A controlled environment, also known as a critical environment, refers to any area that must have specific parameters controlled. Most often, these parameters are pressure, temperature, and segregation, although other factors come into play depending on the industry. Some examples of controlled environments include cleanrooms, isolation suites, biological safety cabinets, fume hoods, and laminar flow devices.
Because controlled environments have stringent requirements on what needs to be monitored and regulated, controlled environment testing is an industry of its own. Certifiers, safety professionals, facility engineers, industrial hygienists, and control personnel involved in the industry all need a unified standard for testing the efficiency of controlled environments.
This is where CETA comes in – the Controlled Environment Testing Association. CETA provides quality assurance to the controlled environment industries to create a higher standard for testing. If a controlled environment is not meeting its requirements, then all products or research that comes from it could be contaminated and inaccurate.
Controlled environments are used for things like medical research and testing, biological experiments, chemical research, nanotechnology, and more. For controlled environments to produce results, they need high-quality equipment and testing.
HEPA Filters for Controlled Environment Testing
HEPA filters are commonly used in controlled environments as they provide the filtration and pressure drops necessary to meet industry standards and requirements for these spaces. HEPA filters prevent specimens, products, patients, and research from being contaminated from outside sources and from contaminating the surrounding area.
HEPA filters remove a minimum of 99.97% of particles that pass through the filter at 0.3 microns. Particles of this size are the Most Penetrating Particle Size and are the most difficult to filter. HEPA filter medias include sub-micron, wet-laid glass and/or meltblown polypropylene electrostatically charged fibers arranged in non-woven format to capture fine particles.
APC Filtration provides HEPA filters for various types of controlled environments. Visit our recent projects to learn more about HEPA filters for controlled environments:
- HEPA Filters for Biological Safety Cabinets
- HEPA Filters for Laminar Flow Hoods
- HEPA Filters for Clean Benches
- HEPA Filters for Isolation Suites
APC at The CETA Annual Meeting
CETA, Controlled Environment Testing Association, hosts their Annual Meeting each spring to bring industry professionals together. APC Filtration will be attending the meeting this year from May 1-4 in Myrtle Beach! We’ll be at booth #28 so get in touch with us to schedule a meeting or drop by when you have a chance.
This year, there are a wide range of topics being discussed, including ASHRAE, new decontamination tech, updates in clean room design and monitoring, airflow visualization, and more. The CETA Annual Meeting is a great place to present new filtration technologies, learn about other tech available, and find solutions to changing issues and circumstances regarding controlled environments.
We’ll see you there!
