Ion Losses in the Gerdien Condenser Intake System

Abstract

The measurement of atmospheric electrical conductivity, ion density or mobility, by the aspiration method, may result in the undesired removal of ions within the air-intake system. A field experiment has been carried out to determine the loss of small ions when an air sample is aspirated through a 10-cm diameter intake pipe of different lengths and for different flow velocities. The percentage of small ions removed from the original air sample appeared to depend upon the ion transit time within the intake pipe and ranged from zero to 80% for sampling times of 0.15 to 10 sec, respectively.