23 Sep Environmental Enclosures: Definition, Uses, and More
What do food processing, pharmaceuticals, and complex machinery all have in common? Each of them require some form of environmental control to get their products right. For many industries, controlling environmental factors like temperature, humidity, and air particles is a necessary part of doing business. Without the right conditions, machines can malfunction, medicines can become dangerous, and food can grow toxic microorganisms. In this article, we’ll cover what environmental enclosures are, some examples of them, and more.
What are Environmental Enclosures?
Environmental enclosures are specialized rooms that control environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and air quality. It is a broad term similar to “controlled environment,” and it applies wherever such conditions need to be managed. Typically, environmental enclosures protect products, research, or manufacturing processes that are at risk from certain variables that could cause errors and/or defects.
A typical office building, though it controls temperature and air quality to a certain degree, would not be called an environmental enclosure, though. The term is generally reserved for rooms in manufacturing or research applications.
What are Some Examples of Environmental Enclosures?
There are many types of environmental enclosures, and probably too many to name in a single article. Many businesses need their own type of enclosure, as different products and processes will require different environmental conditions. Here are a few of the most common types of these enclosures that we see at Allied Cleanrooms:
Temperature-Controlled Enclosures
Many manufacturing and research processes require precise temperature control to make sure that outcomes are successful. For example, cold storage rooms in the food processing industry prevent stored food from spoilage. By using advanced HVAC systems, such enclosures can create hot, cold, or moderate temperatures, depending on the requirements of the space.
Cleanrooms
A cleanroom is a type of environmental enclosure that’s primary purpose is to control particle levels. In practice, though, cleanrooms often control temperature, humidity, airflow, and other conditions.
Air quality is typically controlled through the use of HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) and ULPA (ultra-low particulate air) filters, which remove 99% of airborne particles.
Cleanrooms are usually highly regulated, but ISO classifications are the golden standard for categorizing them. Different industries will have different regulations or guidelines, such as cGMP/GMP and USP 797/800, among others.
Humidity-Controlled Enclosures
Some industries need to manage humidity levels carefully to prevent microorganism growth, equipment malfunctions, or even electro-static discharge. For example, a special kind of humidity-controlled enclosure called a dry room is needed for lithium battery production. Lithium reacts poorly with moisture, and this affects product quality. As a result, dry rooms are used to keep humidity levels low.
Dust-Free Enclosures
In many manufacturing industries, even a small amount of dust can cause issues with complex machinery. Dust-free enclosures can create a particle-free environment around important equipment, and they can also control humidity, temperature, airflow, and filtration to prevent as much disruption to the machinery as possible. For example, CNC machines often use dust-free enclosure so that they can be as accurate and functional as possible.
The Bottom Line
Simply put, environmental enclosures are spaces that help control conditions such as temperature, humidity, and dust or related particles. They are important in protecting many products and processes in both manufacturing and science. From cold storage rooms to cleanrooms, these enclosures can help protect product yields, research outcomes, and more.
Looking to add some environmental enclosures to your location? Reach out to Allied Cleanrooms today to get a free quote on new buildouts.
FAQs About Environmental Enclosures
1. Can Allied Cleanrooms provide customized environmental enclosures?
Yes, Allied Cleanrooms can create customized environments for a huge variety of industries, including pharmaceuticals, biotech, semiconductors, and more.
2. How do I determine which type of environmental enclosure my facility needs?
The best way to determine this is to find any relevant regulations in your industry. These will typically outline exactly what you need out of an enclosure, any conditions you need to control for, and more.
3. Can environmental enclosures be modular or portable?
Yes, one of the best reasons to choose modular enclosures is that they can be disassembled and moved wherever you need them to go. With traditional construction, this would be costly if not impossible.