The WINS Impactor, Very Sharp Cut Cyclone, Sharp Cut Cyclone

What Inlet Do You Use to Comply with USEPA Designation?

 

The following summary may be useful:

1.            All currently designated USEPA Class III PM_2.5 FEM single-channel ambient particulate monitors must incorporate the BGI VSCC PM_2.5 fractionator in order to remain designated.

2.            If the BGI VSCC PM_2.5 fractionator in a designated Class III PM_2.5 Federal Equivalent Method is replaced with a WINS impactor or a standard sharp cut cyclone, it is no longer a USEPA designated Class III PM_2.5 equivalent method.

3.            The only USEPA Class III PM_2.5 FEM made by Thermo-Fisher that does not employ the BGI VSCC is the seldom used double-channel 1405DF TEOM.

There are 3 commonly used PM_2.5 particulate matter separators used on single-channel continuous monitors such as the Met One BAM-1020 beta attenuation mass monitor. These are the WINS Impactor (also known as the size-selective inlet – “SSI”) and the sharp cut cyclone, which is provided by several suppliers including Met One Instruments -  and the Very Sharp Cut Cyclone “VSCC”, which is provided exclusively by BGI, Incorporated. Although it’s possible to equip any of the commonly used ambient particulate monitors with any of these PM_2.5 particulate matter separators, the requirement to operate these ambient particulate monitors as a Class 3 PM_2.5 Federal Equivalent Methods (FEM), the Very Sharp Cut Cyclone, manufactured by BGI, Inc. is required.

Originally, the WINS impactor was required for all EPA PM_2.5 designated methods. In 2007, the EPA designated the BGI VSCC to replace the WINS impactor. Since then, the WINS impactor has all but disappeared from the scene in the US because of high levels of required maintenance.

The following excerpts, detailing how the monitors must be configured was taken from the US-EPA website.

EPA DESIGNATED PM_2.5 EQUIVALENT METHODS

Met One BAM-1020 Monitor – PM2.5 FEM Configuration or Horiba APDA-371– PM2.5 Configuration

Automated Equivalent Method: EQPM-0308-170

“Met One Instruments, Inc. BAM-1020 Beta Attenuation Mass Monitor - PM2.5 FEM Configuration, Horiba Instruments APDA-371 Beta Attenuation Mass Monitor – PM2.5 FEM Configuration, configured with a BGI VSCCTM Very Sharp Cut Cyclone particle size separator,” operated for 24 1-hour average measurements with firmware revision 3.2.4 or later, with or without an inlet tube extension (BX-823), with or without external enclosures BX-902 or BX-903, in accordance with the BAM 1020 Particulate Monitor operation manual, revision F or later, or the Horiba APDA-371 Monitor operation manual, and VSCCTM supplemental manual and equipped with BX-596 ambient temperature and barometric pressure combination sensor, internal BX-961 automatic flow controller operated in Actual (volumetric) flow control mode, the standard BX-802 EPA PM10 inlet head and a BGI VSCCTM Very Sharp Cut Cyclone (VSCC-A), BX-827 (110V) or BX-830 (230V) Smart Inlet Heater, with the heater RH set to 35% and the temperature control set to "off", the 8470-1 revision D or later tape control transport assembly with close geometry beta source configuration, used with standard glass fiber filter tape, COUNT TIME parameter set for 8 minutes, the SAMPLE TIME parameter set for 42 minutes, BX-302 zero filter calibration kit required and with or without BX-970 touch-screen display with USB interface.

Thermo Scientific TEOM® 1400a Ambient Particular Monitor with Series 8500C FDMS®; Thermo Scientific TEOM® 1405-F Ambient Particular Monitor with FDMS® Automated Equivalent Method: EQPM-0609-181 “Thermo Scientific TEOM® 1400a Ambient Particular Monitor with Series 8500C FDMS® (Filter Dynamics Measurement System) or Thermo Scientific TEOM® 1405-F Ambient Particular Monitor with FDMS®,” configured for PM2.5 with the US EPA PM10 inlet specified in 40 CFR 50 Appendix L, Figs. L-2 thru L-19, followed by a BGI Inc. Very Sharp Cut Cyclone (VSCCTM) particle size separator, operated with a total actual flow of 16.67 L/min., loaded with Series FDMS® 8500 module

Thermo Scientific Model 5014i or Thermo Scientific FH62C14-DHS Continuous Ambient Particle Monitor

Automated Equivalent Method: EQPM-0609-183

“Thermo Scientific Model 5014i or FH62C14-DHS Continuous Ambient Particle Monitor,” operated at a flow rate of 16.67 liters per minute for 24-hour average measurements configured for PM2.5 with a louvered PM10 size selective inlet as specified in 40 CFR 50 Appendix L, Figs. L-2 through L-19, a PM2.5 BGI Inc. Very Sharp Cut Cyclone (VSCCTM) particle size separator, inlet connector, sample tube, DHS heater with 35% RH threshold, mass foil kit, GF10 filter tape, 8-hour filter change, and operational calibration and servicing as outlined in the 5014i Continuous Ambient Particulate Monitor or FH62C14-DHS Continuous Ambient Particulate Monitor operating manual.

Thermo Scientific Model 5030 SHARP Monitor

Automated Equivalent Method: EQPM-0609-184 “Thermo Scientific Model 5030 SHARP Monitor,” operated at a flow rate of 16.67 liters per minute for 24-hour average measurements configured for PM2.5 with a louvered PM10 size selective inlet as specified in 40 CFR 50 Appendix L, Figs. L- 2 through L-19, a PM2.5 BGI Inc. Very Sharp Cut Cyclone (VSCCTM) particle size separator, inlet connector, sample tube, DHS heater with 35% RH threshold, mass foil kit, GF10 filter tape, nephelometer zeroing kit, 8-hour filter change, and operational calibration and servicing as outlined in the Model 5030 SHARP instructional manual. Federal Register: Vol. 74, page 28696, 06/17/09

Notice that all of these single-channel particulate monitoring systems require the BGI VSCC to be employed as a condition of designation.