ASTM_F_658_-_00a.pdf

Designation:F 658 00aStandard Practice forCalibration of a Liquid-Borne Particle Counter Using anOptical System Based Upon Light Extinction1This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 658;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon(e)indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This practice covers procedures for calibrating anddetermining performance of an optical liquid-borne particlecounter(LPC)which uses an optical system based upon lightextinction measurement.This practice is directed towardsdetermination of accuracy and resolution of the LPC forcharacterizing the size and number of particles,which havebeen passed into the sample inlet of the LPC.Consideration ofinlet sampling efficiency is not part of this practice.1.2 The procedures covered in this practice include those tomeasure sample volume and flow rate,zero count level,particle sizing and counting accuracy,particle sizing resolu-tion,particle counting efficiency,and particle concentrationlimit.1.3 The particle size parameter reported in this practice isthe equivalent optical diameter based on projected area ofcalibration particles with known physical properties dispersedin liquid.The manufacturer normally specifies the minimumdiameter that can be reported by an LPC;the dynamic range ofthe LPC being used determines the maximum diameter that canbe reported for a single sample.Typical minimum reporteddiameters are approximately 2 m,and a typical dynamic rangespecification will be approximately from 50 to 1.1.4 The counting rate capability of the LPC is limited bytemporal coincidence of particles in the sensing volume of theLPC and by the saturation level or maximum counting ratecapability of the electronic sizing and counting circuitry.Coincidence is defined as the simultaneous presence of morethan one particle within the LPC optically defined sensing zoneat any time.The coincidence limit is a statistical function ofparticle concentration in the sample and the sensing zonevolume when particle size is insignificant in comparison to thesensing volume dimensions2.This limitation may be modifiedby the presence of particles with dimension so large as to be asignificant fraction of the sensing zone dimension3.Thesaturation level rate of the electronic counting circuitry shall bespecified by the manufacturer and is normally greater than theLPC recommended maximum counting rate for the particleconcentrations used for any portion of this practice.1.5 Calibration in accordance with all parts of this practicemay not be required for routine field calibration of an LPCunless significant changes have occurred in operation of theLPC or major component repairs or replacements have beenmade.The LPC shall then be taken to a suitable metrologyfacility for complete calibration.Normal routine field calibra-tion may determine sample flow rate,zero count level,andparticle sizing accuracy.The specific LPC functions to becalibrated shall be determined on the basis of agreementbetween the purchaser and the user.The maximum timeinterval between calibrations shall be determined by agreementbetween the purchaser and the user,but shall not exceed twelvemonths,unless LPC stability for longer periods is verified bymeasurements in accordance with this practice.1.6 This standard may involve hazardous materials,opera-tion,and equipment.This standard does not purport to addressall of the safety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It isthe responsibility of the user of this standard to establishappropriate safety and health practices and determine theapplicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:D 1193 Specification for Reagent Water4D 3195 Practice for Rotameter Calibration5E 20 Practice for Particle Size Analysis of Particulate Sub-stances in the Range of 0.2 to 75 Micrometres by OpticalMicroscopy61This practice is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee E29 on Particle andSpray Characterization and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E29.02 onNon-Sieving Methods.Current edition approved October 10,2000.Published November 2000.Origi-nally published as F 658 99.Last previous edition F 658 00.2Jaenicke,R.,“The Optical Particle Counter:Cross-Sensitivity and Coinci-dence,”Journal of Aerosol Science,Vol 3,1972,pp.95-111.3Knapp,J.Z.and Abramson,L.R.,“A New Coincidence Model for SingleParticle Counters.I Theory and Experimental Verification,”Journal of ParenteralScience and Technology,Vol 48,1994,pp.255-294.4Annual Book of ASTM Standards,Vol 11.01.5Annual Book of ASTM Standards,Vol 11.03.6Discontinued;see 1994 Annual Book of ASTM Standards,Vol 14.02.1Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959,United States.2.2Other Documents:ANSI/NCSL Z540-1-1994 Laboratorie