Equipped with HEPA, shown here, a ProTeam vacuum exceeded the HEPA standard by capturing 99.99 percent of soil at .3 micron in lab tests performed by Inter Basic Resources, Inc. (IBR) a world leader in particle counting and filter testing services.
BOISE, ID — HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters provide a filtering of 99.97 percent of all particles .3 microns or larger.
ULPA (Ultra High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters are rated to remove 99.999 percent of all particles .12 microns or larger.
That's only true, of course, if the HEPA or ULPA filter is sized and sealed properly.
The greater a vacuum's airflow and suction, the more filter media will be needed to provide this ultra-high level of filtration.
HEPA and ULPA filters are generally described in square inches of filtration media (though this total square area is achieved through layering and interlocking of filter material that fits in a relatively tiny package).
The more square inches of filter surface, the better the relative filtration.
One expert source said, "Basically the ULPA media manufacturers are saying that in order for an ULPA filter to have filtration efficiency of 99.999 percent, the ULPA filter's size must be proportional to the amount of air that passes through it."
This would argue against a casual approach to buying HEPA or ULPA-filtered vacuums for critical applications such as clean rooms.
According to Larry Shideler, president of ProTeam, Inc., Boise, ID, "When purchasing a vacuum for clean room use, or to truly contain and remove minute dust particles, a buyer needs to do his homework.
There are variations of HEPA and ULPA filters which have less than adequate media. Both HEPAs and ULPAs should be tested and certified for specific particle size and airflow."
ProTeam, in association with the training/consulting firm Concepts IV, is sponsoring seminars in Team Cleaning® at CM Expo® 2003 in various locations around the country. Click here for more information.
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