Aerosol Products

Other Pressurized Spray Systems Testing

Aerosol performance, deposition, formulation, and flammability testing for specialty pressurized spray systems.

ARE Labs evaluates nonstandard pressurized spray behavior under defined conditions for development, comparison, safety review, and documentation.

ISO 17025ISO 1332016 CFR 1500.45Reviewed 2026-10-06
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Testing specialty pressurized spray systems

For a specialty pressurized spray system, testing connects the can, reservoir, valve, actuator, nozzle, pressure source, and formulation to measurable aerosol performance for the target application. ISO 13320, 16 CFR 1500.45, and ASTM D3065 can help shape the study when the decision depends on droplet size, plume shape, deposition, formulation behavior, or ignition risk. Programs are usually scoped when:

  1. PSD testing under ISO 13320 compares pressure setting, propellant, nozzle, or formulation effects on droplet size and respirable fraction.
  2. Spray pattern and plume geometry compare valves, actuators, and orientations under a defined protocol; ISO 17025 quality records document actuation, imaging, and analysis conditions.
  3. Protocol-defined particle deposition studies quantify residue, coverage, overspray, tracer recovery, or active recovery on specialty spray targets; EPA program requirements are reviewed where applicable.
  4. Product-specific formulation studies evaluate propellant, solvent, suspension, package contact, and assay recovery under a defined protocol, with method controls documented in ISO 17025 quality records.
  5. Flammability and ignition screening under 16 CFR 1500.45 or ASTM D3065 compares propellant, solvent, pressure, and package states.

Use this testing when a pressurized spray package does not fit a standard aerosol, drug-delivery, or consumer category. A defined protocol fixes pressure, actuation, distance, orientation, target geometry, controls, and reporting endpoints before samples enter testing.

Core test menu for specialty pressurized sprays

Nonstandard pressurized spray programs usually combine aerosol sizing, plume imaging, deposition, formulation, and ignition tests. The application, package state, hazard context, and documentation needs determine which tests to include.

Test method options

MethodStrengthsTradeoffAligned with
Aerosol characterization screen
  • ISO 13320 PSD, plume imaging, and visible spray observations compare pressure, valve, nozzle, propellant, and formulation choices.
  • Screening identifies spray-duration, orientation, fill-level, and clogging effects before deposition or ignition work starts.
Acceptance criteria must come from the product requirement, claim, comparator, or safety question being tested.
ISO 13320
Deposition and coverage study
  • Protocol-defined coupon, panel, or mannequin layouts quantify deposited mass, target coverage, and overspray by location.
  • Tracer or active recovery links spray output to residue behavior, surface loading, or off-target exposure.
Results apply to the defined geometry, spray distance, orientation, target, and actuation profile.
Formulation performance support
  • A product-specific protocol connects propellant, solvent, suspension, package contact, and assay recovery to measured performance risks.
  • HPLC, GC/MS, pH, osmolality, and paired aerosol readouts support pressure-compatible formulation comparisons.
This is development support unless a separate stability or regulatory program is scoped.
Flammability and ignition screen
  • 16 CFR 1500.45 framing supports flame projection, ignition distance, and formulation hazard comparisons.
  • Package state, fill level, conditioning, propellant, and solvent changes can be compared under one fixture plan.
The study does not by itself provide transport approval, label authorization, or product certification.
16 CFR 1500.45
Protocol-defined aging comparison
  • Protocol-defined conditioning compares spray output, PSD, plume geometry, deposition, assay, and ignition behavior before and after specified storage.
  • Pull-point trend tables support package interaction, valve clogging, leakage, corrosion, and formulation drift decisions.
Study duration follows the conditioning and pull schedule; endpoints should be locked before storage starts.

Setup configurations

We configure each specialty pressurized spray study around the package, pressure source, formulation, target application, and decision the data must support. Before runs begin, the protocol defines actuation, pressure setting, orientation, sampling geometry, and conditioning. It also specifies containment, controls, analytical endpoints, replicate structure, safety controls, and reporting limits.

Device configuration

Container, reservoir, valve, actuator, nozzle, propellant, pressure source, fill level, operating mode, and package material documented per condition.

Flow & actuation profiles

Pressure setting, spray duration, trigger force, orientation, distance, shot count, interval, flow rate, and temperature or RH conditioning controlled by protocol.

Sampling geometry

Coupons, panels, mannequins, chambers, inline fixtures, sampling manifolds, target locations, and containment selected for the use case.

Sample numbers

Device count, filled-unit count, replicate count, pull points, blanks, controls, and comparator runs sized during protocol development.

Analytical endpoints

PSD, plume metrics, deposited mass, tracer recovery, active assay, package observations, ignition behavior, or aging trends selected per decision.

Quality frame for pressurized spray studies

ARE Labs runs specialty pressurized spray programs within a documented quality system. The references below address laboratory competence, sizing, and ignition methods. Surface deposition has separate protocol-defined controls for collection and recovery.

  • ISO 17025AccreditedLaboratory competence, calibration traceability, method control, and uncertainty contributors.
  • ISO 13320AlignedLaser diffraction particle sizing principles for droplet and spray spectra.
  • 16 CFR 1500.45AlignedAerosol flame projection and ignition behavior reference.

