Air Shower in Pharmaceutical Industry

Contamination control is an essential requirement of pharmaceutical manufacturing processes for regulatory compliance and pure yields.

Entry of contaminants into the industry hinders the efficiency of ongoing pharmaceutical processes by mixing with the clean air and transferring particulates to it.

To overcome this issue pharmaceutical product manufacturers have come up with the idea of installing an Air Shower in Pharmaceutical Industry.

As a result, the entry of contaminants into the pharmaceutical area is controlled.

Anything that enters into the industry is passed through the air shower booth for removal of harmful particulate that may contaminate the industrial environment.

This article discusses Air Shower in Pharmaceutical Industry in detail. Read below to know how this shower works, its benefits, applications, maintenance, and much more. 

What is an Air Shower in Pharmaceutical Industry?

An Air Shower in Pharmaceutical Industry is a free-standing air circulation chamber present at the entrance of the pharmaceutical industry.

It reduces contamination of the industrial environment as workers pass through it and then enter the pharmaceutical industry.

An Air Shower in Pharmaceutical Industry has the same function as that of a pressure washer system used for car washing purposes.

It hinders cross-contamination between the contaminated outside environment and the clean inside environment. HEPA or ULPA filters are installed for efficient air filtration results.

The worker enters the chamber, both the entry and exit doors are closed, the high-pressure air stream is thrown on the worker, with the help of pre-adjusted nozzles, and particulates are removed.

It is perfect for industries having high pollutant control application demands like pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and semiconductor industries.

What are the Excellent Features of Air Shower in Pharmaceutical Industry?

High-velocity shower jets with 20 m/s speed for efficient scrubbing

Programmable operating modes

Disposable primary filter featuring 85% filtration

Indicator lights for regulating traffic flow

Direct drive centrifugal blowers with permanent lubrication

What are the Specifications of Air Shower in Pharmaceutical Industry?

Efficacy (capacity and power) and air filtration are important specifications to consider when choosing an Air Shower in Pharmaceutical Industry.

Capacity and Power:

Power and capacity play a vital role in deciding air shower efficacy. For deciding the cleaning power, the speed of air being pumped out of the nozzles also known as nozzle velocity is majorly involved.

To remove pollutants, high-velocity air is required; the greater is the cleaning force-velocity, the higher will be the contaminant removal at an instant.

At an instant, the air available for transportation through the system is called capacity.

Less time is taken by the recirculation system and the filter for removing harmful contaminants if the air volume is high.

The nozzle velocity increases when nozzles are moved farther, which also results in a decline in the cleaning efficiency.

The Air Shower in Pharmaceutical Industry works best when it features more than one nozzle installed very close to the product or worker.

To examine the high-pressure supply ducts, they should be removable and able to move into different positions as needed.

Air Filtration:

Most recirculating air filtration systems employ two sets of filters in their operation.

Before the main filter comes in, a pre-filter collects the vast majority of pollutants before they can be captured by the main one.

Secondly, there is a high-capacity HEPA filter with a 99.97% efficacy rating. The filtered air is ejected via the air shower nozzle.

Blowers for HVAC systems are commonly installed in the ceiling. Whether you don’t want the blowers inside your settings, see if they can be mounted on an external wall.

Pre-filters should be replaced regularly to make basic maintenance easier. The cost of replacement filters is low, and they may be swapped out quickly.

How Does An Air Shower in Pharmaceutical Industry Work?

When a worker enters through the Air Shower in Pharmaceutical Industry, the infrared sensor is activated and closes the hermetic door by activating interlock magnets.

Pre-adjusted nozzles release Class 100 filter air streams at high velocity on the worker.

Due to high streaming speed, a scrubbing action is produced by creating a flapping effect on the clothes of the worker. As result contaminants are removed from his garments.

This cycle runs for a specific time duration, after when the exit door is opened and indicator lights turn on.

A microprocessor controller is placed in it to adjust this cycle time.

What are the Components of An Air Shower in Pharmaceutical Industry?

Automated Floor Switch:

On activation of this switch present in the shower, pressured air is sent out of the adjustable nozzles at speeds between 30 m/s and 41 m/s, (6000 and 800 fpm) which provides the force needed to scrub away particulate matter efficiently.

Nozzles:

The lowest placement of the nozzle is 19″ from the floor, and they are all set regularly on the ceilings and walls for equal filtered air distribution.

Filter:

Using a closed-loop system, the Air Shower in Pharmaceutical Industry eliminates 99.97 percent of all particles sizing less than 0.3 microns by circulating unclean air downward via hollow walls and grills.

Interlocking Doors:

The use of interlocking doors keeps contaminants out, reducing the risk of contamination. To keep operators safe in the case of a power outage, they are automatically detached.

Fluorescent Lighting:

No matter the size or design you choose, ceiling-mounted fluorescent lighting gives complete visibility since it doesn’t get in the way of airflow.

Emergency Alarm:

Additionally, each Air Shower in Pharmaceutical Industry has an emergency alarm that activates an alert and unlocks the electric sliding door, allowing you to leave safely.

What are the Benefits of Air Shower in Pharmaceutical Industry?

Disposable Pre-Filter:

It saves you from paying heavy filter maintenance costs and is easy to replace.

Stainless Steel Air Nozzles:

These nozzles have corrosion-resistance properties and prevent corrosion problems. Corrosion disturbs the efficiency of the filtration process.

Energy Efficient:

It uses minimum energy and provides maximum efficiency.

Microprocessor Controller:

A microprocessor controller is great for heavy data processing in seconds.

High-Velocity Shower Jets:

These shower jets have better washing results and need less input.

Emergency Stop Buttons:

Emergency buttons help you immediately stop the Air Shower in Pharmaceutical Industry in case of unfortunate situations.

Air Showers and Tunnels offer an effective way to remove surface-deposited particles from personnel—before they get to the cleanroom.

Enter the Cleanroom — and Leave Your Particles Behind!

Each unit is a fully equipped, protected passageway that allows large numbers of personnel to pass into controlled areas without sacrificing convenience or cleanliness.

Air Shower Tunnel supply concentrated Class 100, clean air flows to lift off contamination while an individual stands in, or walks through, a specially constructed air chamber. Whenever an automatic floor switch inside the unit is activated, pressurized air streams from adjustable nozzles at a velocity between 6,000 and 8,000 feet per minute (30 m/s and 41 m/s), a force that ensures efficient scrubbing action necessary to remove particulate matter. (Air showers in units without floors are activated by motion sensors.)

Nozzles are arranged on walls and ceilings in a uniform pattern to ensure effective distribution of filtered air; the lowest nozzle is positioned 19" (483 mm) off the floor. The closed-loop circulation design directs contaminated air downward through grills and hollow walls of the Air Shower and back to the filter, which removes 99.97% of all particles as small as 0.3 microns.How to Clean the Surface of 304 Stainless Steel Air Shower Room

Interlocking doors prevent unnecessary contamination inflow and thereby prevent cross-contamination of the cleanroom and the Air Shower or Tunnel. They automatically release in the event of a power failure to ensure operator safety. Fluorescent lighting, built into the ceiling to allow unimpeded air circulation, ensures full visibility no matter what size or configuration you select. In addition, an emergency stop button on each Air Shower/Tunnel sounds an alarm and releases the door lock for exiting.