Abstract

Monitoring air quality is essential for understanding and mitigating the health impacts of airborne particulate matter (PM), which is linked to respiratory and cardiovascular disease. Optical particle counters (OPCs) are widely used for air quality monitoring, yet their precision and accuracy remain uncertain due to inconsistent performance evaluations. In this thesis, performance metrics are developed that can be used to assess the accuracy of OPCs in measuring PM concentrations and size distributions. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are employed to analyze the behavior of particle-laden air streams through representative OPC models. The impact of design parameters is quantified using newly introduced metrics--sampling factor, detection factor, and measurement factor--to evaluate the effectiveness of OPCs independently of calibration or experimental correction factors. Results demonstrate that careful consideration of airflow dynamics and sensor placement significantly improves OPC performance, providing insights for optimizing future low-cost air quality monitoring devices. By establishing a structured framework for evaluating OPCs, this work enhances the credibility of air pollution assessments and facilitates advancements in atmospheric research.

Degree

College and Department

Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering; Mechanical Engineering

Rights

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/