ULPA Filter

ULPA Filter: An Ultimate FAQ Guide

The importance of the maintenance of a controlled environment cannot be denied. Therefore, a clean room and other controlled applications require a highly efficient filtration source for decontamination and cleanliness level maintenance.

With 99.999% efficiency, easy maintenance, and higher reliability, it brings you the best value for money and adds to the productivity of your application.

You can customize it according to the required size, structure, and material. The accessories add to the efficiency and convenience. It has many unique features that add to its value.

By knowing the features, components, working, and benefits of an ULPA Filter, you can make the best use of it. This article contains all the necessary information. Let’s start reading.

ULPA Filter Testing

What is an ULPA Filter?

An Ultra-Low Particulate Air filter, abbreviated as the ULPA Filter, is meant for the decontamination and cleanliness maintenance of sensitive areas that need high-quality air filtration.

It claims to remove 99.999% of contaminants like bacteria, mold, dust particles, lint, pollen, or other particles more significant than the size of 0.12 microns. The combination of an ULPA Filter and a carbon filter proves beneficial for removing any odorous substances.

The use of such an efficient filter is crucial for applications like hospitals, clean rooms, and research laboratories, where airborne contaminants can harm human health and affect the productivity of the process.

It is based on an innovative design and has a sturdy assembly for maximum coverage. There are specific features and models for various applications. The efficiency can be increased by using a prefilter and other accessories.

It is ideal for filtration of oil smoke, carbon dust, insecticide dust, chemical sprays, tobacco smoke, and some viruses.

Sunnyda Super Quality ULPA Filter

What are the Excellent Features of an ULPA Filter?

The significant features of an ULPA Filter are stated below:

• It has a strong structure that bears fire-retardant properties.
• There is multi-level quality assurance after running several tests to ensure the quality of the filter and productivity of your application.
• Best quality concrete fiberglass is used in its composition.
• The MERV rate is 20, which is considered excellent for specific applications.
• Polyalphaolefin PAO batch testing is done where a test gas having a mean distribution of 0.3 is allowed to pass an aerosol generator.
• The cleaning and maintenance are convenient and add to the efficiency and life of the filter.

ULPA Filter PAO Batch Testing

What are the Common Uses of an ULPA Filter?

An ULPA Filter is a requirement in applications dealing with pathogens and airborne particles, as in the case of a pathology laboratory, clean room environment, or a manufacturing unit.

It is ideal for filtration of oil smoke, carbon dust, insecticide dust, chemical sprays, tobacco smoke, and some viruses.

Ultrafiltration helps spread a pathogen, thus preventing it from infecting others through air. Some of the applications are written below:

• Pharmaceutical research and manufacturing
• Medical facilities, like hospitals, pharmacies, sterilization units
• Airline cabin purifiers
• Medical research laboratories
• Electronics manufacturing
• Biomedical air filtration and research
• Medical clean rooms
• Biological and chemical shelters
• Hospital clean rooms

ULPA Filter Applications

What is the Purpose of an ULPA Filter in your Clean Room?

The purpose is to avoid all kinds of contamination to secure the purity of all substances being used in a reaction. Decontamination helps in higher results and less wastage of time and money with the security of lives of people working in such environments.

Protection of Environment

It also helps protect the environment by filtering the air released from contaminated areas. If the unfiltered contaminated air enters the environment, it can lead to big-scale destruction in spreading diseases and causing pollution. It increases the risk of spreading respiratory and skin diseases caused by airborne particles.

Maintenance of Required Cleanliness Level

Some processes need to maintain a specific cleanliness level that can be achieved by installing a high-quality ULPA Filter. Its higher efficiency and easy maintenance serve the purpose within an affordable range.

What is the Quality Standard of an ULPA Filter?

The quality standards of an ULPA Filter that are most widely used and accepted are NSF/ANSI 49 and Europe Standard EN12469.

What are the Excellent Benefits of an ULPA Filter?

An ULPA Filter has many benefits, some of which are stated here:

• It offers a higher corrosion resistance as it is supposed to be used in areas with abundant chemicals and other damaging substances.
• The temperature tolerance and resistance are also high. It enables you to use it for various processes that require an optimum temperature.
• The heat dissipation rate is also higher to propagate specific reactions and maintain the facility’s temperature.
• Due to the heavy-duty construction material having a higher mechanical resistance to protect against any mechanical damage.

