Fabrication and use of krypton-85 aerosol discharge devices

Aerosols generated by nebulization or by devices with inherent mechanical friction usually produce highly charged particles. This electrostatic charge may result in large wall losses in aerosol sampling systems and cause anomalous results in particle size analysis. The design and construction of a simple aerosol discharging device using 85Kr are described. The 85Kr gas is sealed in a thin-walled stainless steel tube which is placed axially in a cylindrical aluminium chamber. This chamber acts as a container for the aerosol and as a beta shield. With proper design most aerosol discharge requirements can be met with moderate source strengths. (author)