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This study has investigated the particle counting efficiency of the API AerosizerTM numerically. Two-dimensional flow field in the nozzle was first simulated. Particle trajectories for both liquid and solid particles were then calculated to obtain the particle counting efficiency under various conditions. This study shows that particle aerodynamic diameter, particle materials, particle density and laser beam diameter influence counting efficiency significantly. Counting efficiency is found to increase with increasing particle diameter when particle aerodynamic diameter is less than several micrometers. The efficiency for liquid particles drops significantly when particle aerodynamic diameter increases from several micrometers because of impaction loss in the nozzle. For solid particles, the relationship of the efficiency with paricle diameter is found to be more complicated. For particles less than several micrometers in aerodynamic diaeter, solid particles behave similarly to the liquid particles. However, as particles are greater than several micrometrs,effect of solid particle bounce is to increase counting efficiency with increasing aerodynamic diameter until particles become large enough so that plastic deformation occurs in the particles. Then the counting efficiency will decrease with increasing particle aerodynamic diameter.
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