MAGIC® Model 250

Water-Based Condensation Particle Counter

MAGIC is our most recent commercial water-based condensation particle counter. It is portable, battery operable, and can be tipped, or jostled.

What it does:

MAGIC measures the number concentration of airborne particles larger than 5 nm in diameter..

How it works:

The acronym stands for Moderated Aerosol Growth with Internal water Cycling. Ultrafine particles are enlarged by water condensation to form micrometer-sized droplets that are detected optically. MAGIC’s unique feature is to capture the water vapor needed for supersaturation internally, eliminating the need for internal water reservoirs.

Features:

  • light-weight, portable

  • lower threshold <6 nm

  • motion-tolerant, may be shaken, tipped, or jostled

  • tolerates inlet pressure variations

  • battery operable for ~ 8hrs.

Calibration curve

Calibration curve

Multiday operation with collocated units, time series and scatter plot:

MAGIC multiday 2.png
 

  • Aerosol sample is humidified via a Nafion membrane

  • Sample is cooled in the Conditioner

  • Initiator introduces water vapor to produce a supersaturation. Sample particles nucleate the growth of droplets.

  • Supersaturation continues in Moderator, whose temperature is adjusted to preserve water content in the wick, as measured by the Wick Saturation Sensor

  • Droplets, 3 to 6 µm, are individually detected by light-scattering.