Multi-Stage Acoustic Agglomeration Device (MSAD) for Agglomeration of Fine Aerosol Particles

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency uses the Radionuclide Aerosol Sampler/Analyzer (RASA) for long-term unattended monitoring for radionuclide aerosol signatures of nuclear activity.  While the current RASA system meets the required collection efficiency and minimum detectable concentration for RN collection, there is a desire to incorporate agglomeration techniques and technology to improve the detection likelihood of a clandestine nuclear test. To address this critical need, X-wave Innovations, Inc. (XII) proposes to develop a Multi-Stage Acoustic Agglomeration Device (MSAD) for agglomeration of submicron particles.  The proposed MSAD builds on XII-developed ultrasonic transducer technology for military and commercial applications.  The MSAD will utilize multiple different frequencies and intensities along the fluid flow path to promote constant agglomeration and improve agglomeration efficiency.  The proposed MSAD device is free of consumable resources allowing the RASA system to remain an unattended monitoring system.  The proposed MSAD is also free from potential contaminants, which are a concern with water droplet agglomeration approaches and agglomeration techniques using solely acoustic means have been shown to shift the mean particle size from submicron to above 3 microns.  The MSAD has a universal design allowing it to be seamlessly integrated into the air intake of RASA or commercial air purification systems.