At this time of the year with the cold days and even colder nights, the last thing on your mind is probably air conditioning, but it’s not just to keep rooms cool, the system has many other uses. One of the many uses of air conditioning we’ll look at in this blog – clean room conditioning. The blog looks at how air conditioning plays a vital role in clean rooms, and how these rooms have many uses, for more, read on!
What is a clean room?
It may sound like a place that has been gone over with a good vacuum cleaner and duster, but a proper clean room is a controlled environment where pollutants are minimised.
Clean rooms themselves are not just a room with low pollution – there are several other factors needed including specialist air conditioning, garments designed to be worn by the room users that minimise the spread of environmental pollutants. Even the room itself needs to be designed and manufactured from materials that do not generate particles.
Of course, the room also needs to be easy to clean!
Where are clean rooms used?
Clean rooms are used in a variety of sectors and for this blog we’ll look at 4 where EJM would have and could have installed air conditioning to specialist requirements.
- The food industry.
- The pharmaceutical industry.
- The aerospace industry.
- The semiconductor industry.
Food.
We all want to think that the food we consume has the highest hygiene standards, and a clean room for food meets those standards. Commercial kitchens with numerous stainless steel surfaces that are corrosion resistant, and regularly sanitised are needed in a food industry clean room – along with appropriate air conditioning systems that minimise microscopic particles.
Pharmaceutical.
This industry requires the very best in clean rooms that are uncontaminated and easy to keep to the right conditions. The industry, (along with places such as hospital clean rooms, for sterilising surgical instruments), has a vital role in the health of the public. A clean room that fails in this sector, can compromise human health – and no one wants that.
Aerospace.
Manufacturing intricate and safe components are vital for the high standards needed in the aerospace industry. Clean rooms play a big part in this, and even the minimal contamination can cause the equipment to fail – not only can this mean financial loss, but can be catastrophic on aircraft.
Semiconductors.
With technology such as the manufacture of these chips, even the smallest speck of dust could completely destroy the product. Microchips are developed in clean rooms that have extremely strict rules and procedures in place.
Are there standards like others that EJM use?
Yes, there are! Clean rooms have to pass an ISO standard (it’s 14644-1, for those who are interested!) This standard has the wording that defines what a clean room actually is as…
“a room in which the concentration of airborne particles is controlled, and which is constructed and used in a manner to minimise the introduction, generation, and retention of particles inside the room and in which other relevant parameters, e.g. temperature, humidity, and pressure, are controlled as necessary”
How does air conditioning help?
As we mentioned, this vital factor makes up a large part of the clean room jigsaw. By supplying the room with large quantities of extremely high filtered air, dilutes and removes harmful particles. In addition, it removes bacteria and chemicals from the air.
Keeping air flowing into the clean room is also vitally important – this was achieved by using the air-conditioned air to pressurise the room, and along with sealed door units, the room will have no contaminated air flowing into it from external areas.
How can EJM help with clean room equipment?
EJM can supply and fit clean room air conditioning for all industries. Using our wealth of experience and skills the filtration systems will ensure the air conditioning part of the clean room jigsaw will suit all needs. The very first step is to contact us where we can discuss your needs and ensure there is full collaboration in the building of the room. This way the installation will be seamless with the room fully functioning in the shortest time.
This is just one application where the use of air conditioning systems can be used and it can help numerous industries. Gone are the days where people thought air conditioning was just a fan on the desk, for large companies with big offices and suited workers. The clean room scenario is only one type of installation where cooling can be used in an industry.
If your business needs advice on air conditioning, or even if you are unsure whether such an installation could benefit your team – please get in touch with us. We will be happy to chat with you and we always give you the advice that is best for your situation. The EJM team is just a call away.
Photo credit: Clean room at UCL Mathematical and Physical Sciences – licensed from CC.
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