THE NONEQUILIBRIUM CHARACTER OF THE AEROSOL CHARGE-DISTRIBUTIONS PRODUCED BY NEUTRALIZERS

The mechanisms that control the polar ion concentrations downstream of an ionized region are examined and it is shown that the ratio of positive to negative ion concentrations is not constant. The imbalance in the ionic concentrations caused by unequal diffusion of ions to the walls and to aerosol particles is magnified in the ion ratio as ionic recombination rapidly depletes ions of both polarities equally. Consequentlythe aerosol charge distribution is not in equilibrium but is evolving in response to the changing ion environment. The conclusions drawn are supported by numerical modeling and by measurements of ionic concentrations and ratios of negatively to positively charged particles downstream of the ionized region. Several existing neutralizers are evaluated and a prototype ionizer which produces an aerosol with a nearly symmetric equilibrium charge distribution is discussed. © 1990 Elsevier Science Publishing Co., Inc.