Impactor automation

摘要

The application describes an automated system for carrying out tests usi ng a cascade impactor 10 of the type having multiple impactor stages each comprising a respective stage body 30, the stage bodies being shaped to enable them to be assembled in a stack in which they locate one upon another. The stage bodies of the impactor form a conduit for through-flow of an aerosol sample. This stack has a longitudinal axis. The system includes an expander device 90 having respective arms for supporting each of the stage bodies, and a mechanism for separating the arms a long the axial direction to disassemble the impactor 10. It further comprises at least one stage recovery device for recovering material collected upon working surfaces of cascade impactor components. The recovery device has multiple vertically separated recovery stages, to which the separated components of the impactor can be concurrently delivered. Relatively moveable upper and lower parts of each recovery device define around the respective impactor components recovery chambers through which solvent is circulated to recover the collected material.