Key data outputs & reporting

The report links each endpoint-specific dataset to the package setup used to measure aerosol, deposition, formulation, and ignition behavior. These data can support development, troubleshooting, safety review, comparisons between packages, or regulatory documentation. Extended deliverables include appendices when the program calls for stability pulls, package comparisons, formulation-response work, hazard-context narratives, review of package interactions, or justification for design changes.

Primary outputs

  • PSD curves, Dv10 / Dv50 / Dv90, aerodynamic fractions, respirable fraction estimates, and particle concentration time series where applicable.
  • Spray pattern, plume angle, plume width, duration, high-speed image observations, timing metrics, and setup photos.
  • Deposited mass, residue maps, tracer or active recovery, overspray locations, assay values, and surface-specific loading summaries.
  • Ignition distance, flame projection observations, package-state comparisons, leakage notes, corrosion indicators, and aging trend plots.

Deliverables

#FormatContents
01PDF reportProtocol, setup, controls, deviations, endpoint tables, and interpretation limits.
02CSV / XLSX datasetsParticle size, deposition, formulation, ignition, or trend data.
03Images / videoPlume frames, spray pattern files, deposition maps, and ignition records.
Extended deliverables · multi-arm comparability · stability · predicate studies
  • Comparator summary — Side-by-side pressure, valve, actuator, propellant, formulation, target, or package comparisons.
  • Formulation response pack — Batch, assay, spray-output, and package-contact notes tied to formulation variables and observed drift.
  • Hazard context appendix — Ignition observations, conditioning records, fixture geometry, and stated limits for classification discussions.

QA / QC & data integrity

Each specialty pressurized spray study has a QA/QC plan matched to the endpoint, formulation, and documentation pathway. We run study controls alongside sample collection to keep particle, deposition, formulation, ignition, and aging data traceable from sample receipt through final reporting. The study file documents any deviations and exclusions.

Device-off, chamber background, blank coupon, negative control, positive control, or reference spray runs selected by endpoint.

Flow meters, pressure gauges, particle instruments, balances, imaging scales, timers, environmental sensors, and analytical instruments checked before use.

Actuation timing, pressure setting, spray distance, orientation, temperature, RH, sampling locations, and recovery procedures recorded per run.

Analytical recovery, blank correction, carryover checks, matrix controls, and system suitability included when residues or actives are quantified.

Chain of custody for filled units, coupons, filters, extracts, raw instrument files, images, videos, calculations, and report tables.

GLP-compliant documentation can be specified when the study is designed for that quality pathway.

Why ARE Labs

ARE Labs connects technical topics to practical study design, method selection, controlled aerosol work, and reportable evidence without turning technical pages into sales pages.

Reviewed byJamie Balarashti (25 yrs - cascade & inhalation methods) - Weston Schaper (7 yrs - real-time sizing & nanoparticle work)
QualityDocumented study records
900+Studies Performed
17+Years in operation
300+Clients supported

Common questions

These are common questions from product, formulation, packaging, and safety teams scoping nonstandard pressurized spray testing. The answers below explain method selection, sample needs, custom fixtures, the data delivered, and regulatory support. When planning a pressurized spray study, teams also need to consider what affects timing, how caveats are handled, and where ARE Labs' defined testing scope ends.

Q.Which test should a specialty pressurized spray start with?
A.Start with the decision. Particle size distribution (PSD) describes droplet size, plume imaging shows how the spray forms, and deposition testing measures target loading. Formulation support addresses chemistry or compatibility; flammability testing evaluates ignition behavior.
Q.Can ARE Labs test custom fixtures or unusual spray geometries?
A.Yes. Custom fixtures, chambers, enclosures, mannequins, and sampling manifolds can be designed around the device and use case, then documented with the final report.
Q.How many filled units are needed?
A.Sample needs depend on configurations, endpoints, conditioning points, controls, and replicates. We define counts during protocol development, once variability and the basis for acceptance are clear.
Q.Can testing support transport or labeling decisions?
A.Testing can supply aerosol performance, deposition, formulation, and ignition data for technical review. Full DOT classification, VOC compliance, labeling, or product certification may require additional specialists.
Q.What data will we receive?
A.Deliverables can include a PDF report, CSV/XLSX datasets, PSD curves, plume images, deposition maps, assay or tracer recovery, ignition observations, trend plots, and QA/QC records.

Standards & guidance

Specialty pressurized spray programs are usually fit-for-purpose because no single standard governs every package, pressure source, and use case. ARE Labs selects references for the measurement endpoint and reports whether each method is accredited, aligned, or conformant where applicable. The rows below cover laboratory competence, sizing, and ignition references. Surface deposition uses separate, protocol-defined collection and recovery controls.

QA & Regulatory - Accredited

ISO 17025

Testing-laboratory competence, calibration traceability, method control, and reporting qualityView standard ->Particle & Aerosol Measurement - Aligned

ISO 13320

Laser diffraction particle sizing principles for pressurized spray droplet spectraView standard ->Flammability - Aligned

16 CFR 1500.45

Consumer aerosol flame projection and ignition behavior reference, with ASTM D3065 context when requestedView standard ->

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