Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association

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Isokinetic Flow and Sampling

James D. Wilcox

To cite this article: James D. Wilcox (1956) Isokinetic Flow and Sampling, Journal of the Air
Pollution Control Association, 5:4, 226-245, DOI: 10.1080/00966665.1956.10467715

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/00966665.1956.10467715

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 Isokinetic Flow and Samplin;
The sampling of airborne participates
by chemists, physicists, biologists,
meteorologists, engineers, and investiga'
tors in the field of medicine is indicative
of the many types of aerosol sampling
being performed. Some of the investiga-
tors engaged in this field of sampling
realize the importance of isokinetic
sampling but are unfamiliar with the
errors incurred by deviation from iso-
kinetic conditions, others are confused
by it, and it is completely overlooked
by others.
Isokinetic conditions prevail when
there is no divergence of flow lines
around the sampler inlet. The velocities
of the sampled and sampling streams
must be equal, and the sampler must
face directly into the sampled stream in
order to minimize or eliminate diver-
gence of the flow lines at the sampler
inlet. When divergence of these flow
lines is present there is the possibility of
particle size fractionation. Many inves-
tigators(1) have contributed to the prac-
tices now being used in isokinetic
sampling.
Familiarity with isokinetic flow and
sampling is necessary when determining
the performance of sampling instru-
ments, when evaluating aerosol and air
pollution data, and when obtaining in-
formation for the design of sampling
equipment.
Obtaining a representative aerosol
sample, often a primary factor in the
intelligent selection of an aerosol dis-
persing apparatus or collecting device, is
usually very difficult and subject to
^Presented at the Conference on the Physics
of Cloud and Precipitation Particles at
Woods Hole, Mass., Sept. 7-10, 1955.
Fig. 1 (a)
Fig. 1. The inertial effects of particles are
shown resulting in nonHsakinetic sampling.
The flow lines depict non'iso\inetic flow. The
large hollow spheres represent particles of a
relatively large mass, and the small solid
spheres represent particles of a relatively small
mass,
(a) The sampling velocity is too low, the
FEBRUARY 1956
JAMES D. WILCOX
Chemical Corps
Chemical and Radiological Laboratories
Army Chemical Center
Maryland
many errors. Special precautions must be
taken when sampling to avoid segrega-
tion or classification of the particulate
material. When the sampling velocity
is too low, i.e., the velocity in the sample
tube is less than the velocity in the main
stream, the particles in the stream will
enter the sampling tube due to their
greater inertia while the gas is diverted
around the tube. This gives a higher
particulate concentration in the sample
tube than in the main stream, as illus-
trated in Fig. la. Similarly, if the samp-
ling velocity is too high, i.e., the velocity
in the sample tube is greater than the
velocity in the main stream, the inertia
of the particle will keep the particle
from following the flow lines which
converge into the sampling tube. This
gives a lower concentration in the samp-
ling tube than in the main stream, as
illustrated in Fig. lb. A finer particulate
sample is obtained where the sampling
velocity is too high and a coarser par-
ticulate sample when the velocity is too
low.
The location of the sampling tube in
a system is an important part of the
sampling operation. Usually samples
should be taken at various points across
a tube to obtain a representative sample.
It is interesting to observe the velocity
profile across a tube, as shown in Fig. 2.
The reduced velocity at the edges of the
tube is due to friction, roughness of sur-
face, and turbulence. One of the best
sampling points in a system is at the end
of a long straight vertical section of
tubing. Long horizontal tubing tends to
yield a higher and coarser particulate
concentration near the bottom of the
tube. However, in sampling from a ver-
Fig. 1 (h)
large particles in the stream enter the sample
tube due to their greater inertia while the
small particles and the gas follow the flow
lines.
(b) The sampling velocity is too high, the
inertia of the large particles will \eep them
from following the flow lines which converge
into the sampling tube.
226
tical tube it is well to keep in mind that
all particles in the tube may not be
moving at a uniform rate and that the
larger particles may be moving only
along the tube axis. It is often desirable
when conveying large particles to use a
high degree of turbulence. Also, it is
obvious that the shorter the tube length
the lower the loss of particulate material
on the tube walls. Bends will tend to
concentrate the particulate material at
the outside walls of the tubing. It is
often a good idea to install a mixing
device, such as a disk baffle or nozzle,
in the tubing some distance upstream
from the sampling location.
When attempting to obtain a truly
representative sample of air-borne par-
ticulate material, the following points
should be considered:
1. Velocity balancing of the main and
sampling streams. (For minimum di-
