Cleanrooms and HVAC Systems

Design Fundamentals
ENERGY in BUILDINGS – Northern Hellas
Thessaloniki, Greece May 5, 2018

Wei Sun, P.E.

ASHRAE Fellow
Distinguished Lecturer
“Clean Spaces” Technical Committee (TC9.11) Chair (07-10)
“Healthcare Facilities” Technical Committee (TC9.6) Member
“Laboratory Systems” Technical Committee (TC9.10) Member
Society CTTC Committee Chair (12-13)
IEST (Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology)
Society President (2016-2017)
ISO 14644 Cleanroom Standards
USA Delegate

Engsysco, Inc.
President

Engsysco
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Web: www.engsysco.com Email: [email protected]

 New Book:
ASHRAE Design Guide for Cleanrooms
 Outline
Basics about airborne particles, cleanliness
classifications and cleanrooms
Determination of cleanroom airflow quantity –
a) Traditional “table” method
b) New modeling method (to avoid air over-supply)
Renovation options to lower fan energy
consumption
Selection of proper air loop configurations to save
energy and enhance performance
New demand flow control methods – manual and
automatic approaches
Samples of renovation photos and ideas
Summary
 Cleanroom Design Considerations
(Applications and Controlled Parameters)

Semiconductor Aerospace Hospital

Microelectronic Automotive University Labs
Pharmaceutical Medical Devices Food Processing
Biotechnology Optical Devices Miscellaneous

Cleanroom - A special enclosed area, its environment

typically has the following controlled parameters:
Temperature Airflow Pattern
Humidity Room Pressure
Sound and Vibration Particle Contamination
Lighting (Airborne, Surface & Liquid-borne)
etc. Microbial Contamination
(Airborne, Surface & Liquid-borne)
Common Requirements Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)
Gaseous Contamination
Process Specifics
Special Requirements
 Cleanroom Standards in US
(Previous US Federal Standard and Current ISO Standards)
U.S. Federal
Airborne particulate cleanliness classes in cleanrooms and clean zones
Standard
(former US standard, canceled in November 2001)
209E

ISO
ISO-14644: Cleanrooms and Associated Controlled Environments
Document

ISO-14644-1 Classification of Air Cleanliness

ISO-14644-2 Cleanroom Testing for Compliance

Methods for Evaluating & Measuring Cleanrooms & Associated Controlled

ISO-14644-3
Environments

ISO-14644-4 Cleanroom Design & Construction

ISO-14644-5 Cleanroom Operations

ISO-14644-6 Terms, Definitions & Units

ISO-14644-7 Enhanced Clean Devices

ISO-14644-8 Molecular Contamination

ISO-14698-1 Biocontamination: Control General Principles

ISO-14698-2 Biocontamination: Evaluation & Interpretation of Data

Biocontamination: Methodology for Measuring Efficiency of Cleaning Inert

ISO-14698-3
Surfaces
 Air Cleanliness Classifications
(Current ISO-14644 Standard & Previous US FS-209 Standard)

0.1 µm 0.2 µm 0.3 µm 0.5 µm 1 µm 5.0 µm

ISO
FS 209
14644 FS 209 ISO 14644 FS 209 ISO 14644 FS 209 ISO 14644 FS 209 ISO 14644 FS 209 ISO 14644 FS 209 ISO 14644
Class
Class
Particles/ft3 Particles/m3 Particles/ft3 Particles/m3 Particles/ft3 Particles/m3 Particles/ft3 Particles/m3 Particles/ft3 Particles/m3 Particles/ft3 Particles/m3
1 10 2
2 100 24 10 4
1 3 35 1,000 7.5 237 3 102 1 35 8
10 4 350 10,000 75 2,370 30 1,020 10 352 83
100 5 100,000 750 23,700 300 10,200 100 3,520 832 29
1000 6 1,000,000 237,000 102,000 1,000 35,200 8,320 7 293
10,000 7 10,000 352,000 83,200 70 2,930
100,000 8 100,000 3,520,000 832,000 700 29,300
9 35,200,000 8,320,000 293,000
 These Two Standards Similar?
(Air Cleanliness Class Definitions )

