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ISO5 Isolator

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Cleanroom FFU (HEPA & ULPA Filter) Detailed Functions Guidance

Related Information

FFU fan filter units

 

1.What is FFU? Why do we need FFU?
  FFU (Fan Filter Unit) is a purification equipment with its own fan and HEPA filter, a terminal air supply equipment in modular type.
  FFU (Fan Filter Unit)  is widely used in cleanroom, laminar flow cabinet and other places that require a clean environment in various industries. FFU can be used as an auxiliary equipment for cleanroom projects, and can also be used as the core equipment for local purification equipment such as cleanroom,clean booth, laminar flow cabinet, clean wardrobes, and clean assembly lines.


2.The structure and working principle of FFU
  FFU (Fan Filter Unit) is mainly composed of a enclosure, a fan, a HEPA filter and a control system, and other functional components can be configured according to process requirements.
  The working principle of FFU (Fan Filter Unit) is to generate airflow through the built-in fan, introduce fresh air or indoor return air into the enclosure, and filter out particles and microorganisms in the air through the HEPA filter, thereby ensuring the air quality of the indoor environment.
  The core function of FFU (Fan Filter Unit) is to provide continuous and uniform clean air to ensure that the controlled area always maintains a certain degree of cleanliness to meet the needs of the production process.


3.The role and importance of FFU in cleanroom
  The role and importance of FFU (Fan Filter Unit) to cleanroom are mainly reflected in the following aspects:
 
Flexibility: As an independent and module terminal air supply device, FFU’ position and quantity can be flexibly adjusted at any time to adapt to the equipment and cleanliness layout of the room and to meet the changes in production process. In particular, It is especially suitable for renovation projects where the workshop process or cleanliness has changed.

  Energy-saving and high efficiency: FFU (Fan Filter Unit) comes with energy-saving fan and HEPA filter. The fan can achieve different air speeds or even stepless speed adjustment. It operates with minimum energy consumption according to the requirements of the workshop process. Compared with the centralized large-volume return air mode of traditional cleanroom, it is more flexible and energy-saving and efficient. In the long-term use and operation process, the operating cost is greatly reduced.

  Space saving: FFU (Fan Filter Unit) as an independent air supply module can effectively reduce the air supply volume of the centralized air supply of the air conditioning unit which means smaller air conditioning unit and smaller installation space. At the same time, it greatly reduces the volume of the centralized air supply duct of the air conditioning and saves the installation space over the ceiling of the clean area. In particular, when some projects are restricted by the floor height, FFU can adapt to this problem and solve the problem easily. In addition, the size of FFU can also be customized according to requirements to meet the needs of various occasions.

  Air quality improvement: FFU (Fan Filter Unit) purifies the air through its own HEPA filtration system. It can also be equipped with pre-filters or other auxiliary filters to pre-treat the air as required, effectively removing dust particles, microorganisms, harmful gases and other pollutants in the air, improving air quality and creating a healthy and clean working environment.

  Wide application: FFU (Fan Filter Unit) is widely used in cleanroom, data centers, hospital operating rooms, biological labs and other places with extremely high air quality requirements in various industries. Its modular design facilitates installation, maintenance and upgrading, ensuring the cleanliness of air in different environments.

  In summary, the application of FFU in cleanroom not only improves the air quality, but also greatly reduces the operating cost and maintenance difficulty through its flexibility and energy-saving characteristics. It is an indispensable equipment in the construction of modern cleanroom.

FFU in softwall cleanroom


4. Importance of FFU (Fan Filter Unit) in Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology
  FFU is of great importance in pharmaceutical and biotechnology because pharmaceutical and biotechnology have very high requirements for dust-free and sterile production environments. FFU fan filter units are equipped with HEPA filters or ULPA filters , which can provide a high-cleanliness air environment to build up a sterile environment and ensure product quality during the production process.

  FFU’s application in pharmaceutical and biotechnology includes clean rooms of all cleanliness, clean corridors, production equipment, operation areas, experimental areas, etc.. These areas usually have extremely high requirements for cleanliness and aseptic environment, such as the filling can capping process of sterile drug injections, drug and biological experimental operation areas, etc. The normal operation of these areas directly affects product quality and experimental results. FFU can create a dust-free and aseptic working environment for these areas.

  In addition, FFU (Fan Filter Unit) has the characteristics of flexible configuration, energy-saving design, easy maintenance and low noise, which allows it to be adjusted and arranged according to different areas of the cleanroom, adapting to various complex layout requirements, and can independently adjust the wind speed and filtration efficiency to achieve on-demand air supply, thereby achieving energy saving effect. These characteristics of FFU make it play an increasingly important role in the fields of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. 