It comprises a multi-layered structure of the metal fiber media that helps in the following properties:

• The filtration efficiency is significantly increased.
• The dirt holding or contaminant holding capacity is much higher than a regular filter.
• The filter element has a sturdy construction that allows several hours of efficient working.
• The filter elements are made up of metallic fiber media. It has a convenient maintenance routine.
• It does not have to be taken down to be cleaned, as in the case of glass fibers that do not allow in-place cleaning.
• This is because a higher pressure resistance is required in this case.

Aluminum Frame ULPA Filter

What is the Difference Between a HEPA Filter and an ULPA Filter?

Both filters have many similarities, but they are different in many ways. Contaminants are removed from the air when passed from a layer of dense fibers that form a fine mesh filter. The same methods are used in both filters to remove particles from the air: diffusion, interception, and inertial impaction.

A large amount of small particles in the air is trapped and removed by ULPA Filter. It removes microparticles of diameter 0.12 microns with 99.999% effectiveness. It has a filter medium with increased density.

An ULPA Filter allows to reduce up to fifty percent airflow than the HEPA filter. It can last up to five to eight years with a high-efficiency rate.

On the other hand, the HEPA filter removes particles of a diameter of 0.3 microns with 99.97% effectiveness. Before coming in contact with the primary filter, pre-filters can be attached to them to trap larger particles. It can last up to ten years with a relatively lower efficiency rate.

It comes at a lower cost than ULPA and has a more extensive and elaborate application. As there is less investment, its maintenance and cleaning are also less complicated.

More stress is given to the efficiency rate by filter manufacturers. Selecting the right filter depends on your need for quality and quantity of filtration and the type of facility you want to provide.

Compact Design HEPA Filter

What is the MERV Rating of an ULPA Filter?

The MERV rating of an ULPA Filter is 20, which is higher than a HEPA filter.

It stands for minimum efficiency reporting value and pertains to the filter’s ability to trap larger particles in the size range of 0.3 to 10 microns.

MERV rating is used to determine the efficiency of a filter, and as ULPA has 20, it means that it is pretty efficient and precise in performance.

What are the Main Components of an ULPA Filter?

The main components of an ULPA Filter are listed here:

Filter Media

It is made of tightly packed and randomly arranged glass or ceramic fibers. It is a fibrous material. Filter media increases the filter’s surface area. ULPA Filters are incompatible with polyalphaolefin, so they are used in specialized applications and industries of semiconductors. They are made of expanded PTFE fluoropolymer (ePTFE).

Filter Frame

It holds filter media in place, promoting uniform air flow by providing a rigid frame. It also helps in attaching a gel seal or gasket to the surface. Filter frames can be made of stainless steel, plywood, galvanized steel, plastic, or aluminum.

Separators

They are used to maximize the effectiveness of filters by keeping the pleats apart. They can be made of aluminum. Mini pleat design is used most of the time. It allows the media to be more closely packed by using strips of filter media or adhesive to separate pleated filters.

Bond Material

It is used to bind a filter frame to filter media. It can be made of different adhesives like silicon, epoxy, and polyurethane.

Gel Seal

It is used to flow the air through the filter media rather than around it. They can be constructed in specific places or bonded by an adhesive. Either gaskets or gel seals can be used in filters. It depends upon the type of installation. Special channels are seen in gel seals.

ULPA Filter Strong Frame

What is the Working Mechanism of an ULPA Filter?

The working mechanism of an ULPA Filter is based on the following significant phenomenon:

Diffusion

It is the movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to a place of lower concentration along the concentration gradient. It not only applies to the small particles combined with the delicate fibers of the filter but also to the low velocities of the particles.

As the particles are tiny, the velocity is also low, and diffusion depends upon the particle’s density.

Interception

The particle size and fiber size ratio hold great importance in this phenomenon. The particles move in layers where one follows the particle’s path in front of it, thus flowing in a streamlined manner.

Inertial Impaction

It refers to the deviation of particles from their regular path due to the intertidal impact on the filter fibers. It mainly works on high-density particles which are larger and have high velocity. Their primary action is on the tiny fibers.

What is the Classification for an ULPA Filter?

Here are a few classifications for an ULPA Filter:

Eurovent 4/4 Standard

This standard divides the filters into five classes ranging from EU 10 to EU 14. This classification is done based on efficiency assessed through the sodium flame test. However, it has been now replaced and is no longer in use.

