WESTAR Council – Continuous PM 2.5 Monitoring Workshop Portland, Oregon April 13-14, 2005 Real-Time Smoke Monitoring

John says to talk about: The monitors we’ve tested/used What’s worked/hasn’t worked Still to do

Smoke Monitors for USFS Primary purpose to monitor Rx smoke Operators will be non-technicians Monitors will be shared across the country

When we got started 1998 – Air Program started at MTDC –What’s a nep-helo-meter? –Field personnel need help –Evaluate commercial real-time continuous monitors Portable Ease of use Accuracy Rugged

Real-Time Continuous Monitors TEOM

Real-Time Continuous Monitors Beta Attenuation (BAM)

Real-Time Continuous Monitors Light Scattering

Smoke Monitors - Laboratory & Field Tests Fire Science Laboratory’s Smoke Chamber

Smoke Monitors - Laboratory & Field Tests Fire Science Laboratory Tests

Smoke Monitors - Laboratory & Field Tests Field Testing –Rx burns in 1999 & 2000 –Wildland fires in 2000

Smoke Monitors - Laboratory & Field Tests 4 reports detail results

Smoke Monitors - Laboratory & Field Tests Summary of reports: –Instruments usually overestimate mass concentration of smoke –Correction algorithms needed –Unique corrections for different manufacturers –Results gets you in the ball park –Trend data

Instruments - Radiance Research Neph Positives –Reliable, stable –Low power consumption –Portable/light –Price ~ $4,500 Negatives –No mass concentration display –Must convert scattering to mass concentration –Difficult calibration/use for non-technician –Tech support –No PM 2.5 cutoff –No shelter

For wildland fire smoke, mass concentration = bscat * 175,000

Instruments – MIE DataRam 2000 Positives –Easy to use –Reliable –Inlet heater/PM2.5 cutoff –Tech support –Displays mass concentration Negatives –No shelter –Cost ~ $10,000+

For wildland fire smoke, Mass Concentration = DataRam 2000 estimated mass * 0.48

Instruments – MIE DataRam 4 Positives –Dual wavelength –Displays mass concentration –Temp and RH (internal) Negatives –Reliability –Customer service –No Shelter –Accuracy –Cost ~$11,500+

For smoke, mass concentration = DataRam 4 estimated mass conc * 0.36 (with size correction feature: ENABLED)

Instruments – Optec NGN-3 Positives –Reliable –Accurate –Inlet heater –PM2.5 cutoff Negatives –Heavy and bulky –No shelter –Calibration –Power consumption –Requires Datalogger –Cost ~$13,000

Wildland fire smoke, Mass concentration = OPTEC estimated mass concentration * 0.74

Instruments – Met One E-Sampler Positives –Easy to use –Tripod mount –Portable/lightweight –Heater and PM2.5 cutoff –Environmentally enclosed –Can add other met instruments –Low power consumption –Temp and Pressure –Filter for calibration –Cost ~ $4,500 Negatives –Low levels tend to read zero –Reliability

For smoke, mass concentration = E-Sampler estimated mass * 0.88

Instruments – R&P Dustscan Sentinel Positives –Easy to use –Portable/lightweight –Inlet Heater –Environmentally enclosed –Can add wind spd/dir –Low power consumption –Cost ~ $4,500 Negatives –Did not use long enough

Instruments – Met One EBAM Positives –Beta Attenuation Principle –Tripod mount –Environmentally enclosed –Can add other met instruments –Operates at 16.7 LPM –PM2.5 cutoff –Cost ~ $7,500 Negatives –Heavy/bulky compared to others –Reliability –Fine resolution tends to oscillate

Instruments – Met One EBAM

For smoke, conversion = EBAM estimated mass concentration * 0.91

What’s work, not worked Real-time dataReal-time data Deployment

Real-time Data 2001 – Wenatchee NF wildland fires Need for data retrieval system

Real-Time Data – Telemetry Data telemetry system –LAN line, limited availability –Cellular, limited availability –Satellite – full coverage

Real-Time Data – Telemetry AIRSIS satellite systems –DataRam 2000 –DataRam 4 –Met One E-Sampler –Met One EBAM –2B Portable Ozone Monitor

Real-Time Data: Web Site Interagency Real-Time Smoke Monitoring Web Site

What’s work, not worked Real-time data DeploymentDeployment

Smoke Monitoring: Deployment Instruments & Equipment –Checklist –Phone numbers Instrument tech support Satellite –Know how to operate equipment

Smoke Monitoring: Deployment Siting –Line power like –Residents usually like to help –Keep telemetry away from power lines, etc –Security

Smoke Monitoring: Deployment Successes Rx burning season in MT Wildfires in MT 2000, 2003 Wildfires in OR 2002 Rx & Wildfire in CA 2004

Smoke Monitoring: Deployment Problems –Instrument malfunctions –No telemetry data –Instrument malfunctions after you leave –Good to have someone on-site to help troubleshoot if leaving for extended period

Real-Time Smoke Monitoring: Still to Do EBAM study with EPA – Jim Homolya –Instrument accuracy –Field Test –Telemetry data Test different fuel types (lab and field) Determine humidity effects