Experimental and CFD Airflow Studies of a Cleanroom with Special Respect to Air Supply Inlets

W. Whyte, M. Hejab, W. M. Whyte, G. Green
2010 The International Journal of Ventilation  
Experimental and CFD airflow studies of a cleanroom with special respect to air supply inlets. Abstract Investigations were carried out into the air flow in a non-unidirectional airflow cleanroom and its affect on the local airborne particle cleanliness. The main influence was the method of air supply. A supply inlet with no diffuser gave a pronounced downward jet flow and low levels of contamination below it, but poorer than average conditions in much of the rest of the room. A 4-way diffuser
more » ... ave much better air mixing and a more even airborne particle concentration throughout the cleanroom. Other variables such as air inlet supply velocity, temperature difference between air supply and the room, and the release position of contamination also influenced the local airborne cleanliness. A CFD analysis of air flow fields in a cleanroom was compared with measured values. It was considered that a turbulent intensity of 6%, and a hydraulic diameter based on the actual size of the air inlet, should be used for the inlet boundary conditions and, when combined with a k-epsilon standard turbulence model, a reasonable prediction of the air flow and airborne particle concentration was obtained.
doi:10.1080/14733315.2010.11683880 fatcat:kaz5z4uhojfgnicrwtk5e445bq