TSI Incorporated SIDEPAK AM510, User Manual

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Appendix B 56
Determining the Calibration Factor for a Specific Aerosol
The SidePak Personal Aerosol Monitor Model AM510 is factory
calibrated to the respirable fraction of standard ISO 12103-1, A1 Test
Dust. The SidePak monitor can be easily calibrated to any arbitrary
aerosol by adjusting the custom calibration factor. The SidePak
monitor’s custom calibration factor is assigned the value of 1.00
(factory setting) for the standard ISO test dust. This procedure
describes how to determine the calibration factor for a specific
aerosol. Using a calibration factor value of 1.00 will always revert
back to the factory calibration.
To determine a new calibration factor you need some way of
accurately measuring the concentration of aerosol, hereafter referred
to as the reference instrument. A gravimetric analysis is often the best
choice, although it is limited to nonvolatile aerosols.
To make an accurate calibration you must simultaneously measure
the aerosol concentration with the SidePak monitor and your
reference instrument.
1. Zero the SidePak monitor as described in the Maintenance
chapter.
2. Select a short logging interval (e.g. 5 seconds), in the Setup:
Logging Interval menu.
1. Put the instrument in Run Manual Mode.
4. Locate the SidePak monitor and the reference sampler together
so that they are measuring from the same area. If you use a size-
selective inlet, make sure each instrument has an identical inlet.
5. Start sampling aerosol with both instruments at the same time.
Note: Greater accuracy will be obtained with longer samples.
The time you permit for sampling often depends on the
reference instrument and characteristics of the measured
aerosol. It may take some time to collect sufficient
aerosol onto a filter cassette for accurate gravimetric
analysis. Refer to instructions of your reference
instrument for sampling times.
6. Stop sampling with both instruments at the same time.
7. At the conclusion of the test, the SidePak monitor will display Test
Statistics for the last test. Note the average concentration. You
may also download the test data using TrakPro
software, and
view the Test Statistics.
8. Determine the mass concentration in mg/m
3
from your reference
instrument. For gravimetric sampling this means having the
gravimetric sample weighed.