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Improved Clean Room Laminarity
Confidential Client
When executing CFD clean room models for multiple clients, we have seen many instances in which air flow laminarity can be greatly improved just by strategically placing the supply and return grilles. In this instance we share the design of a new weigh both with an adjacent staging room. The initial condition was intentionally modified to better represent the case… the story goes like this:
The design of a new weigh booth with an adjacent staging area was just completed. The new addition was designed as an expansion inside an existing building, making it difficult to freely place supply and return grilles for optimal flow. This created the potential for air flow turbulence at the work height. To minimize the risk of expensive rework and delays, the airflow conditions were to be tested with a CFD model, looking for downward laminar flow at the work height.
The 3D digital twin model was updated to reflect future field conditions, including furniture, equipment and personnel. The initial results showed there was excessive turbulence at the work height:
Using statistical tools, the air flow was mapped at the work height, throughout the room, clearly identifying turbulence areas and graphically quantifying the air flow direction in the region of interest. The figure below in the left shows a 3D map of the airflow at the work height, the bin chart on the right represents the air flow laminarity, where green represents downward laminar flow.
After a few iterations, the analysis allowed us to identify and select an approach that delivered the required flow conditions within the design constraints based on existing floorplan and equipment. The solution required relocating supply and return grilles, as well as modifying operating conditions which considerably improved air flow laminarity:
The improved flow conditions are represented below in the air flow 3D map on the left, and on the bin chart on the right, where most of the flow is downward laminar at the work height.
With the CFD analysis we were able in a short period of time, to digitally test a new design and make changes to improve air flow laminarity at the work height. This approach considerably minimized the risk of costly changes on the field and schedule impacts which could ultimately delay production and product launches.
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