TSI Environmental dust monitoring system

The TSI Environmental dust monitoring system was developed to record activities such as the generation of airborne materials from construction or pollution levels from road traffic. It is available from BSRIA Instrument Solutions as part of a suite of products that includes testing of dust masks, environmental noise levels and vibration.

The TSI Environmental DustTrak aerosol monitor is a purpose built dust monitoring system available in three base versions:

• EDTPM10 for the measurement of PM10.
• EDTPM2.5 for the measurement of PM2.5.
• EDTDRX for the simultaneous measurement of PM total - PM10 - PM2.5 - PM1.0.

The base versions can then be fitted with a number of options including:

• A cloud based data management system.
• Rechargeable batteries.
• Solar power system for remote off grid applications.
• Metrology sensors including wind speed and direction, temperature and humidity.
• A pole mounting kit.
• Heated inlet sample conditioner.

The system stores real-time data in the cloud where it can be accessed from any connected device. Users can set up SMS messaging for alarm conditions and can add additional pre-owned sensors to the cloud data storage system at no additional cost.

Features include:

• Long-life pump (life expectancy of more than 10,000 hours).
• Built-in auto-zero module to minimise drift over long sample runs and temperature changes.
• Secure lockable, weather-proof enclosure.
• Active sample volumetric flow control.
• Heated inlet sample conditioning to minimises the effects of humidity and water vapour to provide more consistent measurement.
• Instant access to real-time data.
• Generate reports quickly and easily.
• SMS text messaging and email alert capabilities.
• Long-lasting parts to minimise downtime.
• Easy maintenance with field-replaceable parts.

Alan Gilbert, BSRIA Instrument Solutions General Manager, said: “Having now undertaken the first monitoring exercise in the UK with this new piece of TSI instrumentation we have seen how easy it is to use. Along with its robust design and SMS alarm condition capabilities this makes the product ideal for use in a number of critical monitoring environments such as those on construction sites where dusts are not only a hazard to the workforce but also a source of pollution to the general public in the surrounding areas.

“Dust levels from construction activities in many cities including London are routinely monitored by companies to demonstrate compliance against Section 61 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 (CoPA), and the TSI Environmental DustTrak will test this 24/7 with ease. Users can additionally monitor wind speed and direction on the site along with the vibration and noise levels, and the cloud based monitoring package will enable all the data to be accessed in a single to view system at no additional cost."

BSRIA’s equipment has been used in some unusual projects. In 2011, Oxford University were supplied with 9 TSI DustTrak IIDRX aerosol monitors to assess dust emissions from salt pans in the Sua Pan Desert in North East Botswana.

This was part of a major research initiative headed by Dr. Giles Wiggs that also involved the use of meteorological masts and other instrumentation to monitor wind stress, temperature gradients, soil moisture and atmospheric visibility among others things, for ultimate use in the prediction of climate change.

Or more recently in 2015, when Loughborough University used TSI DustTrak equipment supplied by BSRIA Instrument Solutions as part of a global high altitude dust monitoring study in the areas of Iceland, regularly hit by the impacts of dust storms.

The TSI DustTrak environmental monitoring system is ideal for this type of application as it can run in harsh conditions with minimal maintenance. The units along with the solar power battery system can run unmanned for months collecting valuable data.

--BSRIA

[edit] Find out more

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Air quality.
• BREEAM Monitoring of Construction Site Impacts.
• Clerk of works.
• Construction dust.
• Construction tools.
• Environmental plan for building design and construction.
• Filtering facepieces.
• Indoor air quality.
• Land law.
• Negligence.
• Nuisance in construction.
• Pollution.
• Site inspections.
• The dust control systems market.