Particulates

Particulates, which are also known as particulate matter (PM), atmospheric particulate matter, atmospheric aerosol particles, or suspended particulate matter (SPM), are microscopic solid or liquid matter suspended in the atmosphere of the earth. Particulates are a complex mixture of organic and inorganic substances, present in the atmosphere as both liquids and solids. They are the sum of all solid and liquid particles suspended in air. Sources of particulate matter can be natural or anthropogenic.

Particulates are often considered as the most critical of all pollutants. They vary greatly in size, composition and origin. Particulates include both organic and inorganic particles such as, pollen, soot, smoke and liquid droplets. The aerodynamic properties of particles determine how they are transported in the air and how they can be removed from it.

At Total Clean Air, our team manufactures a technology that counts the number of particles in the air, and then calculates their results accordingly. Our remote and portable particle counters for air and gas are specifically designed for cleanroom environments.

Our range of particle counters extends to Liquid Particle Counting, which offers a wide range of instrumentation for monitoring particles in liquid. We measure the cleanliness levels of cleanroom and controlled environments for sensitivity and contamination analysis.

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How Particulates Are Formed

Particulate matter is emitted from a wide range of manmade sources, the most significant primary sources being road transport, non-combustion processes, industrial combustion plants and processes, commercial and residential combustion and public power generation. Natural sources are less important. These include volcanoes and dust storms.

Based on size, particulate matter is often divided into two main groups which are the coarse fraction and the fine fraction. The coarse fraction contains the larger particles with a size ranging from 2.5 to 10 µm (PM10 – PM2.5). They are produced by the mechanical break-up of larger solid particles.

The fine fraction contains the smaller ones with a size up to 2.5 µm (PM2.5). They are largely formed from gases. The particles in the fine fraction which are smaller than 0.1 µm are called ultrafine particles. These are formed by nucleation, which is the initial stage in which gas becomes a particle.

A further distinction that can be made is to classify particulates as either primary or secondary, according to their origin. Primary particulates are those emitted directly to the atmosphere while secondary particulates are those formed by reactions involving other pollutants.

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Particulates in Cleanrooms

Cleanrooms require extremely clean environments devoid of particulates, therefore, they employ a broad range of techniques to prevent air particles, microorganisms, and other contaminants from entering the workspace. Some of the instruments used are pneumatic filters and particle counters.

Primary and secondary pneumatic filters are instruments that contribute to maintaining the integrity of cleanroom environments by extracting contaminants from the compressed air stream but still allow air to pass through.

A particle counter is an instrument that detects and counts physical particles. There are two types of particle counters–aerosol particle counter and liquid particle counter. The term aerosol commonly refers to the particulates and air mixture, as opposed to the particulate matter alone. Air particle counters are used to classify and monitor cleanliness and to detect airborne viable particles in conformance with ISO 14644-1 while liquid particle counters are used to detect particles in liquid.

Modular Cleanroom Services

Particle counters and pneumatic filters are crucial for the cleanroom industry. At Total Clean Air, we offer an extensive range of counters and filters that will meet your needs in air monitoring. They are all ISO21501-4 and ISO16444 compatible.

We also offer a range of Aerosol Particle Counters for Particle Monitoring, with sensitivities from 0.1 µm and flow rates up to 100 litres per minute. From routine monitoring of cleanrooms for Airborne Particles according to ISO 14644-2 and troubleshooting activities to certification of HEPA Filters in cleanrooms and laminar flow benches per ISO 14644-1, we can help determine the best tool for our customer’s requirements.

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Total Clean Air for a Guaranteed Secure Environment for Your Critical Processes

At Total Clean Air, your contamination control requirements are our priority. Our services are ISO 14001, ISO 9001 and OHSAS 18001 accredited. Our Particle Measuring Systems technology provides comprehensive data and accurate results for all users and is manufactured to exceed or meet industry standards and requirements.

Your cleanroom is necessary for the protection of your critical processes and environments. We can help ensure this by providing pneumatic filter installation and maintenance that guarantee filter integrity and efficiency.

Our friendly, professional sales staff are ready to take your call and start your project with you.