Dekati® Oxidation Flow Reactor DOFR™

6.5.2022

Dekati® Oxidation Flow Reactor, DOFR™, is a unique, all-in-one solution combining sample conditioning and an oxidation flow reactor for secondary aerosol (SA) formation studies. The formation of secondary aerosols can take several days in the atmosphere and the purpose of the oxidation flow reactor is to speed up these processes. In the Dekati® DOFR™, UVC radiation together with water molecules and ozone in the sample create highly oxidative conditions inside the reactor and the time- scale is reduced from days to less than one minute.

In the Dekati® DOFR™, all parameters – humidity, ozone, UVC-intensity, dilution and reactor flow – are controlled and monitored with a user-friendly PC software. The flow through the oxidation chamber is kept constant and laminar, resulting in minimal particle losses. Together with wide oxidation range, these features make the DOFR™ an ideal tool for any secondary aerosol studies from stationary lab tests to transient emission sources.

When combined with Dekati sampling solutions such as the eDiluter™ Pro, DOFR™ can take the sample even from the harshest conditions. After the photo-chemical aging in the Dekati® DOFR™, the size, concentration and mass of the aerosol can be monitored with particle measurement instruments. For example, the Dekati® ELPI®+ (Electrical Low Pressure Impactor) is well suited for monitoring the particle size distribution and concentration in real time.


Features

  • Fast oxidation flow reactor for secondary aerosol formation studies
  • Constant and laminar reactor flow with short residence time and negligible fine particle losses
  • Up to 1 month photo-chemical age for aerosol
  • Ozone generation and measurement
  • Humidity control and measurement
  • Flow control and measurement
  • Adjustable UV intensity with 12 UVC lamps operating at 254 nm
  • Integrated UV sensor for light intensity measurement
  • Integrated cooling for UV lamps
  • Integrated ejector diluter to maintain reactor sample flow and for diluting the sample for measurement instruments
  • Compact and portable design
  • PC software for easy and automated control and data logging
 

Applications for the Oxidation Flow Reactor OFR

  • Secondary aerosol formation research
  • PAM (Potential Aerosol Mass) measurements
  • Transient emission source measurements
  • Engine tailpipe emission research
  • Marine engine studies
  • Aircraft emission research
  • Stationary source emission studies
  • Toxicology studies

Downloads and Videos

Dekati® DOFR™ brochure
Dekati DOFR™ videos in YouTube
IAC2022 Poster: Characterization of a new oxidation flow reactor (DOFR™)

DOFR™ is an oxidation flow reactor for secondary aerosol formation studies. The formation of secondary aerosols can take several days in the atmosphere, and the purpose of the oxidation flow reactor is to speed up these processes. See how it works!

What are secondary aerosols and PAM?

Term secondary aerosol is used to refer to the particulate matter that is formed through chemical reactions in the atmosphere, long after the primary emission from the source is released into the air. Secondary aerosol is formed when volatile compounds originated from the source react in the atmosphere with highly reactive oxidative species and form new compounds. The volatile compounds that have potential to form new compounds are called precursors, and they can be either organic or inorganic molecules.

When the precursor compounds and the oxidative species react, they form new compounds that can have lower volatility than the original precursor molecules emitted from the source. These newly formed low volatility compounds can then form new particles via nucleation or grow existing particles via condensation. This process is called aging of the aerosol and the potentially formed aerosol mass is commonly referred to as PAM (Potential Aerosol Mass), and the DOFR™ is designed to determine the maximum PAM for the source aerosol in a matter of minutes by adjusting different oxidation parameters.