A novel miniature inverted-flame burner for the generation of soot nanoparticles

AbstractLab-scale soot nanoparticle generators are used by the aerosol research community to study the properties of soot over a broad range of particle size distributions, and number and mass concentrations. In this study, a novel miniature inverted-flame burner is presented and its emitted soot particles were characterized. The burner consisted of two co-annular tubes for fuel and co-flow air and the flame was enclosed by the latter. The fuel used was ethylene. A scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) and an aerodynamic aerosol classifier (AAC) were used to measure mobility and aerodynamic size distribution of soot particles, respectively. Particle morphology was studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC) content of the soot were measured using thermal-optical analysis (TOA). The burner produced soot particles with mobility diameter range of 66 – 270 nm, aerodynamic diameter range of 56 – 140 nm, and total concentration range of 2 × 105 – 1 ×...