June 30, 2020

MAGEE SCIENTIFIC AETHALOMETER® MODEL AE43

MAGEE SCIENTIFIC AETHALOMETER® MODEL AE43 - PORTABLE BLACK CARBON MONITOR

The Magee Scientific Aethalometer^® is the instrument most used globally for the real-time measurement of aerosol Black Carbon (BC). The Model AE43 is the brand new Portable Black Carbon monitor. This product incorporates all of the well-proven and rugged design principles of Magee Scientific aerosol monitoring instruments. Applications such as vertical profiling, emission testing, health effects research, mobile mapping, and field measurements at “off-grid” locations are all made easier by the features of the AE43.

LIGHT-WEIGHT DESIGN for PORTABILITY (almost half the size and weight of the rack mount Black Carbon monitor)

OPTIONAL EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY for “OFF-GRID” monitoring applications

ADVANCED GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE for REAL-TIME DATA CHARTING

DUALSPOT^TM– PATENTED TECHNOLOGY

REAL-TIME SOURCE APPORTIONMENT

RUGGED and RELIABLE

MAGEE SCIENTIFIC AETHALOMETER® MODEL AE43

NEW Portable Black Carbon monitor

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PRODUCT INFO

The Aethalometer is a Black Carbon monitor that collects and analyzes aerosol particles continuously. The aerosol-laden air stream is drawn through a spot on a filter tape at a measured flow rate. Simultaneously, the tape is illuminated by light: sensitive detectors measure the intensities of light transmitted through an un-exposed portion of the tape, acting as a reference; versus the collecting spot. As optically absorbing material accumulates on the spot, the intensity of light transmitted through it gradually decreases. The decrease in light intensity from one measurement to the next is interpreted as an increase in collected material. This increased amount is divided by the known air-flow volume to calculate the concentration.

The new Black Carbon monitor collects a sample from the same input airstream on two sample spots with different accumulation rates and analyzes them simultaneously. The two results are combined mathematically to eliminate the “Filter Loading Effect” nonlinearity and accurately measure the aerosol concentration.

Additionally, the analysis is made at 7 optical wavelengths spanning the spectrum from 370 nm to 950 nm. Increases in optical absorption at shorter wavelengths may be interpreted in terms of the presence of so-called “Brown” carbonaceous material, usually an indicator of emissions from biomass combustion.

The Magee Scientific Aethalometer^® Model AE43 – a new Black Carbon Monitor combines the most recent development, scientific and technical results to extend application portfolio to portable BC measurements, for instance to vertical profiling, emission testings, health effect research, and the field pollution mapping…

LIGHT – WEIGHT DESIGN for PORTABLE APPLICATIONS

Magee Scientific Aethalometer^®model AE43 incorporates a lightweight design perfectly suitable for portable Black Carbon monitor.

EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY for REMOTE LOCATION monitoring

External 12 V power supply (optional accessory) for remote location monitoring: operation up to 15 hours. The AE43 can also be operated by an AC power adapter (100-240 VAC auto-switching) or an external DC source (e.g., vehicle power, solar PV system, etc.).

GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE for ADVANCED REAL-TIME DATA CHARTING

10.1” color touch-screen with basic data display and control, advanced screens for detailed reporting, and parameter setup. It incorporates graphical charts of relevant data visualization (BC @ all wavelengths, BB%) for instant monitoring and reporting. When the Wind sensor (PN M5520) is connected, advanced charting of BC in terms of pollution rose are available on the display of AE43.

THE DUALSPOT™ MEASUREMENT METHOD

The Magee Scientific Aethalometer^® Model AE43 incorporates the patented DualSpot™ measurement method. This completely solves the loading-dependent nonlinearity, which affects the data from any filter-based optical analyzer. The method explicitly does not require any knowledge or assumption about the existence, origin, or magnitude of any optical nonlinearity. In fact, the calculation yields the “Loading Compensation Parameter” as an instrumental data output, which may offer insights into the origins and optical properties of the aerosol.

7-WAVELENGTH OPERATION: UV-IR, 1HZ DATA

The analysis is performed at 7 optical wavelengths spanning from the near-infrared (950 nm) to the near-ultraviolet (370 nm). The sequencing of illumination and analysis is performed on a 1-Hz timebase. This yields the complete spectrum of aerosol optical absorption with one data line every second.

REAL-TIME SOURCE APPORTIONMENT

An Ångström Exponent model is used in real-time to calculate the fraction of BC that may be attributed to biomass combustion.

RUGGED, RELIABLE, AUTOMATIC

The Magee Scientific Aethalometer^® has been developed over almost 40 years to offer rugged, reliable, and automatic operation. The AE43 recovers automatically from power interruptions when connected to the AC power supply. Additionally, it can operate up to 15 h at a remote location when connected to an external 12V DC external power supply.

