useLocalDecimalPt=true”). Save the file

and exit.

Now, when the virtual instrument is started, it will open the converted file

with the local decimal points and should read the values correctly.


Notes: 1) The factory.cfg and map files (map1 and any other user

created maps) should also be converted in a similar fashion to

the local decimal point.

2) This method can also be used to convert the decimal point to

the correct local value in data files written by LabVIEW®

software that ignore the local decimal point as in option 1

above. Wordpad is recommended for large data files as it

performs the conversion much more efficiently than Notepad.

3) Notepad and Wordpad are normally found in: Start > All

Programs > Accessories.

R e m o t e D e s k t o p O p e r a t i o n

Note: These instructions assume that Windows® 7 Professional is the

operating system on both computers.

The Microsoft® Windows

® Remote Access feature allows remote control

and monitoring of one or more Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometers

from another PC which may be located on the same Ethernet network or

from an outside network via an Internet Service Provider.

To use Remote Desktop the 3340 must first be set up to allow remote

connection. Windows® system setup of the instrument’s PC to allow

Remote Desktop operation is outlined here:

1. Click start, right-click on Computer and select Remote Settings.


2. Click on the Remote tab and click the Allow connections only from

computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level

Authentication (more secure) under the “Remote Desktop” section.

Make note of the name of the computer and click Apply then OK.

Ensure that the Model 3340 is connected to an Ethernet network and that

the connection is functioning. The connection functionality can be tested by

trying to access an internet web site via Microsoft® Internet Explorer

®

browser.

If the control PC is not connected to the same physical network, it must

have the necessary permissions to access the network remotely via the

Internet. Contact your network administrator for assistance if needed as

this is beyond the scope of these instructions.


Accessing the instrument remotely via Remote Destktop:

1. From the control computer, click on Start > All Programs >

Accessories > Remote Desktop Connection.

2. The following dialog should appear:


3. Click on the Show Options button to expand the dialog box to allow

customization of the connection:

4. On the “Display” tab, set the display resolution to 640×480, 16-bit color

to match the normal screen resolution of the Model 3340.


5. In the “Local Resources” tab, Click More then Drives, to allow access

to the control computer’s drives. This is useful for saving data as

otherwise you can only save data on the remote PC.

6. On the “General” tab, enter the full remote computer name in the

appropriate field. For access via the internet contact your network

administrator for instructions. The user name may be entered here or

may be entered when asked to log in to the remote computer. Click

Connect to establish the Remote Desktop session.


7. You may see a warning screen asking if you trust the connection. Click

Connect to complete the connection (remote computer may appear

different, photo is reference only).

8. After connecting, you need to log on to the Model 3340 computer. Use

the same username and password as when working on the instrument

directly (default: user name: tsiinc, password: 3340).

9. When working, you should see the desktop of the target instrument in

the Remote Desktop window. Clicking on the desktop virtual instrument

icon should start the virtual instrument and allow full control.


Note: If you have selected the “Drives” option under “Local

Resources” when setting up the connection, you will have

access to the control computer’s drives for saving the data.

Clicking on the My Computer button in the data file dialog box

will show the 3340’s drives as well as the control computer’s

local and network drives (see screen below).

10. To disconnect from the remote desktop, close the Remote Desktop

window. Click on OK in the popup dialog to disconnect. The

application(s) running on the3340 computer continues running until

they are shut down.

11. For connecting to the instrument on an internal corporate network from

an outside network (such as a home ISP) an outside remote desktop

gateway will be needed on the corporate network. Setup of this is

beyond the scope of this manual.

Index-1

Index

A AC power connector, 3-3 acetone, 6-3 analog chain, 5-6 analog electronics, 5-6

block diagram, 5-6 analog PC board, 3-4 analog-to-digital converter, 5-7 applications, 1-2 avalanche photo diode, 5-2, A-1

B back panel, 3-2 back panel RS-232 and Ethernet, 2-3 baud rate, B-2 bench cleaning, 6-2 bi-directional serial command

protocol, B-2 block diagram of optical particle

spectrometer, 5-2

C calibration, 5-8, 7-1, 7-6 calibration curve, 5-9

distorted, C-3 typical, C-4

calibration label, vi calibration mode control, 4-9 calibration mode controls, 7-2 calibration tab, 4-14, 7-4 calibration voltage, 7-9 caution symbol, vii channel cursor, 4-13 choose a data file to write, 4-15 Class 1 laser, v Class 1 laser product, 6-2 cleaning optics, 6-1, 6-3 cleaning port aperture label, vi cleaning port screws, 6-4 cleaning procedure, 6-3 clear control, 4-6 collecting data, 4-15 commit button, 4-4, 4-5 communications, A-2 computer connections, 2-3 configuration tab, 4-14, 7-2 connecting computer, 2-3 connecting power, 2-2 connectors

AC power, 3-3 control, 5-7 controls tab, 4-3 cumm button, 4-11

D danger high voltage label, vi danger laser radiation label, vi data collection, 4-15 data file format, 4-16 default password, 4-1 default user name, 4-1 description, 3-1 detection system, 5-2 detector PC board, 3-4 detectors, A-1 digital electronics system, 5-7 digital PC board, 3-4 dimensioned outline, A-2 dimensions, A-2 display resolution, A-1 distribution command, B-5

