January 2015 - PM-10 Inlet Cleaning Instructions

Gino Tellier
Technical Support Specialist
Environmental and Process Monitoring

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Question

We need to clean the PM-10 inlet on our TEOM monitor. What parts do I need to have and and how often should I perform the cleaning?

Answer

The PM-10 inlet should be cleaned every time the TEOM filter is changed, or as necessary. To clean the unit you will need an ammonia-based general purpose cleaner, cotton swabs, a small soft-bristle brush, paper towels, distilled water, silicone-based stopcock grease, a small screwdriver, a small adjustable wrench and a pocket knife. Follow these steps:

Remove rain jar from the inlet and the inlet from the sample tube. Unscrew the top acceleration assembly from the lower collector assembly.

Mark the top plate deflector cone and lower plate with a pencil to facilitate proper orientation when reassembling, then use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the four pan head screws from the top of the top plate. Lift the top plate off the four threaded, spacer standoffs and set aside.

Clean the insect screen (with brush or water) then dry.

Using a general-purpose cleaner and paper towel, clean the deflector cone on the inside of the top plate.

Clean the internal wall surface of the acceleration assembly. Ensure the acceleration nozzle is clean. If not, use a cotton swab and cleaner to remove any contamination.

Inspect the large diameter, impactor nozzle O-ring for damage or wear. Replace it, if necessary. Apply a thin film of silicone grease to the O-ring. Also, apply a light coating of silicone grease to the aluminum threads of the upper acceleration assembly.

Using a general-purpose cleaner with a paper towel, clean the collector assembly walls and plate.

Clean the three vent tubes. You may need to use a cotton swab to clean these vent tubes.

Clean the weep hole in the collector plate where the moisture runs out to the moisture trap.

Clean the lower collector assembly’s threads to ensure a tight seal when the two halves are reassembled.

Clean the bottom side of the collector assembly. Inspect the two inlet tube-sealing O-rings for damage or wear. If necessary, replace the O-rings.

Apply a light coating of silicone grease to the O-rings to ensure that a seal is made when they are reinstalled on the flow splitter.

Clean the rain jar. Inspect the rain jar cover’s brass nipple fitting to ensure that it is secure and free from blockages.

Place a light coating of silicone grease on the gasket inside the cap of the rain jar. This will ensure a leak-free fit. Reinstall the rain jar.

Reassemble the top and bottom inlet assemblies until the threads tighten. Hand-tighten only.14. Place a light coating of silicone grease on the gasket inside the cap of the rain jar. This will ensure a leak-free fit. Reinstall the rain jar.

Reinstall the insect screen and align the top plate markings with the lower plate markings. Install the top plate onto the lower plate and tighten the four pan-head screws.