Particle counters discern physical particles in a wide variety of samples, counting and analyzing them in relation to their environment. An aerosol particle counter, also known as an air particle counter or cleanroom particle counter, diagnoses indoor air quality by counting and sizing air particles in controlled spaces. Cleanrooms, for example, are required to have particle count limits. The semiconductor, biotech, aerospace, pharmaceutical and disk drive fields often work with technology that is very sensitive to environmental contamination and thus must be housed in cleanrooms. An aerosol particle counter is used to test a cleanroom to ensure the air particle levels adhere to cleanroom classification standards like ISO 14644, ISO 21501-4, FDA CGMP, EU GMP Annex 1 and 21 CFR Part 11.
Particle counting is performed with the principles of light scattering, direct imaging or light obscuration. The particle sample is passed through a detection chamber; as it passes, a high intensity light source illuminates the particle with one of these three methods. If light scattering is used, the redirected light is captured by a photo detector. In a direct imaging test, halogen light is sent through the particle from the back while a high definition and high magnification camera records the results. Light obscuration involves measuring the amplitude of the light blocked.
Rent particle counters from ATEC for affordable, reliable particle counting test solutions. We offer airborne particle counter rentals for products from leading manufacturers like Met One, TSI and Fluke.