According to the American IEST-RP-CC001.3 guidelines, the HEPA filter has minimum typical efficiency of 99.99% at particle size of 0.3 microns.
Many biosafety cabinets are now featuring ULPA filters as opposed to HEPA, but what's the difference between the two. Well, ULPA stands for Ultra-Low Particulate Air filter, and they can remove even smaller particles than a standard HEPA can.
There are two primary types of air filters used in BSCs: HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters, and ULPA, (Ultra-Low Particulate Air) filters.
Understanding the similarities and differences between HEPA and ULPA aids in selecting the filter which offers the best combination of performance and
Annual Certification
Hassle-free operation.
The certification of a biosafety cabinet must be done annually to lessen the risk of unanticipated failure and prevent the user from any danger.
It is comprised of a series of tests which includes filter integrity testto verify continued efficiency of HEPA and ULPA filters.
The following tests are performed per the manufactur.
Can It Capture The Sars-Cov-2?
The SARS-CoV-2’s estimated size is around 0.12 μm, and there are doubts on the filter’s efficiency to capture the virus, especially with the HEPA filter.
There is a common misconception that HEPA filters only capture particles with the size of 0.3 μm or larger.
So here are some facts to prove the filter’s efficiency: Particles with a size of more t.
Decontamination
Ready and safe usage.Filter replacement, unit installation, and relocation require proper decontamination.
The following sterilants are used:
How to Maximize Guaranteed Protection of A Bsc Filter?
Proper and timely maintenance.
Services such as filter replacement, preventive maintenance, annual certification, and decontamination should be carried out regularly for optimal equipment performance.
Thus, maximizes user protection, especially when used in a COVID-19 laboratory.
How to reduce ULPA filter pressure?
Therefore, another way to compensate for the slightly higher pressure drop in ULPA filter is by using slightly higher motor HP rating and optimizing the blower impeller size.
By combining the latest DC-ECM motor with larger filter media and aerodynamic cabinet airflow path design, the cabinet energy consumption can be lowered.
Is ULPA filter better than HEPA filter?
Based on the efficiency difference above, ULPA filter offers 10x better filtration that translates to being 10x safer than HEPA filter.
At that efficiency, if the user releases 1 million spores of hazardous pathogens such as:
Tuberculosis only 1 would escape through ULPA filter compared to 10 from HEPA filter. Preventive Maintenance
Prevention is key.This service procedure prevents unexpected downtimes and failures through routine maintenance and early detection of problems.
The following are the procedures done when performing a preventive maintenance:
What Is Brownian Motion?
The Brownian Motion causes the particles to bounce around and collide with each other, making them move in a random pattern and eventually hit the filter fibers and become trapped.
That’s why smaller particles are easier to catch in both HEPA and ULPA filters.
According to a test conducted by NASA (2016), HEPA-rated media provides superior performa.
Which ULPA filters are used in airstream ac2-4e?
Airstream® Class II, Biosafety Cabinet, Model AC2-4E_.
Esco cabinets use ULPA filters (per IEST-RP-CC001.3) / H14 per EN 1822 instead of H13 HEPA filters used on many BSCs in the market.
HEPA filters only offer 99.99% typical efficiency at 0.3 micron, while ULPA filters provide 99.999% typical eficiency for particle sizes of 0.1 to 0.3 micron.