5.Airkey FFU configuration and advantages:
 

Items

Airkey FFU

Other FFUs on the market

Enclosure

Galvanized steel plate/painted steel plate/stainless steel plate (optional)

Galvanized Steel Sheet

Motor Type

AC/DC/EC

AC/DC

Fan impeller

Aluminum alloy impeller, outer rotor fan, low noise and energy saving

Plastic impeller, inner rotor fan, loud noise, high energy consumption

Air supply speed

0.45~1.5m/s (maximum wind speed of 2.0m/s)

0.45m/s±20%

HEPA Filter Material

Glass fiber/PTFE/high temperature resistant filter paper (optional)

Fiberglass

Filtration efficiency

H14~U17

H13/H14

Speed control mode

Multi-speed adjustment/stepless adjustment, group control (intelligent control panel)

Three-step adjustment

Installation/maintenance method

Installation and inspection from top/lateral/bottom

Installation & inspection from top

Application

Available from ISO-4 to ISO-8

Available from ISO-5 to ISO-8

Size

In addition to standard sizes (2*2, 2*4, etc.), customization is available also

Standard size (2*2, 2*4ft)

 


6.How to determine how many FFUs are needed in a clean room?
  The number of FFU (Fan Filter Unit) required for a cleanroom can be determined by comprehensive evaluation and calculation based on the air change rate method or air speed method. ISO14644-1 has corresponding recommended values for the air change rate and average air speed required for cleanroom of different cleanliness.


Air change rate method:
  Calculate the cleanroom volume: Measure the length, width and height of the cleanroom and calculate the total volume.
 
Determine the number of air changes: According to the cleanliness requirements of the cleanroom, refer to the recommended values in ISO14644-1 to determine the number of air changes per hour.
  
Calculate required air volume: Multiply the cleanroom volume by the number of air changes to get the total air volume required.
 
Select FFU model and calculate the quantity: Select the appropriate FFU model according to the FFU’s parameters and specifications, and divide the calculated total air volume mentioned above by the rated air volume of a single FFU to obtain the number of FFU required for the cleanroom.
 
Air speed method: Measure the cleanroom area. According to the air speed corresponding to the cleanroom level ( recommended value in ISO14644-1 ) and the FFU air supply speed, the FFU air supply area required for the cleanroom can be converted. Divide it by the area of a single FFU to get the number of FFU required for the cleanroom.


7.What is the air volume and applicable area of FFU?
  The air volume and applicable area of FFU depends on the specification and models of FFU. For example, the air volume of a conventional 2*4 model FFU is about 1000 CMH, different models of FFU correspond to different air volumes (for details, please refer to the specification sheet). The applicable area of FFU also varies according to the height and cleanliness of the cleanroom. The air volume required per unit area of the cleanroom needs to be calculated according to the level of the cleanroom and the air change rate method, so as to obtain the applicable area of different models of FFU.

 

8.How to choose the right FFU?
  When choosing a suitable FFU, the following aspects should be considered:
  Usage scenario: Choose the appropriate FFU according to the usage scenario. For example, the electronics industry requires anti-static and high-efficient FFU. Different scenarios may have different requirements for FFU enclosure and filter materials. Therefore, it is necessary to choose an FFU that meets the needs of the scenario.
 
Product performance: Choose FFU with stable performance, good air supply uniformity and high filtration efficiency.
 
Technical parameter requirements: According to the ventilation frequency or air speed requirements of the clean room, select the FFU whose air supply volume and air supply speed meet the use requirements.
  
Filter type and efficiency: Choose FFU equipped with HEPA or ULPA filters with corresponding filtration efficiency according to the cleanliness. The filter type must meet the requirements of usage (for example, some clean areas require PTFE filters for corrosion resistance or chemical gas diffusion, etc.).
  
Noise level: Choose FFU with low noise design to reduce interference to the working environment. Compare the noise level of different products and choose the low noise model that meets the requirements.
 
Energy efficiency: Choose FFU models with higher energy efficiency (such as DC FFU) to reduce operating costs and comply with the development trend of green environmental protection.
 
Maintenance and filter replacement: Understand the maintenance requirements of FFU and filter replacement cycle, and choose a design that is easy to maintain and replace to reduce maintenance costs and improve operating efficiency.
 
Supplier service and support : Choose a reliable supplier and find out about the after-sales service and support it provides, including technical support, repair, and spare parts supply .
  
