1. Specifications

● Measurable pore size range from ca. 80 nm to 500 μm
● Measures amongst others largest pore (bubble point), mean flow pore size, smallest
pore, pore size distribution, cumulative flow distribution, gas permeability. Liquid
permeability and hydrohead are optional. With our enhanced mathematical model, the
following additional results can be obtained:
o Total pore number
o Total pore area (% and μm2)
o Open Porosity
o Calculated permeability (darcy)

● Standard pressure range from 0-8 bar (116 psi) with flow rates of up to 200 l/min
● Pressure step/stability measurement method with our patent pending MP2 technology
● 2 ways to determine the bubble point:

o BP x-ml is the bubble point measured at a user-defined flow rate.
o BP pCF is the bubble point measured as a user-defined percentage of the
cumulative flow.

● 1 sample holder of 25 mm diameter for sample thicknesses up to 3 mm
● Equipped with 2 flow sensors that automatically switch:

o 0-10 l/min
o 0-200 l/min

● Equipped with 2 pressure sensors that automatically switch

o 1 bar (14.5 psi)
o 10 bar (145 psi)

● PoreSmartTM software with the advanced curve-fitting functions

2. Unique POROLUXTM Revo specifications

1. The instrument needs to be a pressure step stability instrument. It needs to wait for both the
pressure AND the flow to be stable before taking a data point.
2. Pressure and flow sensors need to switch automatically.
3. Switching point of the flow sensors needs to be adjustable.
4. All the registered data points need to be real, measured data points, not calculated or
interpolated.
5. The resolution of the pressure and flow sensors needs to be 24 bit.
6. The instrument needs to have multiple ways to measure the bubble point.
7. The instrument needs to have a way to observe which sensor is in operation while the
measurement is running.
8. The instrument software needs to have the possibility to re-evaluate the measurements in case
by accident wrong parameters (ex. wrong wetting liquid) were entered.
9. The instrument software needs to give a notification when the sample is not entirely dry after
the wet run.
10. The instrument software needs to have the possibility to easily switch between different units,
such as from bar to PSI.
11. The instrument needs to have the possibility to calculate the permeability curve (dry curve), in
case the sample get damaged during the first run (wet run).
12. The instrument needs to have an ethernet connection.
13. The instrument needs to be made in Europe and have CE marking.
14. The instrument needs to come with an optional 3-in-1 sample holder.

15. The instrument software needs to be able to remove noises in the measuring curves and fit the
pore size distribution curves into a mathematical functions.
16. The instrument needs to have the possibility to measure real liquid permeability (with the
balance) (applicable for certain samples, eg. membranes).

Explanation:

1. The essence of pressure step stability is that both the pressure and the flow need to be stable
before a datapoint is taken. It’s not sufficient to keep only the pressure (more or less) stable and
not the flow, as might be the case with a scan system.
2. Automatic switch for BOTH pressure and flow sensors: The user does not have to decide
upfront about pressure and/or flow range. If both the pressure and flow sensors switch is not
automatic, the user has to select upfront which sensor to use. In consequence, for example in a
measurement that goes up to 35 bars, the whole pressure range (35 bar) is measured with only
one sensor, compromising accuracy in the low pressure range.
3. Switching point of the flow sensors is adjustable. It is possible to choose the switching point of
the flow sensor, allowing for even more flexibility in the test parameters.
4. The POROLUXTM Revo allows taking up to 200 real data points, not calculated or interpolated.
When not all data points are real, you miss information about the pore structure.
5. The resolution of all pressure sensors and flow sensors of all POROLUXTM porometers is 24 bit.
Other suppliers have only 16 bit resolution and or 16-bit equivalent (it refers to 15 bit) so their
porometers will not be able to differentiate different pressure signals (and as result, pore sizes).
A sensor gives an analogue signal (voltage or current) that has to be converted into digital values
that we will call “steps”. The number of steps depends on how good the converter is and it is
expressed as 2 to the power x, where x is the bit number (in 24 bit 16,777,216 steps). For
instance, for a pressure sensor in the range 0-35 bar that gives a voltage signal between 0-
10000mV, 3.5 mbar correspond to 1mV and 0.0005 mV correspond to one step (=100000 mV/
16,777,216 steps). When the step in voltage is transduced into a pressure step, the resolution in
pressure of a 24 bit system is: 0.0005 mV* 3.5 mbar / 1mV=0.00175 mbar.
6. Especially at high pressures, the bubble point measured as a deviation from the linearity of a
user-defined pressure increase (BP dPL) can be falsely registered by turbulences and/or minor
leak. Above 12 bar (0.05 μm), we advise to use the bubble point measured at a user-defined
flow rate (BP x-ml). Moreover, at such high pressures, it takes a long time to find the BP dPL.
The advantage of the BP pCF is that this measurement is based on both the wet and dry curve
(just as the MFP & SP). This is done by defining the x value of the cumulative graph from 0 to
100% (min, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.5%, etc). Where 100% is the max flow that passes through the sample
(dry curve). As this method is based on the ratio between wet and dry curve, it is independent
of the test area.

7. Observation window. This new tab in the POROLUXTM software allows the user a unique insight
in what is happening on the inside of the instrument while performing a measurement. This
observation window can also be opened as separate window.
8. Our very intuitive and easy to use software (LabView) has some very unique features, such as
the re-evaluation button which allows to do a re-calculation on already performed tests. The big
advantage is that when measurements have been performed while selecting the wrong wetting
liquid, or surface tension, or shape factor, .. in the software, the scientist doesn’t have to re-do
the measurements, but can make use of the re-evaluation button.
9. A special algorithm to identify a possibly not entirely dried sample after finishing the wet run.
If the end pressure is chosen too low, remaining quantities of test fluid will falsify the result. The
dry curve will show a typical curving appearance at the beginning. The algorithm will identify this
special curve bending and attends the operator on this result.
10. The instrument software needs to have the possibility to easily switch between different units,
such as from bar to PSI. In this way, the software can be used by many different people.
11. To avoid having to re-do the test, this feature is key.
12. The ethernet connection, which allows remote access for support and diagnosis via internet, is
a must. It guarantees a quick and fast diagnosis and support from our team.
13. The POROLUXTM porometers are made in Europe (Germany) and have CE marking. One of the
most important independent guarantees for quality.
14. The instrument needs to come with an optional 3-in-1 sample holder. With this sample holder,

it has never been more easy to switch to a larger sample holder in case you have non-
homogenous samples, or to switch to a smaller sample holder when working with samples with

high gas permeability. The 3-in-1 simply includes all three common samples sizes (13 mm, 25
mm and 47 mm) in one!
15.Our very intuitive software PoreSmartTM is equipped with a new curve-fitting function which
allows a user to avoid jagged curves by removing the noise in the obtained data. The software
provides two-stage curve processing to qualify a general trend of the measured data and allow
better results presentation. PoreSmartTM also offers multiple fitting functions along with
validation of the fitting.
16. The instrument needs to have the possibility to measure real liquid permeability of membranes
or low permeable samples (with the balance). Our liquid permeability set consists of an external
sample holder, a vessel, and a balance. A balance is necessary to properly measure liquid
permeability. The gas flowmeters in the porometer cannot only be used to test the liquid
permeability due to the differences in the physicochemical properties of liquids and gases
(compressible gas, incompressible liquid).