Training period CNES (french spatial agency - France)
Development of a particle counter
The particule counter has been designed to be embedded onboard a balloon in order to determine the concentration and the size of the particles in the air. To do so, the particle counter uses the light diffusion principle described by Mie which describes how photons are deviated when they encounter a particle with micrometric size. Due to the important constraints in terms of size and consumption to be used onboard a balloon, the lighting source is an infrared LED which makes this prototype unique. In order to realize this prototype, it is necessary to :
- design the mechanical parts of the prototype,
- conceive the electronic board allowing to measure very small currents,
- collect the data thanks to a microcontroller,
- produce controlled aerosols to test and calibrate the counter.
- Picture of the aerosol dispenser
- Picture of the particule counter