Confirming the accuracy of life-protecting industrial hygiene test equipment or simulating military environments often requires sophisticated and cumbersome test chambers dependent on complicated calculations. The calibration of such test equipment may be easily compromised by operator error where involved calculations are used and complicated inteconnections and valves are employed. We propose to use a computerized gas standards generator, and a particle generator customized to fit a specially designed plexiglass chamber that is bench-top sized. this chamber will be designed for ruggedness and mobility to permit use in the field. This project will result in the delivery of a computerized industrial hygiene test chamber that eliminates the need for operator calculations while automating the blanding of gases and aerosols, and permitting the simulation of controlled test environments. There exists within the NorthEast Research, Inc. and the School of Public Health at the University of Massachusetts (Department of Health Sciences) considerable expertise and facilities in analytic monitoring, industrial hygiene measurements, and computerized application. These two institutions have participated in a number of previous relatied research efforts including SBIR grants.
Benefits: A system that increases accuracy and speed of calibration while reducing costs would be highly marketable. Additionally, the system can quickly and accurately reproduce controlled test atmospheres. Uses would include testing of personnel monitoring devices, protective equipment, product performance under extreme conditions, and produciton environments requiring mixed gases. The uses would be extensive throughout industry and government.
Keywords: computerized chamber industrial hygiene dynamic aerosols automatic portable
