Downflow tables capture and filter harmful pollutants so that clean air can be returned to workstations and laboratories in accordance with clean air rules and regulations. This advanced filtration system reduces costly cooling or heating costs when compared to the usual methods of exhausting contaminants outside the workplace.
Total Clean Air helps companies comply with complex regulatory codes relating to indoor air quality.
Our dedicated specialist team will help you to identify any legal and regulatory problems that may be present in your systems so that your business complies with all necessary codes.
What is Downflow Tables Testing and Validation?
A downflow table pulls pollutants, smoke, and gases past the worktop and away from the user. The chemicals are removed and processed by a HEPA filter.
A HEPA filter removes particles by means of a highly effective carbon filter, which is also effective against toxic vapours and fumes.
Checking and validating these tables will help you comply with COSHH regulations and the health and safety laws.
Total Clean Benefits
- All Work Is Guaranteed
- Full Manufacturer Warranty
- ISO Accredited Validation
- Operational Qualification
- Performance Qualification
- References Available
Also Called Downdraft Tables
Downflow tables, also called downdraft tables remove contaminants from the worker’s breathing and vision zones, increase the quality of work and decrease hazards in the air quality, protecting workers in immediate and surrounding areas.
It is particularly suitable for areas in which welding, soldering, sanding grinding and other finishing processes take place.
Air Change Rates
An air change is how often air enters and exits a space within one hour via the HVAC machine or, how often within sixty minutes a room will fill with the air from the supply registers.
Because of automatic and passive ventilation and penetration through the building exterior, air is constantly transferred between buildings and their surroundings. The rate at which air is transferred is a significant property for measuring ventilation design and heat loss, which is expressed in air changes every hour (also referred to as ACH).
Complete rate, flow style, and exchange efficiency play vital roles in the performance and cost of cleanrooms. The efficiency essentially decides the return on investment in a cleanroom project.
In buildings, specific air change rates are required to regulate internal temperatures and to introduce clean, oxygen-rich air and take away stale, moist air. The requirements will vary depending on a number of factors including space type, occupancy and use level, and the building’s geographic location.
In the United Kingdom, several laws have been published setting suitable standards for air change rates in various types of constructions.
Air Velocities
This defines the airspeed that passes through space, which then serves to cool the workers if the air is too warm. For example, indoor air velocities often influence people’s thermal comfort inside spaces.
Overly large extraction units and ventilation systems in a laboratory as well as inaccurate airflow planning can be harmful.
In addition, for successful protection at work, and because businesses are still concerned with cost-efficiency, it is crucial that the ventilation system is accurately measured, planned and routinely testes for efficiency.
Total Clean Air can provide a comprehensive range of services for airflow testing and visualisation.
Stagnant or still air in artificially heated indoor environments can cause people to inhale and feel stuffy air. It can also contribute to an unpleasant smell in the building.
Air movement is also increased by physical activity, so air velocity can be adjusted to account for an occupant’s physical activity level.
Small air movements can be felt as a draught in cool or cold environments since people are especially sensitive to these movements in the air.
Pressure Differentials
Pressure differential is simply the deviation of measured pressure in different pressure systems between two points. Pressure differential is arguably the key parameter besides temperature and relative humidity which, when combined, ensures the proper operation and efficiency of a cleanroom.
It is the responsibility of the HVAC system to create that increased pressure.
This difference in pressure is important, as it helps avoid cross-contamination as airborne contaminants can contaminate other items.
Considering that pressure at different points is essential for safety in operations, industries make use of a pressure differential gauge in their process systems. The gauge serves as the visual indicator of the pressure differential and is specifically designed to show the pressure differential between the points of pressure within a process system.
Accurate measurement of pressure differential helps in several processes such as measurement of flow and liquid level, filter monitoring, and detection of clogs.
A high-pressure differential, for example, can mean blockage in the filter.
HEPA Filter Integrity Leak Testing
Filtering air in sterile process areas is critical to keep the production environment clean.
Using a photometer to check the filter surface for pinhole leakage that could allow the transmission of contaminant particles that would be inappropriate in a sensitive application, a filter integrity leak test is usually conducted on cleanrooms’ supply air HEPA filters.
The most popular on-site test method for HEPA integrity is known as the DOP Test, as defined in BS EN 14175.
HEPA filter manufacturers for cleanrooms and regulated environments constantly check their products for efficacy in particle removal. Similarly, after the device is installed on the manufacturing site of the customer, the check will be carried out immediately to validate the filter’s integrity and the installation as well.
As part of your cleanroom certification we provide a range of professional on-site testing services including HEAP filter integrity testing according to ISO 14644-1 Cleanroom Standards.
Carbon Filter Saturation / Adsorption Testing
Carbon filtration is a filtering method that uses activated carbon to remove impurities from a fluid by adsorption. Carbon filtering is generally used in the process of water purification, air filtering, and industrial gas processing, such as separating biogas from siloxanes and hydrogen sulphide. It is also used in a variety of other applications including respirator masks, sugarcane purification and precious metal recovery, especially gold.
Adsorption is a process which uses a solid to extract a soluble material from the water. In this process the solid is active carbon. Specifically, activated carbon is produced to achieve a large internal surface. This large internal surface makes for ideal adsorption of active carbon.
Two variations of active carbon are common: Powder Activated Carbon (PAC) and Granular Activated Carbon (GAC).
To ensure process efficiency and performance, you need regular and recorded testing.
This is especially important where critical work is carried out, such as in a cleanroom environment, laboratory, or healthcare facility.
Total Clean Air can provide regular testing in carbon filter and adsorption facilities. All our testing and recording processes meet the highest standards obtainable in your industry.