Air Cleanliness Class Definition - FS 209

FS 209E ISO 14644
Air Cleanliness Class Definition - ISO 14644

100,000,000 100,000,000

10,000,000 10,000,000
ISO-9
FS-100,000

1,000,000 1,000,000
PARTICLES PER CUBIC METERS

PARTICLES PER CUBIC METERS

ISO-8
FS-10,000

100,000 FS-100
100,000 ISO-7
FS-1,000

10,000 FS-10 10,000

ISO-6
ISO-4

1,000 FS-1 1,000 ISO-5

ISO-3

100 100

ISO-2

10 10
ISO-1

1 1
0.01 0.1 1 10 0.01 0.1 1 10
PARTICLE SIZE, μm PARTICLE SIZE, μm
 These Two
Air Cleanliness Standards
Class Similar?
Definition Comparison
Between FS 209 and ISO 14644
(Comparison of FS-209E and ISO-14644 in Overlapping Chart)
100,000,000

10,000,000
ISO-9

FS-100,000

1,000,000
PARTICLES PER CUBIC METERS

FS-1,000
ISO-8

FS-10,000

100,000 FS-100
ISO-7
ISO-5

10,000 FS-10
ISO-6
ISO-4

1,000 FS-1

ISO-3

100
ISO-2

10
ISO-1

1
0.01 0.1 1 10
PARTICLE SIZE, μm

They are NOT identical, but roughly equivalent under certain classes
and particle sizes.
 ISO 14644 Classification
(Airborne Particle Sizes, Counts and Classifications)
Cleanroom Particle Counts Per ISO Classification

100,000,000

10,000,000

1,000,000

100,000
Particle Cou

10,000

1,000

100
nt / m

10

Class 9
3

Class 8
1

Class 7
Class 6
0.1

Class 5
µm 0.2
ss
Class 4
Pa µm 0.3
rtic la
sC
Class 3
le µm 0.5
s
Siz ne
Class 2

µm 1
e(
Ch anli
Class 1

µm 5.0 e
an C l
n µm
el)
 Airborne Particulates
(Airborne Particle Sizes, Counts and Classifications)

1. Particles larger than 100 microns can be seen with naked eyes.
2. Next step particles ranging from 0.01 to 100 microns are main
interest of contamination for years.
3. Atoms and molecules used to be considered too small as
industrial contamination, but not any more after introduction of the
concern of Airborne Molecular Contamination (Non-solid, in gas or
vapor phase).

0.01 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.5 1 5 10 100

Ultrafine Particles Particles Within ISO-14644 Defined Macro Particles

Cleanliness Classifications

Particle Size in µm
 Particle Sources & Control
Sources of Contamination Description Control Methods

Tighter exterior wall

construction, exterior
Infiltration through
zone pressurization,
doors, and cracks at
vestibules at main
windows, and walls
Outdoor air entrances, and seal
space penetrations.
Makeup air entering
External
through the air Multiple level filtrations
conditioning systems
Seal wall penetrations,
Infiltration through multiple level
Indoor transfer air doors, windows, and pressurizations &
between rooms wall penetrations for depressurizations to
pipes, ducts, etc. obtain proper airflow
directions
Largest source of
Garments, proper
internal particles: skin
People gowning procedures, air
scales, hair, textile
shower before entry
fibers
Work surface Rubbing one item Use cleanroom suitable
shedding against another or rated furniture
Process Spray, painting, Local filtration and
equipment welding, grinding exhaust
Equipment washing,
cleaning and
Internal Raw and semi-
During transport sterilization before
finished material
entry, use airlock &
pass-through
Liquids, During preparation,
pressurized gases processing and Local exhaust
used in process packaging
Chemicals used Use cleanroom suitable
Out-gassing to room
for cleaning or rated cleaners
Room Dust generated from Constructed with
construction wall, floor, ceiling, special building
materials door, fibrous insulation materials
 Room Airflow Patterns

Non-Unidirectional Mixed
(Conventional) Flow Flow

Unidirectional Mini-Environment
Flow Flow
 Cleanroom Floor Arrangements

Service Area

Ballroom Office and

Support One Big
Areas Cleanroom

Service Area

Service Area
Shared Return Air
R R R R R Chase (TYP)
Service Chase Office and
Support Multiple Small
Cleanrooms
Areas Cleanrooms
R R R R R

Service Area

Service Area
Mini-Cleanrooms
C C C C
Mini-Environment Office and
Support Cleanrooms Less-clean
Areas C C C C Cleanroom

