Worrying about the safety and preservation of people's health is fundamental, in any sector. And this encompasses both those involved in the direct operations of a controlled environment (with product handling, for example), up to the end consumers.
And, to ensure this protection at all stages of the processes, clean rooms play a fundamental role. To make the most of them and for all steps to be performed correctly, you need to keep in mind what types of work will be performed.
They can be applied in different situations: laboratories, pharmaceutical, food, chemical, beverage, cosmetic, veterinary, electronic industries, research centers, hospitals, etc.
Cleanroom Ratings
and they can have ratings different, according to the specific purpose of the cleanroom. Look:
Class 1 to 5 cleanroom (according to ISO 14644)
They are performed under a laminar air flow regime. They have the following characteristics:
- Total air replacement is performed every six seconds;
- In environments with this rating, air flows evenly;
- There are filters throughout the ceiling;
- There is no presence of air currents inside the environment;
- The air outlet is carried out only by exhaustion through the floor;
- A uniform air flow occurs, without the transverse dispersion of particles taking place.
Class 6 to 9 cleanroom (according to ISO 14644)
In this case, the cleanrooms are run under turbulent airflow regime. They have the following characteristics:
- Air in the room flows from diffusers in the ceiling at a rate of 0,45 meters per second;
- There are air currents within the environment;
- Transverse dispersion of particles occurs;
- In these environments, the air is exhausted through the floor or ceiling.
There are also other specific cleanroom classifications, which are defined in grade A, B, C or D, established in the EU GMP, which determine the limits for particles that remain suspended in the air.
Below are key parameters for determining cleanroom ratings and suitability:
- ABNT technical standards;
- ISO technical standards;
- Legislative norms of ANVISA (National Health Surveillance Agency);
- FDA (USA) and GMP (European) standards.
The Clean Room project
Now that you know the classifications, the parameters and understand that they can vary, according to the operation's needs, it is necessary to know how and where to start your project. It is necessary to understand the phases that make up the entire process of building a clean room. Including knowing how to choose who will be responsible for this construction.
Making this choice, assertively, will ensure that the controlled environment complies with all the necessary specifications informed by the customer, which will ensure the greatest benefit and efficiency of the clean room.
For this choice, you will find companies that will only take on the project, others that will supply the equipment, and some that will only take care of the construction itself. But there will also be a company that will be responsible for everything. From design, product supply, to construction and maintenance.
So it is necessary to pay attention to some important points when choosing:
- Reliability;
- Market experience;
- Punctuality;
- Respect for technical standards;
- Price;
- Complete solutions.
All the above factors, taken together, will result in a reliable and extremely assertive work in your Clean Room.
And why is all this important? Well, controlled environments must be built flawlessly, so that no type of contamination enters the place. And, for that, it is necessary that whoever will perform the work has the confidence and experience necessary to develop it.
Respect for technical standards is essential, therefore, it is of fundamental importance that professionals are aware of the determinations and regulations that each segment requires.
And of course, combining a service that delivers complete solutions with a really true cost/benefit is the ideal scenario. This means that values much lower or much higher than what is practiced in the market should be evaluated more carefully.
Knowing the products
A primordial step in the production of a Clean Room is the choice of products that will compose that controlled environment. The materials used must necessarily be specially designed to perform their function in that location. This concern with assertiveness must occur because the equipment needs to be agents of protection and not of contamination.
Therefore, in the cleanroom design phase, it is important that they are very well chosen, according to the customer's needs. The segment, the materials and products handled, the inflow and outflow of people, among others, must be observed.
Here the importance of the planning phase is noted. This is where everything is very well determined and sketched, including the products needed for the construction and realization of the project.
After knowing and determining the parameters, it is necessary to investigate and select the best equipment. Always taking into account the one that will correctly meet the needs of operations. Check below the main equipment that should constitute a Clean Room:
- The Fixtures
Far beyond just lighting the place, the lamps must necessarily be designed specifically for a clean room. And what does it mean? They must strictly meet all the hygiene requirements that are necessary.
The main function of this product is to preserve the safety of the place, keeping it free from any type of impurity. They must be resistant to air pressurization, temperature and humidity conditions.
Even when maintenance is required, there is no risk of contamination of the environment, as they have a special system for carrying out such tasks.
- Clean room doors
Anyone who thinks that the doors they do not play a fundamental role in avoiding contamination with particles that come from the air, in their production environments. This role is not unique to the air filtration system. After all, all components of a cleanroom must follow strict safety parameters.
The room closing system is just as important as the functions of the internal equipment. And it is the responsibility of the doors to keep microorganisms, present in the air, far away.
As doors are responsible for sealing the controlled environment. If the project does not have a quality door that works correctly, the entire production process can be harmed.
- Rounded corners
No less important than others products, finishes are used especially for: closing wall/floor, wall/ceiling, wall/wall, etc. This essential feature makes air recirculation easier and does not allow the proliferation of bacteria.
In addition, the rounded corners help in the sealing process, are resistant to oxidation by cleaning agents, do not generate any type of particles and also do not retain.
- Clean room accessories
Os accessories cannot miss. For all the needs of a project to be met, they need to be present. And they can range from tubular protectors, shafts, furniture, to some more specific items, such as air-shower, auxiliary structure, among others.
- the viewers
They are excellent for increasing visibility between different parts of the production process. Generally, this product is made of tempered or laminated glass, in addition to having polycarbonate and acrylic. The installation of the windows is carried out in partitions, masonry and dry-wall.
- panels and dividers
They are like a kind of Clean Room walls. They must be produced and installed considering the entire environment configuration, including the pipes and electrodes.
Rounded corners appear here, as it is important that they, the panels and partitions have this feature. It is also essential that the surface is completely smooth and waterproof.
They must have acoustic insulation with a core that can be made of different materials. Like any other product, they preserve the purity of the environment and, in addition, the panels contribute to greater visibility between the areas of the process.
- Pass Through
Widely used in a controlled environment, the Pass Through is responsible for transferring objects from one side of the production process to the other, without the so-called “cross contamination”.
The size of this equipment will depend on the transfer needs of the project. Therefore, when designing the clean room, it is necessary to keep in mind the activities and the size of the materials that will pass through this equipment.
Check the types of pass through available:
- Painted steel;
- Stainless steel;
- Active pass through;
- Special;
- With exhaust duct;
- With filtration system;
- With inflation;
- With UV lamp;
- Guillotine door.
- Compact Clean Room
For those who need a more punctual and specific project, compact clean rooms are extremely suitable. They are essentially composed of an antechamber and a workroom. Constructed of false ceiling, luminaires, simple opening and sliding doors, with interlocking, double glass windows, pass through, air system with filtering unit, ventilation unit and various accessories.
Clean room maintenance
After knowing the importance of a clean room, the different types, going through the design, production and assembly process, everything is finished, right? Well, not quite. It is also necessary to be very attentive to the maintenance of the controlled environment.
After all, it is necessary to have continuity throughout the project. Therefore, it is essential to have a specialized team prepared to, as the name implies, keep the clean room in perfect working order, so that no operation is compromised.
Having a company that knows how to carry out all the phases of the process, from planning to maintenance, is a big step towards the success of your project.