Air Shower Classifications

Air showers are essential equipment in cleanroom, designed to remove contaminants from personnel & materials before they enter or exit sensitive areas. These systems come in various configurations depending on industry needs, standards, and application requirements. We’ll explore the air shower classifications  based on Design Style, Material, Door Types,  Functions.

1. Classification by Design Style

Different cleanrooms demand varied designs to accommodate workflow and space constraints.

Single-Person Air Shower
Designed for individual use, these air showers decontaminate personnel entering the cleanroom.
Applications: Ideal for laboratories&small cleanroom facilities with limited personnel traffic.

Multiple-Person Air Shower
These are larger air showers designed to accommodate several personnel simultaneously, speeding up the decontamination process in high-traffic areas.
Applications:Commonly used in pharmaceutical&electronics manufacturing facilities, where large teams regularly access cleanrooms.

Tunnel Air Showers
Tunnel air showers are continuous, elongated air showers that allow multiple users to pass through simultaneously or sequentially without waiting for a reset between cycles.
Applications: Suitable for high-volume facilities like semiconductor or automotive manufacturing, where there is a constant flow of personnel and materials requiring decontamination.

L-Shaped and U-Shaped Air Showers
These air showers are designed in a compact, angular format to fit tight spaces and offer flexible positioning options.
Applications: Frequently used in cleanrooms with space limitations, such as biotechnology labs&small-scale manufacturing environments.

2. Classification by Material

The material used in air shower construction is crucial for durability, cleanliness, and resistance to environmental conditions. The right material choice can enhance longevity and cleanliness, particularly in industries with specific hygiene or chemical requirements.

Stainless Steel (SUS201 or 304 or 316)
Stainless steel air showers are highly durable, resistant to corrosion, and easy to clean, making them ideal for environments that require frequent sanitation.
Applications: Commonly used in pharmaceutical, food processing, and biotechnology industries, where hygiene and cleanliness are paramount.

Cold-Rolled Steel with Powder Coating
Cold-rolled steel air showers with powder coating are cost-effective and moderately durable. The powder coating adds protection against corrosion but may not be as long-lasting as stainless steel.
-Applications: Suitable for electronics and general manufacturing industries, where the need for chemical resistance is lower.

PVC or Polypropylene
Air showers made from PVC or polypropylene are lightweight and chemically resistant, making them ideal for environments with corrosive chemicals.
Applications: Used in chemical processing plants and laboratories handling volatile substances.

3. Classification by Door Types

Air shower doors influence functionality, safety, and user experience. Different door types serve distinct needs, depending on traffic flow and cleanroom requirements.

Manual Swing Doors(single-swing or double-swing)
These are standard, manually operated doors that open and close via physical effort.
Advantages: Simple and cost-effective but prone to contamination from manual contact.
Applications: Used in low-traffic cleanrooms or where budget constraints exist.

Automatic Sliding Doors(single sliding or double sliding)
Sliding doors open and close automatically when triggered by motion sensors, offering a touch-free operation.
Advantages: These doors are ideal for high-traffic cleanrooms as they reduce contamination risks and improve workflow efficiency.
Applications: Commonly used in pharmaceutical and electronics manufacturing industries.

Interlocking Doors
These systems ensure that only one door can be open at a time, maintaining cleanroom air pressure and preventing cross-contamination.
Advantages: Enhances safety and cleanliness by reducing air exchange between environments.
Applications: Suitable for high-security cleanrooms, such as biosafety labs and semiconductor manufacturing facilities.

IC Card Access +fingerprint  Air Shower Doors

IC (Integrated Circuit) card access doors allow personnel to enter and exit air showers by swiping an authorized card. The card contains embedded information, which the system reads to grant or deny access.

Applications:Biotechnology and Medical Device Manufacturing,Pharmaceutical Research and Development,Defense and Aerospace

Explosion-Proof Doors
Designed for environments where explosive materials or volatile chemicals are handled, these doors feature reinforced materials and explosion-proof components.
Applications: Used in chemical processing, oil and gas, and highly sensitive manufacturing facilities.

 4. Classification by passing through

Air shower pass through requirement is an important consideration depending on personnel or  material needs to be processed.

Personnel Air Showers
These are compact air showers designed to accommodate a single person at a time.
Applications: Ideal for low-traffic environments or cleanrooms with limited space, such as research labs and small production facilities.

Material Transfer Air Showers for carts or trolley
Specifically designed to handle materials, carts, or equipment, these showers often feature wider chambers and are optimized for bulk decontamination.
Applications: Essential in electronics, automotive, and medical device manufacturing industries where machinery and tools need to be cleaned before entry.

 5. Classification by Function

Air showers can also be categorized based on their specific functions, whether they’re designed solely for basic decontamination or offer additional, customized features.

Explosion-Proof Air Showers
Designed for use in hazardous environments where volatile chemicals or gases are present, these air showers are reinforced to prevent sparks or explosions.
Applications: Common in chemical processing plants, oil refineries, and pharmaceutical facilities handling dangerous materials.

Hybrid Air Showers (Dual-Purpose)
These air showers combine personnel decontamination with material transfer, offering dual functionality in one system.
Applications: Useful in industries like semiconductor or pharmaceutical manufacturing, where both personnel and materials need to be decontaminated simultaneously.

Integrated Sole Cleaning Function
Some air showers are equipped with automatic sole cleaners, which clean the footwear of personnel as they enter or exit the cleanroom. This is important for environments where foot-borne contaminants are a concern.
Applications: Typically used in industries like food processing, pharmaceutical, and medical device manufacturing.

 Conclusion

Selecting the right air shower for your cleanroom is essential to maintaining cleanliness, operate efficiency, and compliance with industry standards. Whether you need personnel air shower,  or a material transfer air shower with added features like sole cleaning or explosion-proof function, Hope these classifications will help you choose the most suitable one for your specific needs.

If you’re planning to install or upgrade your cleanroom air shower system, or need advice on a custom solution, contact us freely  for tailored recommendations that fit your cleanroom operations.