SPECIFICATIONS

OPERATION

AC el. power supply: 100-230 V~, 50/60 Hz (auto-switching)
DC el. power supply: 12 V (external battery power supply) – not included as a standard accessory
Typical power consumption: 25 W
Measurement wavelengths: 370, 470, 520, 590, 660, 880 and 950 nm
Airflow: 2 – 5 LPM provided by an internal pump

ENVIRONMENTAL OPERATING CONDITIONS

Indoor or sheltered use only: the AE43 is not weatherproof.
Altitude: up to 3000 m with an internal pump. Increased flow at higher altitudes possible with the external pump on request (extended up to 5000 m).
Temperature range: 5 – 55°C
Relative humidity range: 8%-88% non-condensing. Note that it is essential to prevent condensation of humid outdoor sample air if the instrument is located in a chilled (air-conditioned) environment.

MECHANICAL SPECIFICATION

Chassis material: sheet metal
Dimensions: 22 x 40 x 23 cm (modular Hardware, hermetically sealed)
Weight: 11.5 kg

CONNECTORS

Sampling air: inlet/outlet type – ¼” NTPF
Communication: 5x USB (1x charging only), 6x COM RS232, 1x Ethernet, 1x HDMI (for service only)
Storage: data are written to internal memory once every time-base period. Stored data may be transferred over a network or to a manually inserted USB drive.

DOCUMENTS

Title	Type	Download
AE43 Aethalometer® spec sheet	BROCHURE SHEET	Download
Magee Scientific 'New Portable' Aethalometer® model AE43 - (WP)	WHITEPAPER	Download
Magee Scientific Aethalometer AE43 Application Note-Wildfire smoke	APPLICATION NOTE	Download
Magee Scientific Aethalometer AE43 Application Note-Off grid operation	APPLICATION NOTE	Download
Magee Scientific Aethalometer AE43 Application Note-Mobile measurements	APPLICATION NOTE	Download

PUBLICATIONS

Title	Author	Publication	Year	Link
The “dual-spot” Aethalometer: an improved measurement of aerosol black carbon with real-time loading compensation	L. Drinovec et.al.	Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 1965–1979, 2015	2015	Download
Determination of car on-road black carbon and particle number emission factors and comparison between mobile and stationary measurements	I. Ježek et.al.	Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 43–55, 2015	2015	Download
The filter loading effect by ambient aerosols in filter absorption photometers depends on the mixing state of the sampled particles	L. Drinovec et.al.	Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 1043–1059, 2017	2017	Link
Evaluation of the absorption Ångström exponents for traffic and wood burning in the Aethalometer based source apportionment using radiocarbon measurements of ambient aerosol	P. Zotter et.al.	Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 4229–4249, 2017	2017	Link
The determination of highly time-resolved and source-separated black carbon emission rates using radon as a tracer of atmospheric dynamics	A. Gregorič et.al.	Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 14139–14162, 2020	2020	Download

BGI TETRACAL® AIR FLOW CALIBRATOR

The BGI ‘TetraCal’® is a simple-to-use, NIST-traceable Standard for volumetric airflow, barometric pressure, and ambient temperature. The TetraCal is a venturi-based system with built-in compensation for changes in ambient temperature and pressure. The TetraCal® may be directly connected to the Aethalometer model AE43 for both air flow and data transmission: and used in automatic software routines for flow calibration of the AE43.

Specification sheet

EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY

External power supply (rechargeable LiFePO4 battery): operates AE43 instrument for approx 15 hours of run time. LED display of remaining capacity and power status is also shown on the AE43 display.

Magee_Scientific_External Power Supply_brochure sheet

WEATHER STATION SENSORS

Our new family of Weather station sensors for measurements of Air temperature, Pressure, Relative/Absolute humidity, Wind speed, and Wind direction consists of:

1. The GMX300 Ambient Meteorological Sensor is a combined instrument mounted inside three doubled louvered, naturally aspirated radiation shields with no moving parts. It measures air temperature, humidity, and pressure.

2.The GMX200 is a Wind speed and direction ultrasonic sensor, and with an addition of an electronic compass, it provides apparent wind measurements.

3.The GMX500 is a compact weather station (with temperature, pressure, humidity, wind speed, and wind direction sensors).

For more information, please refer to the below brochure:

Magee_Scientific_Weather_station_sensor_brochure_sheet_A4_v1

TRANSIT CASE

Pelican® transit cases are perfectly suitable for situations where the Aethalometer® must be shipped or transported from one to another monitoring location. These provide internal padding, a sturdy waterproof exterior, and an integrated retractable handle and roller wheels.

