2026-07-27
An air shower is a contamination control device installed at the entrance of a cleanroom. It uses high-velocity, HEPA-filtered air to remove dust particles, fibers, and other contaminants from personnel, garments, and materials before they enter the controlled environment.
In a cleanroom, maintaining low particle levels is critical for product quality and process safety. However, people and materials entering from outside areas are the main sources of contamination. An air shower creates an effective barrier between the uncontrolled environment and the cleanroom, helping maintain the required cleanliness classification.
Cleanroom air showers are widely used in pharmaceutical manufacturing, biotechnology laboratories, semiconductor production, food processing, medical facilities, and other industries requiring strict contamination control.
A cleanroom air shower operates through a simple but effective particle removal process:
Personnel or materials enter the air shower through the first door. Once the door closes, the interlock system prevents both doors from opening simultaneously.
Multiple nozzles installed on the walls and ceiling release high-velocity clean air. The air velocity is typically 20-28 m/s, creating strong airflow that removes loose particles from clothing surfaces and materials.
The removed particles are captured by return air grilles and pass through the filtration system. The air is then cleaned and recirculated inside the air shower chamber.
After the preset cycle time, usually 10-30 seconds, the clean side door unlocks, allowing personnel or materials to enter the cleanroom.
This process significantly reduces surface contamination before entering critical clean areas.
Cleanrooms are designed to control airborne particles, but personnel remain one of the largest sources of contamination.
Common contaminants introduced by people include:
Dust particles
Fibers from clothing
Hair and skin particles
External environmental particles
Packaging debris
Without proper contamination control measures, these particles can enter the cleanroom and affect product quality.
An air shower provides an additional protection barrier by:
Reducing particle transfer from outside areas
Improving cleanroom cleanliness performance
Supporting ISO cleanroom classification requirements
Protecting sensitive products and processes
For industries such as pharmaceuticals, electronics, and biotechnology, air showers are an important part of the overall cleanroom design.
A single-person air shower is the most common type used in cleanroom facilities.
It is designed for one person at a time and provides a compact solution for standard cleanroom entrances.
Features:
Compact footprint
Suitable for laboratories and small cleanrooms
Usually equipped with 6-12 air nozzles
Easy installation and maintenance
Typical Applications:
Pharmaceutical laboratories
Research facilities
Medical cleanrooms
Small-scale manufacturing areas
A multi-person air shower is designed for facilities with higher personnel traffic.
It allows multiple operators to enter at the same time, improving workflow efficiency.
Features:
Capacity for 2-6 people
Larger internal chamber
More nozzles for wider airflow coverage
Suitable for busy production environments
Typical Applications:
Large pharmaceutical plants
Electronics factories
Industrial cleanrooms
A cargo air shower, also called a material air shower, is designed for cleaning materials, carts, equipment, and production components.
Compared with personnel air showers, cargo air showers have larger dimensions and wider access doors.
Features:
Large chamber size
Suitable for carts and equipment
Optional roller conveyor system
Customized dimensions available
Typical Applications:
Semiconductor factories
Pharmaceutical production lines
Food processing facilities
A corner air shower is designed for cleanrooms where installation space is limited.
Its special configuration allows it to fit into corners while maintaining effective airflow coverage.
Advantages:
Saves floor space
Flexible installation
Suitable for compact cleanroom layouts
A sliding door air shower uses automatic sliding doors instead of traditional hinged doors.
It is ideal for high-traffic areas where space optimization and fast personnel movement are important.
Advantages:
Saves entrance space
Faster traffic flow
Suitable for automated facilities
The number and location of air nozzles directly affect cleaning performance.
Common configurations include:
6-12 nozzles for standard applications
18 or more nozzles for high-performance requirements
Three-side nozzle designs provide better coverage around personnel.
The airflow speed of an air shower usually ranges from:
20-28 m/s
Higher air velocity improves particle removal efficiency but may increase noise levels and energy consumption.
The filtration system determines the cleanliness of the supplied air.
Common options include:
Efficiency: 99.995% at 0.3 μm
Suitable for pharmaceutical, laboratory, and biotechnology applications
Meets high cleanliness requirements
Used for applications requiring extremely low particle levels, such as advanced semiconductor manufacturing.
Material selection depends on application requirements.
Recommended for:
Pharmaceutical facilities
Biotechnology laboratories
Medical environments
High-cleanliness applications
Advantages:
Corrosion resistance
Easy cleaning
Long service life
Suitable for:
General industrial cleanrooms
Cost-sensitive projects
The interlock system prevents both doors from opening simultaneously.
This helps:
Maintain cleanroom pressure balance
Prevent contamination migration
Improve operational safety
Available options include:
Mechanical interlock
Electronic interlock
Automatic control system
Modern air showers are equipped with intelligent control systems.
Common features include:
PLC touchscreen control
Adjustable shower cycle time
Emergency stop button
LED status indicators
Automatic door control
Air showers help maintain GMP-controlled environments by reducing contamination risks before personnel enter production areas.
Used to protect sensitive biological processes and maintain controlled laboratory conditions.
Particle contamination can affect electronic components. Air showers provide additional contamination control before entering clean production areas.
Air showers help improve hygiene control in food production environments.
Used at entrances to sterile areas, operating rooms, and specialized laboratories.
Supports product quality and reduces contamination risks during production.
Before purchasing an air shower, consider the following factors:
Estimate how many people or materials enter the cleanroom per hour.
Low traffic: Single-person air shower
High traffic: Multi-person air shower
Choose the correct configuration:
Standard air shower
Corner air shower
Sliding door air shower
If carts, equipment, or large materials need to pass through, choose a cargo air shower.
SUS304 stainless steel for pharmaceutical and high-cleanliness applications
Coated steel for general industrial use
Most applications require:
HEPA H14 filtration
20-28 m/s nozzle velocity
Regular maintenance ensures long-term performance.
Recommended maintenance includes:
Checking HEPA filter condition
Cleaning air nozzles
Inspecting door interlock operation
Checking airflow performance
Replacing filters according to operating conditions
Proper maintenance helps maintain stable airflow and contamination control performance.
An air shower is an essential component of modern cleanroom contamination control systems. By using high-speed HEPA-filtered airflow, it helps remove loose particles from personnel and materials before entering controlled environments.
Selecting the correct air shower type, filtration system, material, and configuration ensures efficient cleanroom operation while maintaining required cleanliness levels.
GCC Cleanroom Technology Limited provides customized cleanroom air shower solutions for pharmaceutical, laboratory, electronics, food, and industrial applications.
Our air shower systems feature:
SUS304 stainless steel construction
HEPA H14 filtration
High-speed air nozzles
Automatic interlock doors
PLC touchscreen control
Customized sizes and configurations
For cleanroom air shower specifications or customized solutions, please contact GCC Cleanroom Technology.
Website: www.prefabcleanroom.com
Email: sales01@gzkunling.com
WhatsApp: +86 13316272505
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