Termovent has worked in cooperation with Exyte Central Europe on a specific cleanroom project in Austria for Besi Austria, part of the global company Besi based in the Netherlands.
Besi is engaged in a special line of business, development, production and sale of semiconductor assembly equipment for the global microelectronics industry and leading multinational microchip manufacturers.
The project was about the implementation of cleanrooms and accompanying systems, with complete management and monitoring through BMS/EMS systems, in the existing facility in order to develop a new generation of machines in the microelectronics industry.
The scope of work included project documentation, production of cleanrooms and Air Handling Units (AHU), delivery and installation of system equipment (HVAC, Black Utility, Electrical, BMS/EMS), commissioning and validation of the system, which is fully designed and performed according to ISO 14644-1 standard.
The design of the system and the preparation of project documentation was performed according to Austrian standards, during the 2nd and 3rd quarters of 2020, primarily due to dedicated teamwork, not only of mechanical engineers, but also electrical engineers, architects, technologists and other colleagues who gave a special stamp to the whole story.
Project in numbers:
- Start of the project: 25/09/2020
- Project completion: 25/01/2021
Project encompasses:
- Installation of cleanrooms
- Installation of HVAC, Black Utility, Electrical and BMS/EMS systems
- Commissioning
- System validation
- Project documentation of the performed state,
- System management training (BMS/EMS, SCADA)
- Classes: ISO4, ISO5, ISO7
- Air handling units: FAHU, RAHU01, RAHU02, RAHU03
- Air flow: 69000 m3/h
- Surface area: cleanrooms: 235 sqm, Technical rooms: 135 sqm
In addition to achieving and maintaining comfort conditions in cleanrooms, to achieve the appropriate classes and pressures in cleanrooms, 4 air handling units are provided.
"I would like to point out that our air handling units, with modern Ziehl Abegg fans and integrated frequency regulators, meet the strictest requirements in terms of noise and vibration, which is shown by the fact that they are positioned a few meters from clean space, where the noise criterion of maximum 65 dB is met, at system operation at 85%," explained Predrag Nikolić, project manager.
Innovation
FAHU, with an air flow of 7000 m3/h, provides the necessary amount of fresh air for operators in cleanrooms and the maintenance of room pressure in joint work with the local exhaust achieved by duct fans.
RAHU01, RAHU02 and RAHU03 provide air recirculation from cleanrooms, with a total flow of 62000 m3/h. With this system with terminal ULPA/HEPA filtration, the Client received cleanrooms that meet even the strictest requirements in terms of ISO Class 4/ Class 5 and permitted particle concentration.
A water system with a temperature regime of 6/12 ̊C and an air-cooled chiller with 216 kW cooling capacity are provided for the supply of air handling units coolers. On the other hand, a water system with a temperature regime of 60/40 ̊C was chosen for the heaters, while the hot water source was provided by the Client.
What makes this project specific is the tight and limited space for installations. As a solution, a special "UFR gel ceiling", a product of the company Exyte Central Europe from Germany, has been implemented in ISO Class 4 cleanrooms.
The ceiling is a "large plenum" above the entire surface of a cleanroom from which air is directly distributed through ULPA filtration into a clean space without standard distribution elements. In this way, large channel installations above ISO4 rooms were avoided, and the required classes were achieved. The tightness of the UFR ceiling is ensured by a special gel that does not let air into the rooms even at maximum loads and air pressures in the ceiling, i.e. the plenum.
The client received cleanrooms with a fully controlled automated HVAC system that achieves and maintains air flow, pressure, temperature and humidity in cleanrooms, while the monitoring system allows monitoring of temperature, pressure, relative humidity in ISO Class 4, 5, and 7 cleanrooms which is extremely important for the microelectronic process that takes place inside the room.
Challenges
The biggest challenge before us was definitely the Covid-19 pandemic. It had an impact on the provision of work permits, the dynamics of performance during the "lockdown" in Austria, the delivery of equipment, etc...
With a systematic approach to the project, plan, organisation and technical support of all colleagues, we successfully completed the project on time, and the client received cleanrooms and supporting systems that meet the strictest requirements in terms of ISO standards, system management and monitoring of key parameters.
Termovent is recognisable in the world for the successful delivery of complete packages of cleanrooms and systems that comply with ISO 14644-1 and GMP standards. They provide the complete package, which includes everything from system design, software development, production of modular cleanrooms and air handling units to construction, BMS/EMS systems, validation documentation, is what sets us apart, along with the quality of the implemented systems, in the pharmaceutical and electronic industry around the world.
