Cleanroom Air Shower

Air showers operate similarly to automated car wash pressure washer systems.1 In an air shower, a worker passes through the entry door and a sensor activates interlock magnets, which lock the air shower and cleanroom doors. Numerous adjustable nozzles blow high-velocity streams of Class 100 filtered air onto workers. The high-velocity air creates a flapping effect on clothing which produces a scrubbing action, removing particulates from cleanroom garments. To ensure all particulates are removed, workers raise their arms and rotate in place. Indicator lights signal the end of the cleaning cycle, and the cleanroom door opens. It takes four to eight seconds of cleaning time and another two to four seconds for the air shower to purge contaminated air prior to the worker exiting. Microprocessors control the cleaning and wait times.