M2-AS (Mass & Mobility Aerosol Spectrometer) instrument

Contracting authority is publishing direct award notice for 'M2-AS (Mass & Mobility Aerosol Spectrometer) instrument'.

BACKGROUND INFO Tampere University Aerosol Physics Laboratory (APL) focuses on the research of aerosols related to atmospheric processes, combustion, and engineered nanomaterials. For this research, detailed information on the aerosol particles is essential. The existing research infrastructure includes extensive instrumentation for particulate matter characterization in a wide particle size range. In addition to the more traditional aerosol instrumentation, the infrastructure is also equipped with state-of-the art aerosol and chemical ionization mass spectrometers capable of atmospheric pressure sampling. The APL has a strong background in characterizing the physical properties such as for instance particle effective density and morphology of the aerosol particles. These properties are important in the research of combustion related aerosols and their impact on the atmospheric processes. This information is usually obtained by using different size selective instruments in series. This approach leads either to very limited size resolution or seriously prolonged measurement time. Furthermore, the measurement requires off-line data processing. NEED The APL is seeking for an instrument to study fractal-like aerosol particles of combustion aerosols and engineered particle manufacturing processes. The specific need is a simultaneous measurement of particle number, mass, and effective density as a function of particle size. One outcome of such a measurement is the particle mass-mobility exponent. The instrument must operate at particle size range of 50 nm to 2.5 µm with a scan time of 15 minutes or less. The instrument must be capable of obtaining the particle effective density with a size resolution of 10 size bins/decade or better. The instrument must also include all the necessary software required for processing the measured raw data to the required parameters. MARKET ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION FOR DIRECT AWARD According to contracting authority’s knowledge, the Mass & Mobility Aerosol Spectrometer (M2AS), supplied by Cambustion Ltd., UK, is the only instrument currently available providing simultaneous and combined measurement of both particle mass and mobility size distribution with a high particle size resolution and with a time resolution of typically 10 minutes. For the proper market survey purposes, the contracting authority has searched information on the comparable instruments but has not found another instrument fulfilling the requirements.