  In summary, choosing a suitable FFU requires to consider the above factors to ensure that the FFU can meet specific usage requirements and operate stably for a long time.


9.What is the difference between AC motor and EC motor used in FFU?
  The main differences between AC motors and EC motors used in FFU are performance, energy efficiency, noise, cost, and control methods.
  
Performance and energy efficiency: EC motor have higher energy efficiency than the AC’s. In long-term operation, EC fans have lower energy consumption and lower operating costs than AC fans. EC fan have small starting torque, short starting time, fast transient response, can quickly change air volume response, and have high working efficiency.
 
Noise: EC motors have low vibration and noise, making them suitable for use in noise-sensitive environments.
 
Cost: EC motors have higher manufacturing costs and higher initial investment than AC motors.
 
Control: EC fans use electronic controllers to achieve precise control of parameters such as speed, air volume and pressure, and can adjust the power output voltage in real time according to load changes, achieving stepless speed regulation; while AC motors mostly use multi-speed adjustment and have higher noise levels, but their main advantages are simple control and low manufacturing costs.


10.What is the relationship between FFU and HEPA, ULPA filters?
  FFU fan filter unit is a purification terminal equipment, mainly composed of a box, a fan, an HEPA filter (HEPA) or an ULPA filter (ULPA). HEPA and ULPA filters are important components of FFU. They are installed at the bottom of FFU to filter and purify fine particles in the air. After filtering the air, it provides dust-free and sterile clean airflow for the clean area to meet the production process requirements.

FFU HEPA  ULPA Filter

FFU ULPA Filter


 11.What is the role of FFU in cleanroom of different cleanliness?
 The role of FFU in cleanrooms of different cleanliness is mainly to provide efficient air purification to ensure that the indoor air meets the required cleanliness standards. In high-cleanliness environments (such as the semiconductor industry), FFU provides stable ultra-clean airflow for clean areas through the configured HEPA/ULPA to ensure that product quality is not affected; in the pharmaceutical, medical and biological industries, FFU can create a dust-free and sterile working environment for areas with sterility requirements; in medium and low cleanliness environments (electronics factories, ordinary clean areas), FFU can provide effective air purification solutions for these areas through its flexible configuration characteristics to meet the high requirements of these places for air quality.


12.How does FFU improve the cleanliness of a specific area?
  In application scenarios where the cleanliness of a specific area needs to be improved, the FFU must first be reasonably designed and arranged to ensure that the airflow evenly covers the area where the cleanliness needs to be improved. According to different cleanliness requirements, the number and layout of FFU are adjusted accordingly. The air in a specific area passes through the FFU HEPA filter, which can effectively remove pollutants such as dust, particles, and bacteria in the air. The filtered clean airflow flows through the working area at the required air speed, which can quickly remove the pollution generated in the work area and avoid cross-contamination of airflow, so that the specific work area can meet the cleanliness requirements of the process.


13. Precautions for installation and debugging of FFU
  In order to ensure the safe and stable operation of FFU, the following matters should be noted during the installation and debugging of FFU:
  Preparations for installation: Before installing the FFU, environmental assessment work should be completed. Make sure that the installation location can withstand the weight of the FFU and the vibration generated during operation, and that the voltage is stable and meets the electrical requirements of the FFU; at the same time, prepare the tools and materials necessary for installing the FFU (such as installation frames, sealing strips, level rulers, screwdrivers, etc.).
 
Accurate installation positioning and good sealing: Mark the installation position of FFU according to the drawings. During the installation process, use a level ruler to adjust the level of FFU to ensure levelness and avoid shaking or tilting during operation; the gap between FFU and the ceiling or equipment should be sealed with a special sealing strip or sealant to prevent dust and pollutants from entering the cleanroom without passing through the HEPA filter and affecting the cleanliness.
 
Standardized wiring: Make sure the FFU wiring is firm and complies with electrical safety specifications. After wiring is completed, use a multimeter to perform electrical test to ensure there is no short circuit or leakage.
  Initial debugging and system linkage debugging: After the FFU is installed, the equipment should be initially debugged. Turn on the power, start the FFU, and observe its operating status. Check whether the fan speed is normal, whether the noise is within the acceptable range, and whether the filtering effect meets the requirements. If there is any abnormality, it is necessary to stop the machine immediately for inspection and troubleshooting; after the initial debugging is completed, system linkage debugging is also required. Check whether the linkage relationship between the FFU and other equipment (such as air conditioning units, humidification and dehumidification equipment, etc.) is smooth to ensure that the entire system can work together to achieve the expected cleanliness and temperature and humidity control effects.