EXTERNAL HIGH ALTITUDE (HA) AIR PUMP

The air pump inside the Magee Scientific Aethalometer® can supply a constant sample flow rate of 5 LMP up to
approx. 3000 m above sea level (a.s.l.), when the sample flow rate (reported at standard conditions) will slowly decrease. To extend the operating range of the Magee Scientific Aethalometer® up to 5000 m a.s.l. your
Aethalometer can now be connected to an external HA air pump.

Magee_Scientific_External HA air pump_brochure sheet

SAMPLE STREAM DRYER

Drying the aerosol sample stream is highly recommended to provide accurate measurement data and protect the water condensation equipment.

In hot, humid locations, the water vapor content of the ambient sample air may be very large. This can lead to inaccuracies in the BC measurement – but, more seriously, there is the possibility of water condensation inside the instrument, which can lead to permanent damage. This issue is solved by the use of our Sample Stream Dryer.

The interaction of water with aerosol species changes their physical properties. Consequently, the World Meteorological Organization has recommended that all aerosol measurements should be performed under conditions where the Relative Humidity is 40% or lower (WMO/GAW 2003; Wiedensohler, 2014).

Many stations in hot, humid locations have air-conditioned interiors. If the indoor air-conditioning temperature T_a is comparable to or lower than the dewpoint (condensation temperature) T_d of the outside ambient air, water will condense in the tubing and inside the instrument. This will not only completely invalidate the data but can also cause permanent damage to the instrument.

The Magee Scientific Sample Stream Dryer removes water vapor from the inlet flow using a semi-permeable Nafion membrane. This membrane selectively absorbs water vapor molecules from the air stream and passes them to a space on the other side of the membrane, maintained at low absolute pressure using a vacuum pump.

The Magee Scientific Sample Stream Dryer can reduce the dew point temperature by up to 14 degrees Celsius at a flow rate of 5 LPM. The equipment is self-contained, automatic, and includes a display screen that shows the input and output hygrometric properties. A data cable can connect to the Model AE43 Aethalometer® so that the temperature and humidity data are incorporated into the Aethalometer’s data files.

The Magee Scientific Sample Stream Dryer can be used to remove water vapor from the inlet stream to any aerosol instrument, not just an Aethalometer®.

NEUTRAL DENSITY OPTICAL VALIDATION KIT

The Neutral Density Optical Filter Kit provides validation of the reproducibility of the photometric detectors.

The optical performance of the Magee Scientific Aethalometer^®Model AE43 may be validated in the field by the ‘Neutral Density Optical Filter Kit,’ consisting of four precision optical elements containing precision glass whose absorbance is traceable to primary photometric standards maintained by national organizations such as NIST (USA), NPL (UK), BIPM (EU), etc. Software routines measure the optical intensities at all wavelengths and compare the analysis during the test with the original reference values. This validates the reproducibility of the Aethalometer’s fundamental measurement of optical Attenuation.

Magee_Scientific_Aethalometer_ND_Optical_Validation_Kit

FILTER TAPE

The Magee Scientific Aethalometer^® Model AE43 collects its samples on a proprietary filter tape made of glass fibers coated with PTFE/PET and supported on a mechanical backing for transport in the instrument. When the spot reaches a pre-set loading density, the tape is advanced to create a new spot. Each roll of tape is 10 m. in length and will last from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the average concentration of BC in the sampled atmosphere and the chosen operational flow rate.

SIZE-SELECTIVE INLETS

Ambient atmospheres include suspended particles of a large aerodynamic size such as pollen, dust, etc. These particles are not strongly optically absorbing and therefore do not interfere with the Aethalometer® analysis; however, a deposit of dust in the internal optics will degrade performance after lengthy use. To exclude large particles and provide analysis of a known respirable size fraction, we recommend using size-selective inlets designed to exclude particles of aerodynamic size greater than a specified cut point at a specified sample air flow rate. We offer the ‘Sharp-Cut Cyclones’ designed by BGI (USA) and now manufactured by Mesa Labs (USA). These inlets are usually attached directly to the sample inlet tube at the entry point but may also be installed in-line closer to the Aethalometer®.

PM2.5 Inlet
BGI model SCC-1.828. Provides a cut point of 2.5µm at a sample flow rate of 5 LPM.

PM1/2.5 Inlet
BGI model SCC-1.197. Provides a cut point of 2.5µm at a sample flow rate of 2 LPM or 1µm at a sample flow rate of 5 LPM.

PM1 Inlet
BGI model SCC-0.732. Provides a cut point of 1µm at a sample flow rate of 2 LPM.

BGI ‘Mini-PM’ Inlet Kit
The BGI ‘Mini-PM’ Inlet Kit offers impaction jet inserts to provide size-selective capabilities of TSP, PM-10, PM-4, PM-2.5, and PM-1 when operated at a flow rate of 5 LPM.

FAQs WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON

MAGEE SCIENTIFIC AETHALOMETER® MODEL AE43

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