Service Area
Typical Ceiling Filter Coverage

Class HEPA
Ceiling Filter
or
Coverage
US 209 ISO ULPA

9 5% - 15%
100,000 8 5% - 15%
10,000 7 15% - 20% HEPA
1,000 6 25% - 40%
100 5 35% - 70%
10 4 60% - 90%
1 3 60% - 100%
ULPA
2 80% - 100%
1 80% - 100%
Pressurized Plenum (Fan Tower) Arrangement

Scrubbed Exhaust Air Visitors Corridor

Silencer Waff le Slab Process Corridor

Fan Tow er Maint. Corridor Raised Floor Ceili ng + Filter Stair Case

Pressurized Plenum

Cleanroom

Return Air

Basement

Make-Up Air Cooling Coil Perforated Slab Process Exhaust Submai ns Gas Cabinets
Pump Chemical Supply Systems Process Supply Systems

ITRI
 Fan Filter Units (FFU) Arrangement

Scrubbed Exhaust Air

3.5m

2.2m

3.6m
Stair Case
Cleanroom
9.6m

4.8m
Ret urn Air

4.8m

0. 0m
Basement

Make-Up Air Gas Cabinets Process Suppl y Syst ems Submains Process Supply Submains Scrubber

ITRI
 Cleanroom Airflow Quantity
(Much Higher Flow Rate for Cleanrooms)

Cleanroom Spaces
̶ Mainly to Dilute and Remove Particles
15
Type of Facilities

General Purpose Spaces

̶ To Meet Heating & Cooling Loads

6 25 600
Air Change Per Hour (ACH)

During “unoccupied mode” in evenings and weekends, particle

generation inside cleanrooms typically is much lower, therefore
energy saving from airflow rate reduction could be significant.
 Airflow Quantity
(Dilution-Based Traditional Approaches: Table Method)

IEST RP-12.1 (Before 2013)

Classification Air Change

Per Hour (ACH)
ISO Class FS - 209 Class Range
8 100,000 5 – 48
7 10,000 6 0 – 90
6 1,000 150 – 240
5 100 240 – 480
4 10 300 – 540
3 1 360 – 540
2 360 – 600
1
 Airflow Quantity
(Problems of Traditional Approaches)

Intuitively, ACH value should be based on the

required cleanliness class and the activities
performed in the space. Activities that generate
higher level of particles would need higher ACH
than those that generate at lower level.
Cleanroom airflow rate should be ideally
provided “as needed” instead of “picking an
arbitrary rate from the table”, a better
approach should be similar as those of building
heating/cooling load calculations utilized today.
 Airflow Quantity
(New Method – Use Equations/Modeling to Estimate)

IEST RP-12.3 (2015)

Make-up AHU fan & filters EU

Equation to calculate average room

OA

CO
particle concentration: Recirculation fan

(1 - q ) × G
(1 - EUC ) × (1 - EH ) × m × CO +
CS = ACH SA

m + (EUC + EH - EUC × EH ) × (1 - m ) EA HEPA

Ce Cleanroom filter EH
particle

Airborne particle concentration CS Leakage air

concentration CS

(cleanliness class) is a function of Q

RA
Particle
Surface
deposition D
RA
generation G
multiple variables: CS CS

CO = Outdoor make-up air concentration (count/m3)

ACH = Air change per hour in cleanroom (1/hr)
G = Particle generation rate in room (count/m3/hr)
EUC= Combined filters' efficiency (in series) inside make-up AHU and recirculation
fan/AHU units (%)
EH = HEPA or ULPA filter efficiency in cleanroom (%)
θ = Percentage of generated particles deposited on exposed surfaces (%)
m = Ratio of outside air (OA) in supply air (SA)
 Variables’ Significances on Air Cleanliness
(Example: Case-Specific Analysis)

Effect of Room Particle Generation Rate G Effect of Final HEPA Filter Efficiency EH

Effect of AHU Combined Filters’ Efficiency EUC Effect of Outdoor Air Intake Concentration Co
Options to Lower Fan Energy Consumption
(Based on Modeling Technique)

Since many variables can affect the room air cleanliness, so more
options are available than using a high ACH rate (or velocity)
alone to ensure a specified cleanliness, sometimes, options below
may be more cost effective:

Select equipment, machinery, furniture and room construction

materials with lower particle generation level
Isolate and remove high-concentration particles generated in
cleanroom
Enhanced surface cleaning protocol to minimize surface particles
to become airborne particles
Design return and exhaust air systems effectively for particle exit
Maintain proper pressurization, depressurization could cause
particle gain through leakage
Load Characteristic and Air Loop Selections
(For Energy Conservation and Performance)

