Testing Fan Filter Units

Monroe A. Britt
Manager, Research & Technology
Clarcor Air Filtration Products
Louisville, KY
502 969 2304 x1260 -- mbritt@clcair.com

Testing Fan Filter Units

Objectives
To develop procedure for testing Fan Filter

Units that will be recognized and used by

manufacturers, consultants, contractors, and
end-users
IEST has formed tentative Working Group to
prepare Recommended Practice for publication
First Meeting Held November 4, 2003, Approx
15 Attendees
Next Meeting April at ESTECH Las Vegas

Approach to Test Procedure

Develop procedures that can be readily
conducted in manufacturers facility or after
installation of units in cleanrooms
Instrumentation should be apparatus commonly
used is the cleanroom industry
Standardized Reporting Form
Conduct blind Round Robin test program
between various manufacturers and test labs to
verify uniformity of test results

Testing Fan Filter Units

Physical Size -- Up to 4 Ft. x 4 Ft. Units
Test Parameters
Air Flow CFM
Power (watts, amps, PF, volts)
Available External Static Pressure
Sound (pressure and power levels)
Filter Air Velocity Uniformity - FPM
Vibration

Air Flow - CFM

Efficiency of Media -- HEPA Media, ULPA Media, ePTFE
Media Pack -- Depth of Pack & Pleat Spacing
Pre-Filters
Various Efficiency Levels of Particulate Filters
Gas Phase Filters
Room/Enclosure Pressurization and Exit Losses
Inlet Duct Connections & Duct Work
Height of Plenum above FFU Air Inlet
Current -- 50 or 60 Hertz
Acoustical Packages
Other Variables

Air Flow - CFM

Required Air Flow
Expressed as Velocity -- FPM
Expressed as Volume -- CFM

CFM = Area x FPM

Area is Active Flow Area of Filter
(Typical 2 x 4 filter Without Center Bar
Contains 7.15 Ft2 of Active Filter Flow Area)

CFM at 90 FPM
90 FPM X 7.15 Ft2 = 640 CFM

Fan Filter Unit (FFU)

FFUs Without Constant Flow Control
AC Units
ECM Units

FFUs With Constant Flow Control

AC Units
ECM Units

Air Flow - CFM vs Static Pressure

Test
Plenum

Resistance
(Pre-Filter)

Fan
Housing
Watt Meter

Filter
Flow
Hood
Transition Needed For 4 x 4 FFU

Static
Pressure
Tap

Measure
CFM
Static Pressure
Watts, Amps, PF, Volts

Air Flow - CFM vs External Static Pressure

Pressure - Inches W.G.

FFUs w/o Constant Flow Control

HEPA Filter
ULPA Filter

ULPA Filter
w/Pre-Filter

No
Scale
Air Flow - CFM

Air Flow vs Watts

Power Consumption Watts

FFUs w/o Constant Flow Control

ULPA Filter
w/Pre-Filter

ULPA Filter

HEPA Filter

No Scale

Air Flow - CFM

Air Flow - CFM vs External Static Pressure

Pressure - Inches W.G.

FFUs with Constant Flow Control

HEPA Filter
ULPA Filter
ULPA Filter
w/Pre-Filter

Rated Air Flow

No Scale

Air Flow - CFM

Air Flow vs Watts

Power Consumption Watts

FFUs with Constant Flow Control

ULPA Filter
w/Pre-Filter

ULPA Filter

HEPA Filter

No Scale

Air Flow - CFM

Air Flow---Power---Static Pressure

Minimum Reporting Data
Complete Description of Fan Unit, Final
Filter, and Pre-Filter -- Part Numbers,
Construction Codes, etc
Nominal Rated Air Flow
Air Flow - CFM
Watts, Amps, Power Factor, Volts, Hertz
Available External Static Pressure
Dimensions and Active Filter Flow Area

Sound Pressure and Power Levels

Background Levels -- Recorded as First Step

Sound Pressure Levels -- To be Measured as Overall dBA, Overall

dBL, and as dBL for Octave Bands -- Used to Report Sound Levels
and Establish NC Curves for One Fan Filter Unit Installed in Typical
Operating Environment

Sound Power Level -- To be Determined as Overall dB and as dB

for Octave Bands -- Used by Acoustical Engineers to Predict
Sound Pressure Levels in Actual Operating Environments. These
Calculations Will Consider Number of FFUs, Location of FFUs and
Sound Characteristics of Materials, Equipment, and Other Activity
in the Individual Cleanroom

Sound Pressure Level

Test Environment --- 8 x 8 x 8 Soft Wall Room
8 Ft.
Acoustical Tiles

3 ft.

7 Ft.

Mic
Location

8 Ft.

Concrete Floor - No Covering

Sound Pressure Levels

Minimum Reporting Data
Complete Description of Fan Unit, Final
Filter, and Pre-Filter -- Part Numbers,
Construction Codes, etc
Nominal Rated Air Flow
Background Sound Pressure - dBL & dBA
Background Octave Band Sound Pressure - dB
Overall Sound Pressures -- dBL & dBA
Octave Band Sound Pressures dB

Sound Power Level

Test Environment --- 8 x 8 x 8 Soft Wall Room
8 Ft.
Acoustical Tiles
3 In.

Plane of Mic
Locations
7 Ft.

8 Ft.

Concrete Floor - No Covering

Sound Power Levels

Sub-divide active filter area into equal square
areas, maximum of 12 x 12, minimum of 4
areas/filter
Measure overall sound levels for center points
Average all sound levels measured -- LP
Compute Sound Power Level for FFU -- LW
LW = LP + 10 Log (S1/S0)
LW = Sound Power Level, dB re 10 -12 Watts
LP = Sound Pressure Level, dB re 10-5 N/m2
S1 = Total Area of Measurement Surfaces - m2
S0 = 1.0 m2

Sound Power Level

Minimum Reporting Data
Complete Description of Fan Unit, Final
Filter, and Pre-Filter -- Part Numbers,
Construction Codes, etc
Nominal Rated Air Flow
Grid with Measured Values dB
Average of Measured Values -- dB
Calculated Overall Sound Power -- dB

Air Velocity Uniformity

Sub-divide active filter area into equal square
areas, maximum of 12 x 12, minimum of 4
areas/filter
Measure center point velocity for each area at 6
inches downstream of filter or protective grid
Take measurements for minimum of 5 seconds,
using apparent average during that period as
value for reporting

Air Flow Uniformity

Minimum Reporting Data
Complete Description of Fan Unit, Final
Filter, and Pre-Filter -- Part Numbers,
Construction Codes, etc
Nominal Rated Air Flow
Grid with Measured Values FPM
Standard Deviation of Measured Values

Vibration

Site Under Construction

Current Plans
Mount FFU in stiff aluminum frame that

will simulate proper sized ceiling grid

Suspend frame by flexible cables
Measure vibrations at corner of frame
Comments/Input Solicited

Future Activity
Complete Working Draft of Proposed RP
Develop Comprehensive Data Reporting Form
Distribute Draft to First Meeting Members and All
Interested Parties
Solicit Comments and Recommendations
IEST Working Group Next Official Meeting
April 25 28 , 2004
Riveria -- Las Vegas, NV
WG 036 Meets On April 26 at 8:00 AM