Search Research Equipment

Description

The PI-SWERL instrument directly measures the emission of particles from soil and other surfaces under strictly controlled conditions and also enables direct measurement of the airborne concentrations. It is not only a very convenient replacement of a classic field wind tunnel but also has several advantages compared to such tunnels:

• The instrument is small enough to be lifted by a person 
• The small size makes it possible to use the device in replicated experimental set-ups 
• It can measure on any type of surface (agricultural fields, dunes, beach surfaces, roads, …) 
• It can also be used indoor (lab spaces, houses, barns, …) 
• Measurements occur very fast; several minutes are usually sufficient 
• Installation on the test surface is fast (less than a minute) 
• Measurements can be done at many places within an agricultural field (or other test surfaces) 
• Measurements can even be done on fully-cropped fields (it suffice to make an open space of only 0.25 m2) 
• Operation of the instrument occurs fully automatic and can easily and rapidly be programmed as desired, even during an ongoing measurement 
• The dust concentration meter that is connected to the PI-SWERL can always been disconnected and used as a separate, portable instrument to measure the PM10, PM4 and PM1 concentrations at any place or spot, indoor as well as outdoor, both in real-time and over long periods 
• The PI-SWERL allows the collection of large amounts of sediment released from the soil by wind action (much larger than the classic passive or active samplers that are commonly used for this). This is a very important advantage when airborne sediment needs to be analysed for its chemical, mineralogical, and/or sedimentological composition. 

Technical Details

The PI-SWERL consists of a circular chamber with an open bottom, which is placed on the test surface. A rotating circular disk at 6 cm above the surface creates an air stream above the surface, causing the soil particles to be released. The height of the disk can be easily adapted when necessary. The rotational speed and the duration of the process are set in the software prior to the measurement. Both parameters can also be changed in real-time during the measurement. The eroded sediment is sucked up by an aerosol monitor (type: DustTrak) that measures the concentration in real-time, every second if needed. The aerosol monitor can also be disconnected from the main instrument to operate as an independent instrument and used for measuring the PM10, PM4 and PM1 concentrations elsewhere, at different locations. 

The instrument also contains a sensor that registers the release of the coarser grains (sand particles). This means that the PI-SWERL can be used for both dust-related and sand-related processes, which makes the instrument applicable to a wide range of applications. 

All data collected during the measurements are automatically stored in a computer file that can be directly transferred to excel for further data processing. 

When used outdoor, the PI-SWERL is fed by 2 batteries that work for at least 8 hours. The instrument can also be connected to a power point, for example indoor. The DustTrak also works with an internal battery or can be connected to a power point. If installed in a remote area for a long time, the DustTrak can be fed by a 6-V battery, for example a simple car battery.

The photo below shows the PI-SWERL with the DustTrak on it, together with a trolley that carries the two batteries and the laptop computer that operates the instrument.

Applications

• Research on aeolian processes, dust and air quality, spread by wind of diseases and contaminants from polluted/infected surfaces. 

• Help to find and evaluate solutions for stakeholders, like measures that farmers can take to prevent wind erosion and the spread of diseases and contaminants by wind. The device can measure the effect of measures applied on the surface directly in the field.