Cleanroom often requires higher airflow rate to dilute room

contaminated air in order to lower particle concentration, so its
“airflow rate over cooling load” ratio is typically higher, or
much higher than a normal ratio range for commercial spaces
(CFM/Ton=300-500, or L/s/Ton=150-250).
Mismatch design (higher airflow rate to a relative smaller cooling
load) could cause a cooling coil to have a sensible cooling only
without latent heat removal which may result poor humidity
control inside cleanrooms.
For ISO Class 6 or cleaner cleanrooms, the flow rate/cooling
ratio may be beyond the reach of a single AHU unit can handle to
avoid mismatch, multiple air-handing systems (loops) are often
utilized to ensure performance and save energy.
 HVAC Schematic and Diagram
(Primary Loop Alone Air-Handling System)

For ISO Class 7, 8, 9 (FS-209 Class 10,000, 100,000)

Typical Application:
CFM/Ton ratio: 300-500 (L/s/Ton ratio: 150-250)

AHU Unit

SA OA+RA OA

FILTER
C H
C C
Makeup
Air
Efficiency Ea
Co

Efficiency Eb

Space Impurity
Cs
Concentration
SA RA

HEPA
Space
Supply Return
Air Air Cs
Particle Generation
Q G EA

Leakage Deposition Exhaust

Air D Air
Cs Ce
 HVAC Schematic and Diagram
(Primary-Secondary Loops Air-Handling Systems)

For ISO Class 4, 5, 6, 7 (FS-209 Class 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000)

Typical Application:
CFM/Ton ratio: 800-5,000 (L/s/Ton ratio: 400-2,500)
Primary flow/Secondary flow ratio: 2-10

Primary Fan Unit Secondary Makeup Unit

SA OA+RA OA OA

FILTER

FILTER
C H
C C
Treated Makeup
Makeup Air
Efficiency Eb Efficiency Ea
Air Co
C1

Efficiency Ec

Space Impurity
Cs
Concentration
SA RA

HEPA
Space
Supply Return
Air Air Cs
Particle Generation
Q G EA

Leakage Deposition Exhaust

Air D Air
Cs Ce
 HVAC Schematic and Diagram
(Primary-Secondary-Tertiary Loops Air-Handling Systems)
For ISO Class 1, 2, 3, 4 (FS-209 Class 1, 10)
Typical Application:
CFM/Ton ratio: 2,500-25,000 (L/s/Ton ratio: 1,250-12,500)
Primary flow/Secondary flow ratio: 2-10
Secondary flow/Tertiary flow ratio: 2-5

Primary Fan Unit Secondary AHU Unit Tertiary Makeup Unit

SA OA+RA OA+RA2 OA OA

FILTER

FILTER
C H C H
C C C C
Treated Treated Makeup
Makeup Makeup Air
Efficiency Eb Efficiency Ea Efficiency Ea
Air Air Co
C1 C1

RA1 RA2
Efficiency Ec

Space Impurity
Cs
Concentration
SA RA
HEPA

Space
Supply Return
Air Air Cs
Particle Generation
Q G EA

Leakage Deposition Exhaust

Air D Air
Cs Ce
 Demand Flow Control
to Conserve Fan Energy

Staged Flow Control

ACH Rate

VFD Flow Control

Room Particle (or Microbial) Generation Rate G

The strategy is to adjust or modulate the supply air rates to

maintain the same or acceptable cleanliness based on
continuous particle (microbial) sensing during both occupied and
unoccupied modes, which are about 24% and 76% respectively
of total hours during a typical week.
Manual Airflow Adjustment
 Automatic Airflow Modulation
(Example: Continuous Particle and/or Microbial Sensors or
Multiplex sensing for Feedback Control)
 Automatic Airflow Modulation
(Example: Control Diagram, Real-time Sensing and Response)

Model-Referenced Adaptive Control

(MRAC) Block Diagram Control Diagram

Real-time Particle Sensing Model Estimated vs. Actual Response

 Process and Building Systems

Building Systems Cleanroom HVAC&R Cleanroom Process

City water & gas Make-up system Gas detection
services Recirculation system Static control
Cold/hot water Return air system RO and DI waters
distributions Temperature & Process chilled water
Gas distributions humidity controls Chemical gases and
Storm, sanitary & Room pressure storages
vent control Solvent drain and
Fire pump & Airlock collection
automatic Noise and vibration Solvent gas exhaust
sprinkler systems control Process vacuum
Emergency power Hydronic heating
generator Scrubbed exhaust
Comfort chilled water House vacuum
HVAC & Indoor
comfort Cooling tower water Acid drain and waste
Building Particle counting neutralization
management Clean dry air
Instrumentation air &
control
Typical Cleanroom Construction Materials

