The versatile Size Analyzing Nuclei Counter - vSANC

We present a newly developed expansion chamber condensation particle counter-the versatile Size Analyzing Nuclei Counter (vSANC)-applicable for both laboratory as well as field measurements. The vSANC was optimized to achieve high flexibility in investigating aerosol particles from diameters of 1-2nm upwards at temperatures ranging from -20°C to +40°C and gas pressures ranging from 0.2 bar to 1.2 bar. The operation is based on heterogeneous nucleation of well-defined uniform supersaturated vapor on particles and subsequent droplet growth. Thereby particles, which are initially too small to be detected, grow to visible sizes. Starting from diameters of about 120nm they can be observed with an optical detection method-the multiple Constant Angle Mie Scattering method. This enables automated determination of droplet growth rates for precision verification of vapor supersaturation ranging from 5% up to the limit of homogeneous nucleation as well as absolute number concentrations ranging from 50/cc to 10⁷/cc, independent from the aerosol flow.