Electrical Charge Measurements on Fine Airborne Particles

A small parallel-plate precipitator and a theoretical collection model have been used to determine the distribution of charges acquired by monodisperse airborne polystyrene latex particles in a corona charger. The mean charge based on the total number of particles was found to be slightly higher than half the predicted saturation charge, and it agreed well with independent measurements made in a Faraday cage particle separator. The importance of careful measurements of particle charge in fine particle transport studies is highlighted by a discussion of the effect of charge (particle mobility) distribution width on observed transport characteristics.