Cleanrooms

The air entering a cleanroom from outside is filtered to exclude dust, and the air inside is constantly recirculated through high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) and ultra low penetration air (ULPA) filters to remove internally generated contaminants. A cleanroom is an environment, typically used in manufacturing or scientific research, that has a low level of environmental pollutants such as dust, airborne microbes, aerosol particles and chemical vapors. Some cleanrooms are kept at a higher air pressure so that if there are any leaks, air leaks out of the chamber instead of unfiltered air coming in. In cheaper cleanrooms, in which the standards of air contamination are less rigorous, the entrance to the cleanroom may not have an air shower. Modern manufacturing industries are increasingly turning to cleanroom technology for the development of new products.