14. FFU Maintenance Guidance
FFU maintenance mainly include the following aspects :
 
Regularly check and replace the filter: The filter of FFU (including pre-filter, HEPA filter, etc.) needs to be cleaned and/or replaced regularly to ensure its filtering effect. The filter cleaning and replacement cycle varies according to the environment. Generally, the primary filter should be cleaned once a month, and the HEPA filter should be replaced once a year (it can also be replaced when HEPA filter resistance reaches twice the primary resistance while testing the filter resistance ).
  
Electrical inspection: Regularly check the electrical circuits and terminals of the FFU to ensure that they are not loose, aged or damaged. If there are any abnormalities, they must be repaired or replaced in time to prevent electrical faults from affecting the normal operation of the FFU.
 
Performance test: Regularly perform tests on FFU, including air volume, static pressure, noise, etc. Through performance testing, users can promptly discover the performance degradation or potential failure of FFU, and take appropriate measures to deal with it.
Maintenance records: Establish maintenance records for FFU, and record in detail the time, content, results, and problems found for each maintenance. This helps track the operating status of the FFU and provides a reference for subsequent maintenance work.
 
Maintenance records: Establish maintenance records for FFU, and record in detail the time, content, results, and problems found for each maintenance. This helps track the operating status of the FFU and provides a reference for subsequent maintenance work.
  Through the above maintenance measures, the service life of FFU can be effectively extended, ensuring its purification effect and safe operation.


15.How does Airkey provide customized FFU services to customers?
  Airkey provides customized FFU services for customers in various industries. In addition to conventional standard FFU products, we have developed various customized FFU equipment to meet the different process requirements of customers. Common customized requirements include the following:
 
Customization on FFU size : Some customers need to install FFU on production equipment (such as injection molding machines, etc.) to improve the cleanliness of the local working environment. Due to the size limitations of production equipment, regular sizes FFU may not be able to be installed, and it needs to be customized.
 
Customized on FFU installation method: The location where the customer installs the FFU is limited by the size or space of the equipment. It cannot be installed on the top in the conventional way. It needs to be installed from the bottom or on the lateral and later maintenance, filter replacement and other operations need to be performed. Airkey provides a variety of customized FFU installation solutions such as bottom/lateral installation, hanging installation and embedded installation.
  
Customized wind speed and cleanliness requirements: Some customers require a higher level of cleanliness (such as ISO 4) and a higher air supply speed to ensure the quality of products in the working area. Airkey’s customized FFU will use the corresponding level of ULPA filters and customized fans with larger air volume and higher air speed (Airkey’s customized FFU fans can provide air at a maximum speed of 2.0m/s) to meet customer needs.
 
Customized airflow control: The characteristics of the customer's equipment work area may require the FFU outlet to have a specific direction or airflow pattern (such as horizontal laminar flow or vertical laminar flow, etc.) to ensure that the clean airflow can effectively cover the operating area and avoid product contamination.
 
Customized control system: Some customers want the control and speed control functions of FFU to be linked and integrated with production equipment, or to communicate with the customer's own central control system, so as to facilitate remote monitoring and convenient adjustment. Airkey's FFU intelligent control unit can realize these functions and expand functions according to customer needs.
 
Customized accessory functions: Some customers hope that FFU can be equipped with other functional components (for example, an activated carbon filter for deodorization, a heat exchanger for cooling and heating, etc.), and Airkey can provide these functional customization.

  In summary, Airkey provides customized solutions by focusing on the various needs and problems encountered by customers in the use of FFU. The steps of a complete customized solution are generally as follows:
  1.Understanding of customization requirements and on-site conditions: Through communication with customers and on-site surveys, understand which FFU functions customers need to customize, as well as on-site installation conditions and dimensions, and prepare for customized solutions;
  2.Customized design solutions: According to customer needs and site conditions, we design FFU that meet customer requirements, including: installation dimensions, filter type and efficiency, installation method, air flow speed, speed control mode, installation accessories, etc.
  3.Installation and debugging: After the FFU is customized and designed, it will be produced and tested in the Airkey’s factory. If it passes the test, it will be sent to the site for installation. After the on-site installation, the parameters will be debugged and tested again to ensure that the customized FFU meets the customer's expected functional requirements.
  4.After-sales maintenance: Airkey has a complete after-sales service policy for each product, providing various after-sales services and technical support to safeguard customers' healthy and clean environment and safe production.

FFU Group Control Function

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