Unveiled at the 3C show, at the NEC in Birmingham on April 28, the new closed-loop control system ensures that cleanrooms operate at optimum effectiveness while consuming the minimum of energy. Depending on the cleanroom installation, the systems can provide as much as a 50% reduction in energy costs, says the manufacturer.
The system uses an ECO-1 Control Panel to interface with a series of high-resolution particle and pressure sensors. It then uses the outputs from the sensors to vary the volume of filtered air delivered into the cleanroom to dilute the particulate concentration down to an acceptable level designated by ISO 14644-1 Cleanroom standards.
The system allows companies to identify areas where energy can be saved, reducing the carbon footprint and maximising cost savings. Managed reduction of fan speeds also brings the added benefit of longevity of relevant filters.
The closed loop process also provides a wealth of management information, that can help in analysing variances in production processes and demonstrate historical conformity.
The New BS EN 16001:2009 standard on management systems, soon to be introduced, will increase the requirement for companies to monitor energy use more closely. “This system will help ensure companies use only the energy required to maintain the desired ISO Cleanroom Class rather than over-specifying the air flow requirements,” said Joe Govier, managing director, Connect 2 Cleanrooms.
The system is designed to be fitted to softwall and hardwall modular cleanrooms supplied by the company but can also be retrofitted.
