Fluorescence Aerosol Particle Sensor (FLAPS III™) Model 3317 | TSI Incorporated

General Description
TSI Fluorescence Aerosol Particle Sensor (FLAPS III™) Model 3317 The TSI FLAPS III™ Model 3317 employs fluorescence measurements on individual airborne particles for rapid biological threat detection (under one minute response time) in military and homeland defense applications where a trigger detector is required for biological point detection systems. The instrument delivers exceptional threat discrimination and interference rejection using real-time processing of the data with advanced alarm algorithms. It has been tested with standard simulants for bio-threat agents (spore & vegetative bacteria, viruses and toxins), and has undergone significant field testing to verify its performance. The instrument is designed for field operation in terms of reliability, maintainability, and serviceability. (A predecessor instrument, the TSI UVAPS Model 3312A, has been fielded in the US Army P3I-BIDS enclosure.) The TSI FLAPS III™ Model 3317 system simultaneously measures for each individual airborne particle, the scattered-light intensity and the fluorescence emissions in two wavelength regions. These single particle measurements provide a robust data set for the rapid detection of airborne biological threat agents under various background environments. The instrument is generally used with a front-end aerosol concentrator to optimize performance, and is available in a stand-alone environmental enclosure with radio communications for remote operation. It has been in production since early 2004. The TSI FLAPS III™ Model 3317 is developed under sole license of U.S. patent numbers 5701012, 5895922 , and 6831279 from the Canadian Department of Defense.

Technical Description
The detection of biological aerosols by the TSI FLAPS III™ Model 3317 is based on UV laser-induced fluorescence. The instrument uses a simplified optical train with a single, commercially available 405nm CW laser diode for both excitation and optical sizing (nominal lifetime of 10,000 hours of continuous operation). An opposed nozzle design, consisting of an inlet nozzle and an outlet nozzle, prevents particle recirculation in the optical chamber, and is used together with HEPA-filtered sheath air flow to eliminate fouling of the optical components. Measurements are taken on individual particles in the aerosol stream.

Evaluation Criteria

THROUGHPUT:

2 minutes or less for detection
System is continuous and provides real time analysis with no defined tests/samples
The system or device is currently fully automated
0-1 solutions, buffer, eluents, and/or reagents
Less than 5 minutes is required for set-up
1-2 steps are required for detection

LOGISTICS: