Missoula Technology &
Development Center

Evaluation of Optical Instruments for Real-Time Continuous Monitoring of Smoke Particulates

Instruments

Two basic types of instruments were used in the evaluation: optical real-time continuous particulate monitors and gravimetric instruments. Tables 1 and 2 summarize the specifications and accessories for the real-time instruments.

Table 1—Specifications of the real-time, continuous, particulate-monitoring instruments evaluated.
	Price (dollars)	Size (inches)	Weight (pounds)	Mass concentration range (µg/m³)	Power requirements	Internal calibration	Internal data storage	Internal battery	Analytical filter
Met One GT-640	5,382	15.7x11.7x8	23	0 to 10,000	12 V dc, 1 A	X	X
MIE DataRam	11,000	5.28x7.25x13.63	11.7	0 to 400,000	6 V dc, 3 A	X	X	X	X
Radiance Research	4,795	22x5x7	5.7	0 to 1,000	12 V dc, 1 A		X
Optec NGN-3	12,900	10.7x8.2x16.5	27	0 to 16,666	13.8 V dc, 4.5 A	¹X
Andersen aethalometer	16,645	19x12.5x10.5	20	0 to 1,000	Lin power, 115 V ac	X	²X
¹ Requires external supply of span gas.
² Data storage with 3.5-in floppy disk installed.

Table 2—Accessories for the real-time, continuous, particulate-monitoring instruments evaluated.
	Inlet heater (standard)	PM2.5 cutoff	Environmental enclosure (standard*)	Relative humidity (standard**)	Ambient temperature	Meteorological equipment
Met One GT-640	Standard	X	Standard*	Standard**	X	X†
MIE DataRam	X	X
Radiance Research	X††			X	X
Optec NGN-3	Standard	X			Standard*†
Andersen aethalometer		X	X
* Self-contained fiberglass enclosure.
** Internal relative humidity sensor standard, ambient relative humidity sensor optional.
† Wind sensor, ambient temperature, ambient relative humidity.
†† Continuous heater or proportional, selectable heater.
*† Internal temperature standard, external temperature optional.

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