[labnetwork] HEPA/ULPA Filter Experience?

[Reger, Ronald K]

Dear Colleagues,

The cleanroom here at the Purdue Birck Nanotechnology Center is in its 17th year, and we're starting to see increased frequency on some typical and expected maintenance items.  And while we haven't had any catastrophic failures yet in our HEPA & UPLA filters we are wondering when they may need some serious attention/replacement.  All along we've had to replace an occasional filter panel due to some deterioration of a seal or maybe an inadvertent puncture, but we haven't had any wholesale replacement of complete banks or bays yet.

We're wondering what other nanofabs have experienced in terms of HEPA/ULPA filter replacements?  Is there a target date (~ 20 years, 25 years?) at which filters fail and entire bays are replaced?  Are seals degrading at a certain time as shown with increasing particle counts?  Have different nanofabs experienced vastly different durations for the quality of filtration?

Any insight into filter degradation & replacement experience would be greatly appreciated as we plan for the next few years of maintenance items in our fab.

Thanks very much for your information.


Ron

Ron Reger
Engineering Manager
Birck Nanotechnology Center | Room 2289 |
Office:  765.494.6667 | Email: rreger at purdue.edu<mailto:rreger at purdue.edu>
Wiki:  https://wiki.itap.purdue.edu/display/BNCWiki
iLabs:  https://purdue.ilabsolutions.com/homepage/


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