E ESD protection, vii Ethernet port, 3-3 exhaust port, 3-3

F ferrule, 6-6 ferrule nut, 6-5, 6-6

disconnecting, 6-4 filters, 3-4 flow strut, 3-4 flow system, 5-4

schematic, 5-5 format, B-2 front panel, 3-1 front panel display, A-1 front panel USB ports, 2-3 fuse, A-2

G gain ratios, 5-6 gain stage labeling convention, 5-6 gain stitch, 7-11 guards, 3-2

H Helium-Neon gas laser, 5-2 histogram display controls, 4-11 histogram map, 4-4 histogram tab, 4-2, 4-10 HR mirror, 6-3 HyperTerminal

®, B-3

I–J initial sampling, 7-8 inlet, 3-2 inlet jet, 6-5, 6-6 inlet tubing, 6-5 inserting tubing into jet, 6-6 internal components, 3-4 internal diagram, 3-4 invalid command, B-7

K keyboard, USB, 2-1

L label

calibration, vi cleaning port aperture, vi danger high voltage, vi danger laser radiation, vi laser safety, vi laser serial number, vi serial number, vi

LabVIEW desktop icon, 4-1 LabVIEW software, C-1 language options, C-2 laser, 5-2

bench cleaning, 6-2 laser aerosol spectrometer, 1-1 laser bench

cleaning, 6-2 optics, 6-3

laser optical block, 3-4 laser reference voltage, 4-4 laser safety, 6-2 laser safety information label, vi laser serial number label, vi laser source, A-1 laser window, 6-3 LCD display, 3-1 load button, 7-3 load control, 4-6 location of warning labels, vi

M–N maintenance, 6-1

calibration, 7-1 manual history, ii map

setup, 7-7 map command, B-6 map controls, 4-4 map limits, 4-6

Index-2 Model 3340 Laser Aerosol Spectrometer

map tab, 4-4 map tab calibration controls, 7-4 maximum particle concentration, A-1 measurement technique, A-1 mechanical housing, 5-3 monitoring, 5-7 mounting sensor, 2-2 mouse, USB, 2-1

O on-board PC, 5-8 operating altitude, A-1 operating humidity, A-1 operating temperature, A-1 operation, 1-2, 4-1 operator mode, 4-14 optical block

side view, 5-3 top view, 5-4

optical particle spectrometer, 5-2 optical system, 5-2 optics, 5-2

cleaning, 6-1, 6-3 cleaning procedure, 6-3

outputs, A-2 over control, 4-8 overview, 1-1

P packing list, 2-1 particle coincidence, 5-10 particle signal, 5-6 particle size range, A-1 particle type, A-1 password

default, 4-1 entry window, 4-14

peak height analysis, 5-7 pin connectors, B-1 PIN photodiode, A-1 power, A-1 power connection, 2-2 power PC board, 3-4 power supply, 3-4 pressure sensor, 4-4 product description, 1-1, 3-1 product registration, ii pulse height analysis, 5-7 pump exhaust, 3-3 purpose of manual, xi

Q quick start guide, 4-1

R recommendations, 8-1 record control, 4-13 regional options, C-2 regional settings, C-1 related product literature, xi relative gain, 5-9 remote access, C-9

remote desktop operation, C-9 resolution, A-1 returning CPC for service, 8-3 revert to factory configuration button,

7-3 RS-232, 3-3

signal, B-1 run button, 4-2, 4-10

S safety, v sample flow, 4-3 sampling controls, 4-10 sampling time, A-1 save button, 7-3 save control, 4-6 schematic, 5-5 sensor, mounting, 2-2 serial data commands, B-1

baud rate, B-2 format, B-2 pin connectors, B-1 stop bits and flow control, B-2

serial number label, vi serial port, 3-3, B-1

designations, B-1 service policy, iv setting up, 2-1 setting up map, 7-7 sheath flow, 4-3 signal connections for RS-232

configurations, B-1 solid-state, 6-1 specifications, A-1 start command, B-4 status command, B-4 stop bits and flow control, B-2 stop button, 4-2 stop command, B-7 submitting comments, xi subsystems, 5-1 Swagelok fitting, 6-5 symptoms, 8-1

T technical contacts, 8-2 temperature sensor, 4-4 theory of operation, 5-1 trademarks, iv troubleshooting, 8-1

symptoms and recommendations, 8-1

U under control, 4-8 unit controls, 4-3 unpacking, 2-1 USB keyboard, 2-1 USB mouse, 2-1 USB port, 3-1 user mode, 4-14

user name default, 4-1

V ventilation requirements, 2-2 vi. (see virtual instrument)

virtual instrument, 1-1, 4-1

W–X–Y warning, v warning labels

location, vi warning symbol, vii warranty, iii weight, A-2 Windows

® 7 operating system, 3-1,

4-1

Z zero-count filter, 4-2

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