User`s guide

ManualsBrandsRAM ManualsAmplifier2000

DataRAM 2000

Particulate Monitor

Forest Service User’s Guide

The Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), has developed this

information for the guidance of its employees, its contractors, and its cooperating Federal and

State agencies, and is not responsible for the interpretation or use of this information by anyone

except its own employees. The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this document is for

the information and convenience of the reader, and does not constitute an endorsement by the

Department of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and

activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs,

sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program

information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at

(202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director,

Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Wash-

ington, D.C. 20250–9410, or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity

provider and employer.

Mary Ann Davies

Project Leader

USDA Forest Service

Technology and Development Program

Missoula, MT

TE82F55—Watershed, Soil, and Air

Technical Services

April 2002

United States

Department of

Agriculture

Forest Service

Technology &

Development

Program

2500 Watershed

April 2002

0225-2803-MTDC

Summary of content (21 pages)

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United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Technology & Development Program DataRAM 2000 Particulate Monitor Forest Service User’s Guide 2500 Watershed April 2002 0225-2803-MTDC Mary Ann Davies Project Leader USDA Forest Service Technology and Development Program Missoula, MT TE82F55—Watershed, Soil, and Air Technical Services April 2002 The Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), has developed this information for the guidance of its employees, its contractors, and
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Contents Introduction _____________________________________ 1 The DataRAM 2000 _______________________________ 2 Items to Take to the Field __________________________ 3 Preparing the DataRAM for Field Operation ___________ 4 Charging the Battery ____________________________________ 4 Uncapping the Inlet _____________________________________ 4 Switching the Power Selector ______________________________ 4 Configuring the Instrument at Your Office ____________ 5 Setting the Date and Time _____________________
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Introduction This guide explains: • Where to site the DataRAM 2000 to collect local smoke data Omnidirectional sampling inlet model DR-OSI • How to assemble the instrument • How to start a run • How to stop a run • How to set up the laptop • How to download the data into the laptop Inline impactor head model DR-PM10/2.5 • How to transfer the data into an Excel spreadsheet.
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The DataRAM 2000 The DataRAM 2000 particulate monitor is a compact, self-contained instrument that internally estimates the mass concentration of particulate in the air from the measured scattering of light. The instrument can measure particulate concentrations from 0.1 to 400,000 micrograms per cubic meter of air. The instrument continuously displays the current and time-weighted average (TWA) mass concentration while logging up to 10,000 data points.
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Items to Take to the Field These accessories are required for monitoring PM2.5: • DataRAM 2000 instrument Omnidirectional sampling inlet model DR-OSI • PM2.5 inlet head (optional accessory for the MIE model DR-PM10/2.5) • Temperature conditioning heater (optional accessory for the MIE model DR-TCH, figure 2) (120-volt line power) • Omnidirectional sampling inlet (optional accessory for the MIE model DR-OSI) Inline impactor head model DR-PM10/2.
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Preparing the DataRAM for Field Operation Charging the Battery Uncapping the Inlet If the DataRAM has not been used for about 3 months, the battery will need to be fully recharged. Plug it into a 120-volt line for about 12 hours to restore it to full operating capacity. A new and fully charged battery can provide at least 20 hours of continuous operation at temperatures above 60 °F.
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Configuring the Instrument at Your Office First, remove the Swagelok protective cap from the air inlet on the top of the DataRAM. The DataRAM 2000 internal pump turns on at powerup and continues to run during setup. The Swagelok cap should be stored on the keeper pod on the back of the unit. Select ‘Set Date, Time’ by pressing the button beside that selection. The first digit on the hour will flash. Use the ‘v’ or ‘^’ arrow buttons to change the numerals.
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Configuring the Instrument at Your Office Press the button next to ‘Span Check’. The following screen will display. If the CalFactor is not set to 48 percent, press the button next to ‘CalFactor’. Use ‘^’ or ‘v’ to increase or decrease the number and ‘<’ or ‘>’ to move across the number. 14:02:19 01 Oct • Set ‘CalFactor’ to 48 percent. • Set ‘Flowrate’ to 2.0 Lpm. • ‘Auto Zero’ and ‘Alarm’ can be set to ‘OFF’.
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Setting Up the Laptop at Your Office Before transferring logged data to a laptop, you need to set up the laptop to receive the data. • Data bits > 8. • Parity > none. • Stop bits > 1. Disabling the Infrared Port • Flow control > Xon/Xoff. • Click ‘OK’. To disable the infrared (IR) port on a newer IBM ThinkPad: • Click on ‘Start’ (at the bottom left corner on the startup screen). • Double click on ‘Settings > Control Panel > Infrared’. • The ‘Infrared’ box is displayed.