Classification FS Class FS Class FS Class FS Class FS Class FS Class

1 10 100 1,000 10,000 100,000
ISO Class ISO Class ISO Class ISO Class ISO Class ISO Class
1, 2 & 3 4 5 6 7 8&9
Wall System Aluminum Component Aluminum Component or Metal Stud

Wall Panel Honeycomb Aluminum Conductive Finish Aluminum Polystyrene Core or Vinyl or Epoxy
Epoxy Coated Steel Laminated Coated
over Drywall Drywall
Paint Epoxy Epoxy / Latex Latex

Ceiling Grid 2” Aluminum Gel Seal Ceiling System 1½” Steel Gasketed

Grid Support All thread with Strut & Turn buckles 12 ga wire to grid, 10 ga wire to filter @ Corner of
Grid Intersection Only
Floor Raised Floor with Perforated / Grated Access Concrete Covered with Epoxy
Solids or Sheet Vinyl
Air Return Floor Low Sidewall Low Sidewall
or Ceiling
 Cleanroom Renovation Photos (1)

Retrofits Before After

Changed from open
ballroom to multiple
narrower rooms to improve
airstream parallelism.
Used exhaust canopies to
remove high-concentration
particles generated from
process equipment. Room
ACH reduced from 385 to
280.

Changed from general-

purpose chemical lab to
ISO Class-3 Nano research
lab in various aspects:
Airflow rate, 100% HEPA
ceiling with FFUs, tear-
drop lighting, and raised
floor, etc.
 Cleanroom Renovation Photos (2)

Retrofits Before After

ISO-4 cleanroom (358 ACH)
converted to ISO-3
cleanroom (400 ACH) with
lighting-integrated ceiling
(yellow light area after
filtered spectrum).
Replaced “primary-alone”
AHU with “primary-
secondary” AHU systems,
reduced energy
consumption about 65%.

Retrofitted a 22-ft height

shop/storage area into a
high-bay ISO-3 cleanroom
for aerodynamic research.
The cleanroom (280 ACH)
has 2-ft wide return air
chases on both sides, and
3-ft raised floor.
 Selective Renovation and Design Ideas (1)

ISO-5 raised-floor large ballroom design Perforated concrete floor allows return air
to meet processing requirements down to sub-floor area below.

Sub-floor area (below cleanroom) houses large Critical process located in a mini-environment
process/utility equipment, ducts and piping. (ISO-5) which is in an ISO-7 large cleanroom
 Selective Renovation and Design Ideas (2)

Return air floor panels’ arrangement to Shared return air chase could house some
accommodate equipment footprints (ISO-7) process piping and small equipment.

Small pass-through on door allows small items Sliding doors have shorter cycle than swing
transport while minimize door operations. doors to reduce contamination from corridor.
 Selective Renovation and Design Ideas (3)

CFD analysis of “velocity vector” around a CFD to visualize particle migration from
moving door (second door of an airlock) gowning room to airlock and to cleanroom

Solar panels on roof to supplement Roof storm drains collected for

electricity usage irrigation of landscaping
 Summary and Conclusion
During Design Phase During Operation

Table method to determine the For most cleanroom facilities,

airflow quantity may lead to occupied time is about ¼ of total
significant over or under supply. hours of a typical week, significant
energy can be saved during
Use modeling method to establish unoccupied mode.
a mathematical relationship
between “air cleanliness” and Basic option: Monitor room particle
“controlling variables”, and then concentrations, and use time-
identify the prioritized options to based reset, or manually adjust
lower fan energy consumption. supply fan speed (flow rate) to
ensure room air cleanliness when
Select a proper air loop codes and regulations allow.
configuration (primary alone,
primary-secondary, or primary- Advanced option: Use continuous
secondary-tertiary), typically particle and/or microbial sensors
based on “supply flow rate vs. or multiplex sensing techniques as
cooling” ratio. feedback signals to control supply
fan speed automatically. Use
Use CFD to assist and optimize proper control algorithms and
designs. strategy.
Q&A