To get more information, please call 01737924700 to speak to someone today.
Particle Counts (this is also known as ‘Airborne Particle Counts’ or ‘Non-Viable Particle Counts’)
Airborne particle counts are systems of air sampling, used to evaluate whether a cleanroom meets the necessary particle concentration limits under its class criteria.
These can be collected with a particle counter which may form part of a validity test for cleanrooms.
The need to consider the air quality of data centres, cleanrooms and managed facilities is crucial, with the focus on clean air in the workforce and on employee safety.
The best-run facilities monitor the level of contamination at the facility by measuring the amount of airborne particulate matter. This information is then used to drive policies and procedures that help the facility maintain its cleanliness.
Total Clean Air can provide particulate counts to help you set up and maintain a monitoring programme.
We offer air sampling systems that use state-of-the-art research protocols as well as provide testing for the biologically volatile organic compounds, mould and fungus spores, viable microbial particles, CO, CO2, ozone and other tests. The results of these assessments should be compared with suggested recommendations and the results presented in a report that lists all variances.
Magnehelic Gauge Calibration
Calibration of equipment is more important than ever, due to increased quality requirements from regulatory bodies, customers, and internal quality assurance guidelines.
Magnehelic gauges have a vital role to play in laboratory and cleanroom safety and integrity. These types of gauges are commonly used to measure the pressure differentials across applications such as differential room pressure, blower pressure, air velocity and HVAC systems.
It is of paramount importance to ensure accurate monitoring and control of clean room facilities as unseen excursions can seriously affect the safety of the employees and the integrity of the clean rooms.
The purpose of calibration is to ensure a measuring device’s output is accurate. Calibration is reassurance that your pressure gauge, temperature display, chart recorder, or any other critical equipment that you rely on daily is accurate.
Total Clean Air provides Magnehelic gauge calibration on-site for companies involved in biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical processes.
We calibrate all Magnehelic gauge makes and models, from Terra Universal, Dwyer and others.
We can test the Magnehelic gauge either locally at your facility or in our calibration laboratory. Our technicians have experience with a wide range of Magnehelic gauges and can provide the high-quality service you require.
Our ultimate goal is to leave you with the peace of mind that your equipment will safely and accurately perform its role.
Airflow Visualisation (Smoke Visualisation)
Airflow visualisation is used to observe airflow patterns which can directly affect a product’s sterility.
The results of these studies can be used to develop or expand the filling protocols to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
They can also be used as a personnel training tool and as documentation for review by regulatory agencies.
For satisfactory operations in a critical cleanroom environment, a large amount of filtered air is required to remove or dilute contaminants. Airflow visualisation can aid in understanding how air flows in a cleanroom and how it may impact on any potential pollution.
We at Total Clean Air are experts in critical ventilation systems and the checks and repairs they require.
In carrying out airflow visualisation in a wide variety of settings, our specialist technicians have the skills and knowledge to confirm correct airflow and expose problems that need to be corrected.
By providing a complete end-to-end service for the maintenance, testing and verification of your specialist ventilation system, the Total Clean Air team can perform airflow visualisations for your facility to confirm design and performance specifications, help find faults in areas where compromise have been detected and observe the effect of operator interference.
We will digitally record airflow patterns and include an information board with a unique test ID, after dispersing pharmaceutical-grade smoke through custom-made sparge pipes located in suitable positions around your cleanroom.
A black background is applied to walls and floors where necessary to maximise the visibility of the smoke.
During the testing, video footage can be taken and included in your test protocol, and a full test report may be issued including certification, qualitative evaluation and recommendations.
These records are objective evidence used to demonstrate to internal auditors and external regulators the facility’s ability to maintain the proper manufacturing environment.
According to the ISO 14644-3 Annex B7, airflows should be visually verified every 24 months in classified environments of any ISO class.
Used in: Forensics, Mortuaries, Post-mortem Tables, Dissection Tables, Ninhydrin Tables
Downflow Tables are designed to provide protection for the operator while allowing full, easy and open access to the work area. Harmful vapours and fumes are drawn down to the filters of the units. Clean air is then recirculated back to the laboratory.
Forensics – makes effective use of powders and/or chemicals to process evidence. A downflow table is a high-efficiency containment device that protects the worker and the atmosphere from dangerous vapours or powders produced by downflow air movement on the stainless-steel work surface.
Mortuary – frequently needed for body-part dissection on an autopsy table, or standalone benches. Such benches are either island or wall-type structures of different sizes and are used in various fields such as in pathology laboratories. They may have filtering devices designed to eliminate contaminants and toxic particles and germs.
Post-Mortem and Dissection Tables – All post-mortem and dissection tables are made of S316 grade 2mm/1.5mm super-satin stainless steel of the highest quality. They are designed to meet the needs of downflow, ventilated room and non-manual handling systems (tray transfer), and follow the guidelines set out in the HBN20 ‘Mortuary and Post Mortem Room Services’ facilities of the UK National Health Service. For example, the total amount of air needed must be balanced between the demands of specific facilities and the changes in post-mortem room air, as set out under HBN20.
Ninhydrin – Ninhydrin is a most widely used compound for revealing, tracing, and identifying fingerprints. The Document Examination Bench (DEB) is a stand-alone bench designed to provide user protection against ninhydrin and powders that are frequently used in the tracing and identification of latent fingerprints.
While putting in place preventive and precautionary measures is the first step, an equally vital step is regular testing to ensure that everything in your critical facility works as well as it should, and this is where Total Clean Air comes in.
Call us today on 01737924700 to plan for your next downflow tables testing and validation.
