A real-time method for sensing suspended dust concentration from the light extinction coefficient

In powder handling and processing industry, location of dust emission can vary, with the suspended dust concentration assessment requiring installation of an immovable or wired equipment. For increased dust sensing, not limited by location within the facility, a portable suspended dust concentration measuring system is needed. In this study, a new method of sensing suspended dust concentration under daylight environment using the change in light extinction coefficient was developed. The method involves capturing images of the suspended dust cloud and then analyzing the light extinction coefficient. This method mitigated the environmental light scattering and absorption and eliminated the noise from the images obtained through a camera by calibration between two targets. Cornstarch, corn dust, and sawdust were used as test materials in this study. The light extinction coefficient (ε) was found to correlate with the suspended dust concentration, and the ε values depended on the dust properties. Mass extinction coefficient (K) was obtained for cornstarch, saw dust and corn dust, from known suspended dust concentrations using image analysis. The mass extinction coefficient of the three sample materials tested in this study were in the range of 0.03–0.04. This method of using light extinction coefficient can be used for real-time sensing of suspended dust concentration in both open and confined spaces.