[Standard Test Method for Determining Liquid Drop Size Characteristics in a Spray Using Optical Non-imaging Light-Scattering Instruments]

This standard is limited to those instruments that operate by passing a beam of light through the spray and analyzing the light scattered by the droplets to derive size information. "Scattering" as used in the standard refers to any optical phenomena exhibited by single drops or ensembles of drops. The wide applicability of the standard requires it to perforce be rather general in its treatment.

Although the standard recognizes the importance of the proper selection of sampling locations when "...the test objective is to obtain measurements as representative as possible of the entire spray", its guidance on the actual sampling protocol to be employed is generic. The sampling locations "...shall be chosen to accomplish this purpose". Likewise, the exact number of locations to be tested is "...left to the discretion of the individual".

The SOP's developed by spray research conform to the entirety of this standard.