Qinghe Yinghui Filter

Sourcing HEPA/ULPA filters and cleanroom equipment: what to verify

Selection

Lock the efficiency class to the cleanroom ISO 14644 target, verify the seal type against the housing, and confirm whether a factory leakage-test certificate is required. For FFU selection, size the unit to the required airflow and cleanliness class rather than matching dimensions alone.

Efficiency class under EN 1822

HEPA and ULPA grades split into three bands. H10–H12 cover the EPA range, H13–H14 are high-efficiency HEPA, and U15–U17 are ultra-low-penetration ULPA. The choice is not a matter of higher being better — a U15 unit costs more and needs a properly graded pre-filter chain upstream to reach its rated life. Match the class to the cleanroom target, not to a marketing claim.

Construction: separator vs mini-pleat

HEPA elements are built either with separator pleat-spacing or as compact mini-pleat units. Mini-pleat packs more media area into the same frame, which suits space-constrained housings. Seal type matters more than pleat style for installation: gel seals fit knife-edge housings, gasket and endless-gasket seals fit flanged housings. Frame material — aluminium, galvanised steel or stainless — follows the environment.

Sizing and fan filter units (FFU)

Standard HEPA panels run from 610×610×70 mm up to 610×610×292 mm, with deeper units carrying more media area. An FFU combines a fan with a HEPA/ULPA filter in a galvanised or stainless housing; a 48"×48" double-motor unit delivers 4000–5000 CMH at Class 100. Efficiency spans F8/F9 (EN 779) through H10–H14/U15 (EN 1822), with 80 °C / 80% RH operating limits. Specify AC or EC motor and voltage (110/220 V) at inquiry.

From a sourcing perspective

From a sourcing perspective, our advice is to lock the efficiency class and the seal type before anything else, because those two decisions determine whether the rated efficiency is actually delivered in your housing. We recommend confirming whether a factory leakage-test certificate is required with the order, since the certificate is the evidence the class was measured rather than claimed. In our view, matching the class to the cleanroom ISO 14644 target — not to a marketing claim — is the habit that avoids overpaying for ULPA where HEPA would do.

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