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Siting the DataRAM The DataRAM should be placed at least 3 feet off the ground and away from obstructions (such as trees or buildings) that may influence airflow. It should be in an area where it will not be influenced by road dust, industrial pollutants, or other sources of particulate that could increase its readings. The DataRAM should usually be sited several miles downwind of the burn in areas of greatest interest, such as communities or protected areas.
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Logging Data • At the ‘MAIN MENU 1’ screen, press the button next to ‘Parameters’. At the ‘PARAMETERS 1’ screen, press the button next to ‘LogData’. When LogData switches from ‘OFF’ to ‘ON’, a line appears below LogData requesting an update time for an average of points. • Press the button next to ‘Every: 00:00:10’ line. The first zero on the hour digits will flash. • Use ‘^’ or ‘v’ to increase or decrease the number value and ‘<’ or ‘>’ to move across the number. • Set ‘Every’ to 5 minutes (00:05:00).
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Terminating a Run • At the ‘RUN DATA’ screen, press ‘EXIT’. The following screen will appear. 14:02:19 01 Oct Terminate Run To continue RUN Key ‘EXIT’ 10 > • Press the button beside ‘Terminate RUN’. The ‘MAIN MENU 1’ screen displays.
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Transferring Data to the Laptop • Attach the RS-232 cable (gray nine-pin cable) from the DataRAM to the laptop. • On the laptop, open the ‘HyperTerminal’ icon created in the ‘Laptop Setup’ section. • ‘Connected’ should display at the left side of the bottom bar of the HyperTerminal window. • If not, connect by clicking on the phone button on the button bar at the top of the HyperTerminal window—or by clicking on ‘Call > Connect’ in the menu bar above the button bar.
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Deleting Data From the DataRAM Transferring Data Into Excel • From ‘MAIN MENU 1’, select ‘Parameters’. • Click on the ‘Start’ button on the bottom left of the screen. Select ‘Programs > Excel’. 14:02:19 01 Oct PARAMETERS 1 AvgTime: LogData: ClearData Tag# Next Screen • On the Excel menu bar, click ‘File > Open’. 10sec> OFF> > 1> > • If you placed the ‘[your filename].TXT’ file on the desktop, the ‘Open’ window will have the ‘Desktop’ icon on the left side of the open window. Click on ‘Desktop’.
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Remote Satellite Telemetry System for the DataRAM The remote satellite telemetry system uses a low-orbit satellite system to send data from the DataRAM to a base station where the information can be viewed and retrieved on the Internet. The system sends 5-minute average mass concentrations hourly by satellite to the Web site where the data will be posted for up-to-date, easy access. The data can be copied from the Internet site into a database or spreadsheet application for analysis.
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Data Retrieval from the Internet The remote satellite telemetry system sends the data from the DataRAM by satellite to a base station where the data can be retrieved by the Internet. The Internet site address is http:// www.satguard.com/usdafs. The site requires a username and password. Telephone Andy Trent (MTDC), 406–329–3912; Jim Drewett (ADSI, Inc.), 619–585–0435; or Jeff Ogburn (Air Resource Specialists), 970–484–7941, for this information.
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DataRAM and Remote Telemetry Setup • Open the remote satellite telemetry briefcase (figure 6) and remove the pouch containing the required cables. • Remove the satellite antenna in the top of the briefcase by slowly threading it through the retaining clips. • Screw the antenna into its magnetic base and attach the base’s cable to the briefcase. The base of the antenna should be at least 3 feet off the ground for best results.
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DataRAM Configuration for the Telemetry Unit Sending Data to the Internet Site Because the data will be available over the Internet and are stored indefinitely, it is not necessary to log the data. However, you may still want to log the data for backup or in case the satellite system has technical problems. If so, refer to the Logging Data section for instructions. To begin sending data to start a run, press the key next to ‘Run (zeroed?)’.
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Laptop Setup for Telemetry Communications To verify that the satellite is sending data to the Internet site, the HyperTerminal communications will need to be set up differently than when it is used for DataRAM communications. Refer to the Setting Up a HyperTerminal section for the basics. • At the ‘Port Settings’ box, click on the arrow beside ‘Bits per second’. Choose ‘19200’. • Look for the ‘Last value’ number displayed in the scrolling data.
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Appendix—Smoke From Forest Fires Particulate matter (PM) from burning biomass is comprised largely of elemental and organic carbon, as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and trace minerals. Particulate matter is the major pollutant from wildland fire smoke. Smoke particles tend to be very small—less than 1 micron in diameter. Particulate matter from wood smoke has a size range near the wavelength of visible light (0.4 to 0.7 micrometers).
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About the Author Mary Ann Davies received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in industrial and management engineering from Montana State University in 1988. She worked in the Pacific Northwest Region as a facility engineer and as a tramway engineer. She also developed mountain bike routes using a rating system she designed. Mary Ann has worked in fire management as a crewmember and as a crewboss.