Calibration system with an indirect photoelectric charger for legislated vehicle number emission measurement counters in the single counting mode

• We established a calibration setup to calibrate or validate UN-ECE Regulation 83 compliant CPCs.
• We propose a discharge generator (GFG 1000) as a calibration material.
• Our new developed indirect photoelectric diffusion charger can replace the radioactive bipolar charger.

A calibration setup has been established to calibrate or validate UN-ECE Regulation 83 compliant CPCs. A spark discharge generator (GFG 1000) is used to produce carbon particles. For charge conditioning an indirect photoelectric charger is combined with an electrostatic precipitator instead of the very common radioactive bipolar charger. The particle number concentration is determined with a Faraday cup electrometer. Detailed studies have been conducted to validate the calibration setup. The particle size classification was checked by a screen-type diffusion battery. Moreover the effect of multiple charged particles was investigated. Three independent measurements of the counting efficiency as well as the linearity of a typical regulation compliant counter were performed. The calibration setup was also compared with a similar system using a radioactive bipolar charger. The obtained results demonstrate that the counting efficiency can be measured in a particle size range from 13 nm to 60 nm with a high repeatability. A linearity check at a particle size of 55 nm is possible in a concentration range of 1000–10 000 cm3. The effect of multiple charged particles produced by the indirect photoelectric charger was found to be negligible. Additionally, the difference between a CAST aerosol and a GFG aerosol as a calibration material is discussed.