European Standard EN 1822

This standard deals with various tests and methods to calculate the efficiency of a filter. Also, it does not allow the comparison of the efficiency of different filters because the same tests are not used in each one.

What are the ULPA Filter Testing Principles?

Filter testing is an essential step in evaluating the perforated so that it can be improved. The effect of external factors is also studied during these tests.

Testing methods at the manufacturing place can be divided as follows:

• Most penetrating particle size leak test.
• Overall filter efficiency testing.
• Installation and maintenance testing of the filters.

According to EN 1822, the most penetrating particle size has to be determined for each filter. It is quite a concerning thing.

Following are the ways through which filters can be tested according to EN 1822:

The efficiency is tested to determine the particle size range at a standard filter medium. The efficiency of the filtration medium should be minimum to decide on the most penetrating particle size (MPPS) from the efficiency vs. particle size curve. MPPS should be 0.13m.

To avoid any leak filter element is tested at minimum rate flow. The aerosol size should be of the size that corresponds to the mean penetrating particle size. The overall efficiency of the filter is determined by using the aerosol size that was similar to MPPS.

An ULPA Filter should be tested according to EN 1822 each year. According to technical standards of clean room, these tests should be performed under specified conditions in a controlled environment.

The majority of filter owners have their standard of operations or manuals for proper maintenance of filters. According to FDA requirements, most filters are tested two times per year.

ISO Certified Plastic Frame ULPA Filter

How to Calculate the Efficiency of your ULPA Filter? 

The efficiency of an ULPA Filter must be considered before purchasing and, therefore, must be tested as a part of the factory testing protocol.

It determines the ability of the filter to perform filtration, and it can be measured by counting the particles downstream and upstream. The efficiency percentage can be calculated by obtaining the downstream and upstream counts ratio. Then it is substrates from 1 and later multiplied by 100 to get the percentage.

What are the Parameters that Affect the Working of an ULPA Filter?

The parameters that affect the performance of an ULPA Filter are as follows:

• Porosity
• Fiber Diameter
• Thickness
• Face Velocity
• Chemical Composition of the Gas
• Temperature
• The Particle Size Distribution of the Aerosol
• The Physical State

Thick Type ULPA Filter

How to Choose Between a HEPA Filter and an ULPA Filter?

To choose between a HEPA and an ULPA Filter, you must be well aware of both properties. The following factors must be kept in mind:

Application

As HEPA covers a wider range of applications than ULPA, which is more specific to sensitive applications dealing with high-end products, it is necessary to choose the right one.

Efficiency

ULPA gives higher efficiency than HEPA, but the efficiency requirement may vary from one application to another.

Cost

A ULPA Filter is more pricey than HEPA because it provides greater precision and needs a more intricate detailed structure. However, it removes fewer practicals from the air in the room’s exact size equipped with a HEPA filter. The coverage area is reduced.

Airflow

The filter media is very dense in ULPA, and therefore it allows lease airflow. Fewer air changes per hour occur in a room because  20-50% less air is passed by it.

What is the Significance of a Prefilter in an ULPA Filter?

A prefilter is a beneficial accessory because of the following reasons:

• It increases the filter’s life since it acts as a shield against external damaging agents.
• It filters the major bill of larger particles to less accumulation of particles on the primary filter.
• A prefilter is easy to remove and replace, and therefore it helps maintain the required cleanliness level.
• There is less chance of growth of microbes like bacteria, fungi, and viruses due to the prevention of accumulation of particles.
• It is more convenient to maintain and decreases the filter load on the primary filter.

Pre-Filter for ULPA Filter

How Does the Air Pressure Help in the Working of an ULPA Filter?

The pressure difference plays an essential role in the filter’s performance since it helps filtration action.

There is generally a relationship between the airflow, filter size, and pressure difference. Bernoulli’s principle plays an important role as well. According to this principle, when the velocity of particles is lower, the pressure is higher.

So to attract the particles towards the filter, there is a pressure gradient. The negative pressure allows more and more particles to pass through it. As these particles move at a higher velocity, the pressure decreases, thus producing a gradient that aids the further movement of particles.

Conclusion

By choosing the right ULPA Filter for your application, you cannot just add to the productivity but also protect the labor and the environment through efficient decontamination.

100% Quality Tested ULPA Filter