Testing performances of a newly designed olfactometer

Dynamic dilution olfactometry as regulated by EN 13725 requires instrumentation of adequate technology and in order to spread the use of Dynamic Olfactometry high usability of the device is a must. A new dynamic dilution olfactometer has been designed and manufactured after the experience gained in previous prototype development and performance studies as well as from experimental applications. Materials have been selected in order to be compliant with the expected next-to-come updates of the EN13725 technical norm and checks on pneumatic steps required by the odour concentration analysis procedure have been implemented. In order to generate specific dilutions in a wide range, a high precision stepper motor is used, instead of the more common calibrated orifices. The instrument comes with option of incrementing dilution with a factor of √2 (instead of more usual 2), so to increase resolution of the odour measurements. The consumption of neutral compressed air has been highly reduced in comparison with previous prototypes. The new features of the instrument as well as the available dilution steps will be presented. A careful check of accuracy and operative speed at high dilutions has been performed. Standard n-butanol, and samples from ambient air collected in close proximity from odour emitting sources have been collected for testing the olfactometer and the panel response. A market top instrument has been considered for sake of comparison.