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Types of Cleanroom Furniture Explained
Space is often at a premium in cleanrooms. As a result, the purchasing and positioning of cleanroom furniture often needs to be planned out meticulously to protect the working environment and ensure accurate project outcomes. The last thing you want is for your furniture to interrupt workflows or risk the introduction of contaminants into your environment. Another important consideration is comfort, especially when you consider the long periods that professionals can spend confined in a cleanroom environment.
In this article we'll take a look at the various types of cleanroom furniture available and the essential features you need to look for when making a buying decision.
Evaluating Flooring for Cleanrooms
Cleanroom floors demand the same kind of special attention required for other details of cleanroom design and construction. Among the criteria for cleanroom floors are:
Alternatives for Cleanroom Flooring
Concrete is an excellent construction material. Pourable and formable, concrete develops into a hard structural material capable of supporting heavy loads and is durable enough to last for many years. But concrete is porous and subject to wear and to attack from corrosive chemicals. Also, it tends to abrade and give off large amounts of dust, while spilled materials tend to seep into and through it. Even with additives to increase hardness and seal the surface, concrete cannot be exposed in cleanrooms. Still, it forms the base for almost all flooring materials that do provide the required characteristics. These materials must be compatible with the concrete substance and must adhere well for long-term durability.
Meeting the Needs of Cleanrooms
Preventing the growth of microorganisms is essential in most cleanrooms that deal with food, biologicals, or pharmaceuticals. The best way to combat contamination is by constructing floors without cracks and holes so microorganisms cannot hide and propagate.
The Need for Durability
While the cost of materials used in cleanroom construction is always a concern, the durability of those materials is far more of an issue because of the high cost of repairs once the cleanroom is in operation. For example, if the flooring cracks or loses its ability to contain spilled chemicals, it may be necessary to tear up the finish, repair the cracks, and install another floor.
Keeping on Track with Cleanroom Floors
To maintain the highest level of clean air, Class 1 and sub-Class 1 cleanrooms generally use vertical laminar air flow systems with perforated, raised access floors. Space between the raised floor and concrete-slab on grade is used as a return air duct and also as a service area for wiring, cable and piping. Perforated panels provide a way to achieve vertical laminar flow conditions while controlling ESD, air flow, particulate contamination and vibration. Floor panels vary according to the application and may include aluminum, fabricated steel, aluminum casting, woodcore, gypsum and cement.
