Recommendations For Best Use Practices - Aethlabs microAeth AE51 Quick Start Manual

Recommendations for Best Use Practices

The small size and light weight of the microAeth® AE51 allow it to be used to gather data
in a wide range of operational scenarios, not always possible using larger instruments.
Optimization of performance across this breadth of applications requires an understanding
of operational settings, precautions, and maintenance procedures. The following
recommendations provide general guidelines.
Instrument Settings: Measurement Timebase and Flow Rate
In order to get the best data from the microAeth AE51 for the sampling campaign, we
highly recommend that the instrument warm up for approximately 10-15 minutes so
that it can equilibrate to its environment. The microAeth can aquire data on five timebase
settings: 1, 10, 30, 60, and 300 seconds. The 1 second timebase should only be used
under special circumstances where a decreased signal-to-noise ratio is acceptable. At
this setting, instrumental noise is larger and typically requires post-processing. The AE51
pump can operate at four sampling flow rate settings: 50, 100, 150, and 200 ml/min. The
choice of these parameters affects the operation and data as follows.
Battery Run Time on Single Charge: Affected by flow rate and timebase.
NOTE: Battery life will gradually diminish after many cycles (~ 1 year of use). The following
are approximate runtimes which can vary based on individual AE51 instruments and
specific environments.
50 ml/min
1 second > 21 hours
10 seconds > 21 hours
30 seconds > 23 hours
60 seconds
> 28 hours
300 seconds > 30 hours
Individual Data Point Noise: At 150 ml/min, primarily affected by timebase setting.
1 second
< 5 ug/m
3
Effects of Contamination, Vibration, and Impact: Primarily affected by timebase setting.
1 second 10 seconds
very large large
2 microAeth ® AE51 Quick Start Guide
100 ml/min 150 ml/min 200 ml/min
> 18 hours > 14 hours > 12 hours
> 19 hours > 15 hours > 12 hours
> 19 hours > 15 hours > 13 hours
> 24 hours > 20 hours > 15 hours
> 24 hours > 21 hours > 15 hours
60 seconds 300 seconds
< 0.1 ug/m < 0.05 ug/m
3 3
30 seconds 60 seconds 300 seconds
moderate moderate least effect
Recommended Settings of microAeth® AE51 for Different Scenarios
Different Black Carbon measurement scenarios require different operational settings
for optimum performance. The 1 second timebase setting is a 'Data Acquisition Mode'
intended for subsequent processing, and should NOT be used for routine monitoring. Data
collected on a 1 second timebase should always be smoothed or averaged over longer
periods, in order to optimize the signal-to-noise ratio at the desired time resolution.
50 ml/min
'Data Acquisition
immediate
1 s
emissions and
impacts at high
concentrations.
Traffic and
transporation
10 s
impacts in high BC
concentrations.
Personal Exposure
Monitoring in high
30 s
BC concentrations.
Occupational
Personal Exposure
Monitoring.
60 s Occupational
Exposure. High BC
concentrations.
Epidemiology.
Area monitoring.
300 s
quality. High BC
concentration.
AethLabs AethLabs
Longest Filter Life
100 ml/min
'Data Acquisition
'Data Acquisition
Mode' for Mode' for
emissions and
for higher time
impacts in typical
resolution at lower
urban and traffic
BC concentrations.
environments.
Traffic and
transporation
impacts at lower
impacts.
BC concentrations.
Recommended
Setting for General
Personal Exposure
Applications.
Monitoring. Traffic
Personal Exposure
impact. High time
Monitoring. Traffic
resolution ambient
impact. High time
Exposure.
resolution ambient
monitoring.
Personal Exposure
Personal Exposure
Monitoring. Indoor
Monitoring. Indoor
Air Quality. Low BC
Air Quality.
concentration.
Epidemiology.
Epidemiology. Area monitoring.
Indoor air Area monitoring.
Indoor air quality. quality. Low BC
concentration.
Shortest
150 ml/min 200 ml/min
'Data Acquisition
Mode'
Mode' for higher time
resolution at lower
BC concentrations
or shorter sampling
durations.
Traffic and Traffic and
transporation transporation
impacts at lower
BC concentrations.
Personal Exposure
Monitoring. Traffic
impact. Ambient
monitoring. Higher
sensitivity for low
monitoring.
BC concentrations.
Personal Exposure
Monitoring. Higher
sensitivity for low
BC concentrations.
Epidemiology.
Area monitoring.
Indoor air quality.
Indoor air
Lowest BC
concentration.
Lowest data noise.
microAeth ® AE51 Quick Start Guide 3