Integrated assembly for delivery of air stream for optical analysis

1. An integrated air stream delivery apparatus suitable for use with a system for performing analysis based on optical illumination of a sample air stream, comprising:

a scalper portion that separates out particles within the sample air stream based on particle size;

a concentrator portion that alters a concentration of particles within the sample air stream; and

an illumination area that receives the sample air stream from the concentrator portion, where the illumination area is configured to receive illumination from a light source for illuminating the sample air stream;

wherein the scalper portion, concentrator portion and illumination area comprise a single integrated unit and are in fluid communication with each other.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the scalper portion, concentrator portion and illumination area are defined by a housing.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the housing defines passageways through which the sample flows between the scalper portion, concentrator portion and illumination area.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the housing comprises two housing portions providing access to an interior of the scalper portion, the concentrator portion and the illumination area.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a sealing gasket that provides a seal between the two housing portions when they are joined together.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a flow manifold having flow passages integrated in the housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a sample nozzle for delivering the sample air stream to the illumination area.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the sample nozzle has a position within the housing that is adjustable from an outside of the housing.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a sheath nozzle machined into the housing that is concentric with the sample nozzle.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the scalper portion removes particles larger than about ten microns in diameter from the sample.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the concentrator portion increases the concentration of particles within the sample and removes particles smaller than about one micron in diameter from the sample.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the illumination area comprises:

a chamber;

a port for receiving a light source; and

a port for receiving an optical detector.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising at least one optical detector.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the at least one optical detector is a fluorescence detector.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the at least one optical detector is at least one of: an elastic scatter detector, a laser power detector, and an obscuration detector.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the light source is a laser light source.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the light source is a light emitting diode.

18. A particle detection apparatus for detecting particles in a sample air stream, comprising:

a scalper configured to separate out particles within the sample air stream based on particle size;

a concentrator configured to increase a concentration of particles in the sample air stream; and

a sensor configured to detect particles, the sensor being an induced fluorescence sensor system;

wherein the scalper is fluidly contiguous with the concentrator and the concentrator is fluidly contiguous with the sensor and wherein the induced fluorescence sensor system includes a light source, a fluorescence detector, a light source power detector and an elastic scatter detector.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the light source is a laser-light source.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the light source is a light emitting diode.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the light source is adjustable in all directions along a mounting plane.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising a sample nozzle configured to deliver the sample air stream from the concentrator to the sensor.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the sample nozzle has a position within a housing that is adjustable from an outside of the housing.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 , further comprising a sheath nozzle formed within the housing concentric with the sample nozzle.

25. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the scalper is configured to remove particles larger than about ten microns in diameter from the sample air stream.

26. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the concentrator is configured to remove particles smaller than about one micron in diameter from the sample air stream.

27. A particle detection apparatus for detecting particles in a sample air stream, comprising:

a scalper that separates out particles within the sample air stream that are larger than a defined maximum size limit;

a concentrator that increases a number of particles by volume in the sample air stream;

a sample sensor compartment where fluorescence of sample particles occurs;

a housing; and

ports for receiving at least one light source and at least one optical detector;

wherein the scalper, concentrator and sample sensor compartment are in fluid communication with each other and are defined by the housing.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the concentrator separates out particles within the sample that are smaller than a defined minimum size limit.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 , wherein the maximum size limit is about 10 microns in diameter and the minimum size limit is about 1 micron in diameter.

30. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the housing comprises removable pieces providing access to an interior of the scalper, the concentrator, and the sample sensor compartment.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 , further comprising a sealing member that provides a seal between the removable pieces when the removable pieces are joined together.

32. The apparatus of claim 27 , further comprising a flow manifold having flow passages integrated in the housing.