vergence of flow lines these velocities
must be equal. A sharp edge on the
sampling inlet aids in reducing diver-
gence and turbulence.)
2. Position of the sampling inlet relative
to that of the main stream. (Diver-
gence of lines of flow is minimized:
when the sampling inlet faces directly
into the main stream.)
3. Length of the sampling tube. (Tube
losses are reduced by using a snorter
sampling tube.)
4. Diameter of the sampling inlet. (In-
vestigations have shown that the im-
proper selection of an appropriate
sampling tube diameter is a source of
error (2) ).
5. Particle size distribution and density
of the material. (These factors aid in
estimation of the inertial effects of
the airborne particulate material).
(continued on page 245)
•MAX.
Fig. 2. Velocity profile across a tube. The
reduced velocity at the edges of the tube is
due to friction, roughness of surface, and
turbulence.
JOURNAL
 WILLIAM G. CHRISTY, M. E.
CONSULTING
38 PARK ROW
ENGINEER
NEW YORK 38, N. Y.
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
COMBUSTION FUEL AND REFUSE BURNING
SMOKE CONTROL
Isokinetic Sampling
(continued from page 226)
Bibliography
(1)
(a) Drinker, Philip and Hatch, Theodore,
"Industrial Dust," New York, M e
GrawHill Book Company, Inc., 1936,
p. 133.
(b) Lapple, C. E., "Sampling of Process
and Ventilation Gases," Heating,
Piping, & Air Conditioning 16, 578
(1944).
(c) Lapple, C. E., "Dust and Mist Collec
tion," Air Pollution Abatement Man-
ual, Washington, D. C , Manufac
turing Chemist Association, Inc.,
1951, Chap. 9, p. 5.
(d) Lapple, C. E., and Shepherd, C. B.,
Calculation of Particle Trojectories,"
Indust. & Engin. Chem. 41, 2417
(1949).
(e) Dalla Valle, J. M., "Micromeritics,"
New York, Pitman Publishing Cor-
poration, 1948, p. 485.
(f ) May, K. R., "The Cascade Impactor,"
]. Scient. lustrum. 22, 187-195
(1945).
(g) Anderson, Evald, "On the Quantita-
tive Determination of Industrial Gas
Dispersoids," Trans. Inst. of Chem.
Engrs. 34, 589-601, (1938).
(h) Hardie, P. H., "Resume of Methods
for Measuring Flue Dust," Trans.
Am. Soc. Mech. Engrs. 59, 355-358,
(1937).
(i) Kowalke, O. L., "Manner of Liquid
Flow Through a Pipe-Line Orifice,"
Indust. & Engin. Chem. 30, 216-222
(1938).
(j) Fahrenback, W., "Die Dynamick des
Staubes und irk Einfluss auf die
Staubgehaltmessungen," Forschung auf
dem Gehiete des Ingenieurwesens 2,
395-407, (1931).
(k) Zimmermann, E., "Messung von
Flugstaub in Rauchgasen," Zeitschrift
des Vereines Deutscher Ingenieure 75,
481-486, (1931).
(1 ) Griffiths, J. H. and Jones, T. D.,
"The Determination of Dust-Concen-
trations in Mine Atmospheric," Inst.
Mining Engrs. 98-99, 156-166 (1939-
1940).
(m) Caldwell, W. R., "Characteristics of
Large Hell Gate Direct-Fired Boiler
Units," Trans. A. S. M. E. 56, 73-75
Paper FSP—56-2 (1934).
(n) Landahl, H. D., and Herrmann, R.
G., "Calculation of the Efficiency of
Impaction of Airborne Droplets in
Bent Cylinderical Tubes," J. Colloid
<2)
Sci. 4, 133-135, (1949).
Griffiths 6? Jones, 1 1.
Look
at Smoke
through the
Inspector's Eyes
Men who know most about the problem of air pollution
agree t h a t . . .
1 Everyone is anxious to avoid polluting the air because it means fuel
waste as well as bad public relations.
2 Most offenders have the false idea that good fuel burning equip-
ment, properly installed will not pollute the air. Most owners tend
to forget that any slip-up in operating or maintenance can mean
smoke from the best equipment.
3 Too few offenders remember that operators or custodians are inside
... that a man at the boiler front can't know what is coming out of
the stack, or when smoke occurs. That means smoke and fuel waste
are undetected . . . and failure to quickly correct the condition back
of it.
4 What every fuel burner needs is a really effective smoke indicator
and alarm to signal that something needs attention in order to stop
the pollution and fuel waste.
A majority of pollution and fuel burning experts also agree that the most
effective system for detecting smoke, and warning the operator, carries the
name FIREYE. Below is a brief description. Send for the new Bulletin
which tells all about FIREYE System FE-3. You'll find the cost is so low
that even the smallest apartment house can have it. Meets all smoke
ordinances. WRITE FOR BULLETIN, NOW.
HOW
SYSTEM FE-3 WORKS
Fireye System FE-3 measures directly the degree of
obscurity of smoke or haze passing between a light
source and a photoelectric "scanner" measuring
element.
Three simple basic elements—light source, scanner,
and indicator—comprise the system.
Light source (A) and scanner (B) are installed in
a breeching, stack, or duct—wherever it is desired to
measure smoke density—so that light beam, aims
directly at scanner lens.
As smoke density increases, the intensity of the light
the scanner receives decreases. This change is meas-
ured by Smoke Density Indicator (C) connected elec-
trically to scanner, giving a direct reading of smoke
density.
An extra visual check .. . red and green alarm lights
tell when smoke density is above or below a preset
level. Indicator can also be used to actuate recorders
(D) and audible alarms.
COMBUSTION CONTROL DIVISION
ELECTRONICS CORPORATION OF AMERICA
^'\y>.c•) D e p , C 3 O _ 2 , 718 Beacon St. Boston, Mass.
245