Cleanroom pressure is critical

The Critical Role of Pressure in Cleanrooms

When we think about cleanrooms, we often focus on filtration systems, air changes per hour, and gowning protocols. But there’s another factor that quietly ensures everything works as it should: pressure control.

🔹 How It Works

 Cleanrooms are designed with pressure differentials between adjacent spaces. By maintaining a higher or lower pressure than surrounding areas, we can control the direction of airflow and, with it, the movement of particles.

Positive Pressure (common in pharma, microelectronics, and optics): Air always flows out of the cleanroom, ensuring that contaminants from less controlled areas cannot enter.

Negative Pressure (used for handling pathogens, toxic powders, or hazardous substances): Air flows into the room, containing dangerous particles inside to protect people and the environment.

🔹 Why It Matters

Barrier Integrity – Even the best HEPA/ULPA filters lose effectiveness if pressure gradients are unstable, as contaminated air can bypass controlled flows.

Cross-Contamination Control – In multi-room facilities, cascading pressure levels (e.g., Grade B to C to D in GMP environments) are vital to keeping critical areas safe.

Process Reliability – Stable pressure ensures consistent airflow patterns, protecting sensitive products like semiconductors or sterile injectables.

Compliance & Audits – ISO 14644 and GMP regulations specify exact tolerances for differential pressure (often 10–15 Pa). Failing to maintain them can lead to deviations, lost batches, or failed inspections.

🔹 The Bottom Line

 Pressure is more than a number on a gauge — it’s an invisible shield that keeps contaminants where they belong. Without it, cleanrooms cannot guarantee safety, compliance, or product quality.

👉 How does your cleanroom strategy ensure stable pressure control?

Contact Aeris for more detailed information and or for cleanroom qualification.