BAM-1020 Beta Attenuation Mass Monitor

PM2.5 and PM10 Federal Equivalent Method

Met One Instruments, Inc.

August 2009

8/3/2013

Typical Configurations

The BAM-1020 is designated as a class III U.S. EPA PM10 or PM2.5

Federal Equivalent Method (FEM) monitor, when equipped with the appropriate settings and accessories. For PM2.5 FEM monitoring, the unit must use the EPA-mandated BGI VSCC-A PM2.5 cyclone, along with the normal PM10 inlet, the BX-596 AT/BP sensor, and the BX-827 Smart Inlet Heater. The unit is operated with standard glass fiber filter tape, and actual volumetric flow control.
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Typical Configurations

For PM10 monitoring, the cyclone is omitted, and unit is operated

with standard glass fiber filter tape, actual flow control, and standardized flow and concentration reporting. A pair of BAM-1020 units are also configurable for PM10-2.5 (PMcoarse) monitoring by connecting the two units together with a BXCOARSE kit. This provides PM10, PM2.5, and PM10-2.5 measurements all at once.
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Typical Configurations

The BAM-1020 can be set up on a workbench with all accessories for acceptance testing and evaluation in a matter of only minutes.
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Typical Configurations

The BAM-1020 is frequently installed inside a walk-in shelter with a variety of other instruments. Any length of inlet tube can be supplied, up to 16. A 2 hole in the roof is required. Bench-top or rack mountable.
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Typical Configurations

The BAM-1020 is often installed inside a small weatherproof enclosure. Air conditioned, heated, and dual-BAM enclosures are available from Met One. There is enough room inside for dataloggers or telemetry equipment.
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Operation

At the beginning of the hour, a small Carbon 14

element emits beta rays through a clean spot of filter tape to determine a zero reading. The BAM advances this exact spot to the sample nozzle where air containing particulate is sampled onto the filter tape. At the end of the hour, the same exact dirty spot is placed back at the source where is it re-measured with beta rays. The dirty tape absorbs more beta rays than the clean spot did. The difference between the two measurements is related to the mass concentration by a variation of Beers Law.
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Operation

The BAM-1020 always makes a separate concentration

measurement on a fresh spot of tape each hour. An automatic hourly membrane foil measurement verifies the span stability of the unit. The beta attenuation method is virtually unaffected by the chemical or elemental composition of the sampled particulate. A smart inlet heater controls the RH of the sampled air.
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Maintenance

The BAM-1020 filter tape roll will last just over 60 days. The cyclone and PM10 head particle traps should be
cleaned on a monthly basis. BAM-1020 leak checks, nozzle/vane cleaning, and flow audits are the three critical maintenance items, and are usually performed on the same monthly basis. Complete maintenance and audits can usually be performed in less than 15 minutes.
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Maintenance
A leak check is always performed during flow audits as a data
validation check. A flow leak is basically the only problem that the BAM-1020 may not automatically detect. Unresolved leaks may cause positive or negative concentration errors. The sample nozzle and tape support vane must be kept clean to prevent nozzle leaks. ambient temperature, barometric pressure, and air flow checks using the same traceable reference devices that would be used for an FRM sampler.
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Flow audits consist of simple

Data Collection
The BAM-1020 has a powerful built-in datalogger to store up to
182 days worth of all data parameters and alarms. Data may be collected from the BAM through the serial port using a separate digital datalogger, or a computer and simple software. The ESC 8832, Campbell CR1000, and Dr DAS dataloggers are are all widely used with the BAM-1020, especially when other air monitors are also being operated at the same site. BAM serial data may be obtained through phone, cell, radio, satellite, or IP addressable modems. Complete error logs, settings files, and flow statistics files are also available from the BAM through the serial port. BAM concentration data may also be obtained through a 0-1 volt analog voltage output channel.
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Contacts
Sales: Science: Engineering: Service: Phone: Web:
8/3/2013

David Gobeli, Ph.D. Jo Ann Pottberg Peter Pomponi Herbert Schloesser, Ph.D. Dennis Hart Mike Putnam, Service Mgr. (541) 471-7111 www.metone.com

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