A Hardwall cleanroom is an enclosed zone where airborne particulates and pollutants are maintained at specific levels. The cleanroom is used to filter polluted air as per the requirements of certain industries such as pharmaceuticals, E-liquids, healthcare facilities, as well as science and technology.
The ISO 14644-1:2015 standard of Hardwall Modular Cleanrooms are classified into different categories, from class 1 to 9. The classification of each Cleanroom changes dependent on size and prevalence of the air particulates in the cleanroom. Cleanrooms that fall in Class 1 (which is the greatest in the classification) are tested for the smallest air pollutant size and lowest frequency while Class 9 cleanrooms are tested for a larger air particulate size range and higher frequency.
Particle counters are employed as the test method for classifying Hardwall Modular Cleanrooms. This method measures the size and quantity of particles using the Particles Per Cubic Metre (PPCMM) unit. The Particles Per Cubic Metre of an (ISO) 14644-1: 2015 Class 9 Modular Cleanroom corresponds to normal atmospheric air with contaminants >5 microns not allowed into the environment.
With Class 1 Cleanrooms, the removal of much smaller air contaminants of sizes >0.1 and >0.2 microns are accounted for, which makes the enclosed air space cleaner than other classes. The following is an example of this standard of testing.
