Tandem classifier open source Python software now available

A year ago at AAAR 2023 we presented an exhibitor showcase on some open source Python software we had been working on in a joint project with the University of Alberta and NRC Canada

The software automates experiments involving aerosol classifiers used in tandem, such as CPMAs, AACs and DMAs and/or the scanning versions of the last two, SASS and SMPS ™. Such experiments are used to study complex multi-dimensional particle properties such as density or mass-mobility exponent, or to subject the particles to a conditioning process in-between the classifiers, such as high or low temperatures or condensing gas vapour to determine evaporation temperature, hygroscopicity or volatile fraction.

In time for this year's AAAR conference we have released the code to the Aerosol Science community as it stands on GitHub at https://github.com/cambustion/tandem under an MIT licence. The software is a work in progress; it still needs inversion implementing (which we are working on as collaborators), and will inevitably contain some bugs (no warranty expressed or implied, etc etc). If its useful to you please have a go at using it, and do suggest changes or make your own forks. Thanks to those who have been using various versions already.

The software now directly supports the new Cambustion 5210 CPC as well as TSI 3022, 3025, 3775, 3776, 3752 and 3756 and Aerosol Dynamics MAGIC CPC. When used with the AAC in SASS mode (with the CPC connected to the AAC) it will support any of the CPCs the AAC does, i.e. all of the above plus Grimm, Airmodus, PALAS and Brechtel. In terms of electrostatic classifiers / DMAs it will work with a TSI 3080 in step mode and with a TSI 3082 in step and SMPS ™ mode.

At AAAR 2024 see our joint paper which heavily used this software in preparation: Practical Considerations for Tandem Aerosol Classifier Measurements: The Effect of Scan Time, Resolution, and Calibration on Effective Density Accuracy in session 5IM.1 on the Wednesday.