Clean Room Equipment

A cleanroom air shower serves as a gateway control between the outside environment and the uncontaminated cleanroom enclosure. It is installed as part of the entryway as a means of reducing the introduction of contaminant matter. Though all cleanroom personnel are required to wear proper apparel, there is still the potential of the introduction of lint, small fragments, or debris into the cleanroom. The air shower removes such potentially hazardous elements. The cleanroom air shower is a self-contained chamber that has high velocity air flow and low pressure. When a person enters through one of the dual locking doors, a high velocity fan blows air over them. The air entering the chamber is HEPA filtered and air washes the occupant of particulate matter that moves to the low pressure side of the chamber.

Laboratory ovens have a uniform construction consisting of an enclosed insulated space with a heating element. There are a wide variety of designs with specialized types for thermal processing and types for curing and testing. Laboratory ovens are divided according to their heating method. The types of lab ovens include forced air, gravity convection, and mechanical. Of the three types, mechanical ovens are most commonly used. Forced air ovens use mounted blowers that circulate high velocity air. The blowers protect batches and enhance heat transmission. Gravity ovens do not have circulation fans or blowers. They pass heat through convection. Mechanical ovens have blowers or fans and have better temperature uniformity.

Cleanroom door swings can be single or double and are designed to maintain the particle free sterile environment. They provide exceptional security, provide protection against contamination, and are the first line of defense for the cleanroom's integrity. As every other component of a cleanroom, door swings are required to meet a set of cleanliness specifications. More and more cleanrooms are beginning to use automatic door swings that allow for greater control of the door, such as the speed at which the door opens and closes as well as obstruction sensing devices. Depending on the ISO classification of the cleanroom, it may have a double swing door entry with a pass thru.

Specialty filters used in lab or cleanroom environments ro remove particles or fumes. Filter types include: prefilters, HEPA, ULPA, acid gas, activated charcoal, ammonia gas, formaldehyde, mercury and radioactive iodine.

A nitrogen generator performs a process called pressure swing adsorption and membrane technology, which is the extraction of nitrogen from the air followed by its compression. It provides a pure flow of nitrogen without the need for canisters. Nitrogen generators provide 99% pure nitrogen at medical grade levels to desiccator cabinets, gloveboxes, and vacuum chambers, to name a few applications.

A desiccator is a laboratory instrument. It is a round closed container made of exceptionally durable glass used for storage of items that require a moisture free environment. At the bottom of the desiccator is a perforated plate that is located above the drying agent, which can be anhydrous calcium chloride, calcium sulphate, or silica. The four types of desiccators are standard, vacuum, automatic, and gas purge. Standard models are used as desiccator cartridges and are economical. Vacuum types use a pump to remove moisture. Automatic models operate continuously using a fan and heater. Gas purge models use nitrogen and argon as atmospheric drying agents.

The purpose of a vacuum chamber is to create a pressure and air free environment for the purpose of testing components. It is a rigid and well controlled environment that comes in several different configurations to meet the needs for testing specific materials. Vacuum chambers can be used for batch testing and processing applications that necessitate a sustained and precision regulated level of vacuum. Depending on the testing needs, vacuum chambers can be made of acrylic, aluminum, or stainless steel. The materials of the chamber determine the level of testing it can perform.

Another specialized fume hood form is a biosafety cabinet, which is a specially designed enclosure for the handling of contaminated materials or pathogens that necessitate observation in a defined biologically safe space. Biosafety cabinets use vertical laminar air flow in order to form a barrier against contaminants. There are three classes of biosafety cabinets, Classes I,II, and III, with class three being the most stringent and capable of handling highly contagious microbiological agents.

A specialized type of fume hood is a laminar flow hood that separates the air flow into layers to cleanse it of contaminants. Much like other fume hoods, a laminar flow hood is an enclosed work space with the added feature of protecting samples from airborne contaminants to create a dust free environment to minimize contaminants. A laminar flow hood has a filter pad, fan, and HEPA filter. The fan pulls the ambient air into the HEPA filtration system from which it is passed to the work space. The two types of laminar flow hoods are horizontal and vertical air flow systems with the horizontal flow system having a back to front flow and the vertical system having a downward flow.
Vertical air flow laminar hoods direct the flow downward and reinforces the effects of gravity by sweeping particles down and out of the enclosure. They are used when floor space is at a premium and eliminate contaminants from floating around inside the enclosure.
With a horizontal laminar flow hood, air flows through a HEPA filter and is forced across the work surface from back to front. They have a deeper style to make room for the rear mounted filter and fan unit and require additional clearance.

Fume hoods, known as fume chambers and cupboards, are venting systems that capture and contain toxic fumes, particulate matter, and vapors. There are several types of fume hoods, including PVC ducted, carbon filter recirculating, laminar air flow, biosafety cabinets, clean benches, and snorkel exhausts. The primary functions of fume hoods are to protect the user, the product, and the environment. The use of cleanroom fume hoods is essential in cleanroom environments where noxious chemicals and hazardous materials are tested and researched.