Containment
Where our pressure transmitters are used: Differential pressure transmitters for overpressure control in hygienic rooms.
In many production areas, the effective protection of products from external influences is crucial. In addition to preventing contamination from foreign particles (cross-contamination), processes must also be protected from high temperatures and excessive humidity. This is where modern barrier technologies come in, which guarantee far more than just ‘clean air’.
Modern barrier systems not only offer product protection, but also contribute to the protection of people and the environment. These multifunctional solutions are indispensable for the requirements of today's technologies and products.
Containment solutions play a key role in increasing efficiency and minimising energy requirements. With the room-in-room approach, different zones can be realised within one another. This allows rooms with the highest requirements to be reduced to a necessary minimum, resulting in effective utilisation of resources.
Overpressure control in mini-environments and hygiene rooms
Modern pressure transmitters - a must in the pharmaceutical industry
Hygiene is an important factor in the production and packaging of active ingredients in the pharmaceutical industry in order to guarantee the purity and effectiveness of the medication. Production therefore takes place in clearly demarcated hygienic areas in which a stable overpressure prevents the ingress of particles from neighbouring areas. This is where differential pressure transmitters are used for overpressure control in hygienic rooms.
Whether packaging tablets or powders in blister packs, glass or plastic containers or filling serum into ampoules, syringes or glass containers, strict cleanliness requirements must be met at all times. This is essential to ensure the quality of the products.
By using mini-environments, also known as containment solutions, the risk areas in the production environment can be significantly reduced, especially in the case of highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredients (HPAPIs). This not only reduces the amount of cleaning required, but also lowers the requirements for personal protective equipment (PPE). This significantly improves ergonomics for employees.
Laminar Flow
Laminar flow - a laminar movement of the air - is used to remove unavoidable particles from the environment in a controlled manner. If the air moves laminarly, turbulence is avoided and airborne particles are removed in a predictable manner. Air behaves laminar when the speed of movement is kept low. The GMP guideline provides an indication of this, with speeds of 0.25 - 0.65 m/s being described.
If this value is exceeded, the air tends to create turbulence on objects.
Connecting processes
In order to ensure this over the entire process, systems from the various stages of the process must be connected in a meaningful way.
In continuous processes, this can be achieved by realising zero pressure zones. In this state, all parts of the system have the same pressure level regardless of their own air supply. An overflow of air and thus the exchange of impurities is efficiently prevented.
Integration of mini-environments in a cleanroom
Several individual work areas can be created within one room. This minimises areas with the highest hygiene requirements. These areas work independently with their own air supply. This means that the total air consumption of the room also varies. To ensure the integrity of the respective protected space, it is necessary to maintain an overview of all pressurised zones. Differential pressure measurement technology provides the necessary information for monitoring systems to regulate ventilation.
Safety cabinet classes
Similar to cleanrooms, safety cabinets are also available in different classes depending on their specific properties. An important basis for this classification is the DIN EN 12469 standard, which defines performance criteria for microbiological safety cabinets.
This standard specifies the requirements that safety cabinets must fulfil in order to ensure the protection of users, products and the environment. It covers aspects such as airflow, filter performance and the handling of materials to create a safe working environment in biotechnological applications.
Class 1
In this area, effective protection for people or products is realised through pressure regulation. By specifically arranging the ratio of positive to negative pressure, the air is either channelled away from the product or discharged from the plant.
Product protection: If the air is carried away from the product, the ingress of contamination is effectively prevented. This is particularly important in sensitive production environments where product cleanliness is critical.
Personal protection: Alternatively, the air can be channelled away from the factory, preventing substances from escaping. This not only protects the products, but also the employees from possible pollutants or hazardous substances.
Class 2
In this concept, three pressurised zones are set up to ensure both product protection and employee protection. An overpressure is generated both in the area of the product and at the worker compared to a sink. This sink absorbs both process materials and particles from the worker, which supports the safety and cleanliness of the production environment. Both circulating systems and pure exhaust air systems can be realised, depending on the specific requirements of the environment and the process.
Class 3
The highest level of safety cabinets offers increased protection for both products and personnel. These systems are tightly sealed and not only prevent direct contact with hazardous substances, but also ensure a controlled exchange of air in the various zones. Interventions in the process take place via defined interfaces, such as integrated gloves. This design is often referred to as a glove box.
Another level of these safety systems is the isolator. The main difference to RABS (Restricted Access Barrier Systems) lies in the type of decontamination. With an isolator, decontamination is possible in a closed state, which means that the protected area can only be reached once all parts have been cleaned. This makes these systems particularly suitable for areas that are only accessible via glove systems or where work can be carried out with a high degree of automation.
In all systems, the basic principle is based on different pressure zones. The integrity of the room and safe operation with the greatest possible energy-saving potential are ensured with modern differential pressure sensors.
Solutions for monitoring pressure zones
Standard transmitter
for basic applications
With our economical PS 17 and PS 27 series differential pressure sensors, the condition and degree of contamination of filter systems, for example, can be monitored in real time by monitoring the pressure drop. This allows the filter to be changed at the right time, saving resources, avoiding downtime and ensuring production quality.
Advantages
- Compact transducer with linear characteristic curves and optional display
- Measuring accuracy between 1 % and 3 % FS depending on version
- Individual, also asymmetrical measuring ranges up to ± 50 Pa
High-end transmitter
for demanding applictaions
The precise differential pressure transmitters in the P 26 and P 34 series fulfil the highest demands for measuring accuracy and stability, even in small pressure ranges. This means that pressure cascades in clean rooms or clean production zones, for example, can be continuously monitored - for consistently high production quality and reliable personal protection. Thanks to the inductive measuring principle, excellent long-term stability and optimum temperature behaviour are guaranteed. Even the smallest pressure deviations are recognised immediately. In combination with differential pressure transducers, the pressure transmitters can also be used for volume flow measurement.
Advantages
- High-precision transducers for the smallest measuring ranges of ± 10 Pa
- Measuring accuracy of 0.2 % or 0.5 % FS depending on version
- High overload safety due to built-in valve
- Integrated cyclical zero point correction for maximum long-term stability
- Extensive modular system of variants
