Ultra-low particulate air

ULPA is an acronym for "Ultra-low Penetration Air (filter)". An ULPA filter can remove from the air at least 99.999% of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria and any airborne particles with a minimum particle penetration size of 120 nanometres (0.12 µm, ultrafine particles). A ULPA filter can remove (to a large extent, not 100%) – oil smoke, tobacco smoke, rosin smoke, smog, insecticide dust.^[1]

It can also remove carbon black to some extent.

Some Fan filter units incorporate ULPA filters.

Materials used in ULPA filters[]

Both HEPA and ULPA filter media have similar designs.

The filter media is like an enormous web of randomly arranged fibres. When air passes through this dense web, the solid particles get attached to the fibres and thus eliminated from the air.

Porosity is one of the key considerations of these fibres. Lower porosity, while decreasing the speed of filtration, increases the quality of filtered air. This parameter is measured in pores per linear inch.

Method of functioning[]

Physically blocking particles with a filter, called sieving, cannot remove smaller-sized particles. The cleaning process, based on the particle size of the pollutant, is based on four techniques:^[1]

Sieving
Diffusion
Inertial impaction
Interception

A number of recommended practices have been written on testing these filters, including:^[2]

IEST-RP-CC001: HEPA and ULPA Filters,
IEST-RP-CC007: Testing ULPA Filters,
IEST-RP-CC022: Testing HEPA and ULPA Filter Media, and
IEST-RP-CC034: HEPA and ULPA Filter Leak Tests.

References[]

^ ^a ^b David A. John. Air-distribution design: HEPA or ULPA filtration. Air distribution design HEPA or ULPA filtration ASHRAE Journal, vol. 55, no. 5, May 2013
^ "IEST Recommended Practices". IEST. 2007-12-03. Retrieved 2008-01-14.

External links[]

v t Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
Fundamental concepts	Air changes per hour Bake-out Building envelope Convection Dilution Domestic energy consumption Enthalpy Fluid dynamics Gas compressor Heat pump and refrigeration cycle Heat transfer Humidity Infiltration Latent heat Noise control Outgassing Particulates Psychrometrics Sensible heat Stack effect Thermal comfort Thermal destratification Thermal mass Thermodynamics Vapour pressure of water
Technology	Absorption refrigerator Air barrier Air conditioning Antifreeze Automobile air conditioning Autonomous building Building insulation materials Central heating Central solar heating Chilled beam Chilled water Constant air volume (CAV) Coolant Cross ventilation Dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) Deep water source cooling Demand controlled ventilation (DCV) Displacement ventilation District cooling District heating Electric heating Energy recovery ventilation (ERV) Firestop Forced-air Forced-air gas Free cooling Heat recovery ventilation (HRV) Hybrid heat Hydronics Ice storage air conditioning Kitchen ventilation Mixed-mode ventilation Microgeneration Passive cooling Passive house Passive ventilation Radiant heating and cooling Radiant cooling Radiant heating Radon mitigation Refrigeration Renewable heat Room air distribution Solar air heat Solar combisystem Solar cooling Solar heating Thermal insulation Underfloor air distribution Underfloor heating Vapor barrier Vapor-compression refrigeration (VCRS) Variable air volume (VAV) Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) Ventilation
Components	Air conditioner inverter Air door Air filter Air handler Air ionizer Air-mixing plenum Air purifier Air source heat pump Attic fan Automatic balancing valve Back boiler Barrier pipe Blast damper Boiler Centrifugal fan Ceramic heater Chiller Condensate pump Condenser Condensing boiler Convection heater Compressor Cooling tower Damper Dehumidifier Duct Economizer Electrostatic precipitator Evaporative cooler Evaporator Exhaust hood Expansion tank Fan Fan coil unit Fan filter unit Fan heater Fire damper Fireplace Fireplace insert Freeze stat Flue Freon Fume hood Furnace Gas compressor Gas heater Gasoline heater Grease duct Grille Ground-coupled heat exchanger Ground source heat pump Heat exchanger Heat pipe Heat pump Heating film Heating system HEPA High efficiency glandless circulating pump High-pressure cut-off switch Humidifier Infrared heater Inverter compressor Kerosene heater Louver Mechanical room Oil heater Packaged terminal air conditioner Plenum space Pressurisation ductwork Process duct work Radiator Radiator reflector Recuperator Refrigerant Register Reversing valve Run-around coil Scroll compressor Solar chimney Solar-assisted heat pump Space heater Smoke exhaust ductwork Thermal expansion valve Thermal wheel Thermosiphon Thermostatic radiator valve Trickle vent Trombe wall Turning vanes Ultra-low particulate air (ULPA) Whole-house fan Windcatcher Wood-burning stove
Measurement and control	Air flow meter Aquastat BACnet Blower door Building automation Carbon dioxide sensor Clean air delivery rate (CADR) Gas detector Home energy monitor Humidistat HVAC control system Intelligent buildings LonWorks Minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) OpenTherm Programmable communicating thermostat Programmable thermostat Psychrometrics Room temperature Smart thermostat Thermostat Thermostatic radiator valve
Professions, trades, and services	Architectural acoustics Architectural engineering Architectural technologist Building services engineering Building information modeling (BIM) Deep energy retrofit Duct leakage testing Environmental engineering Hydronic balancing Kitchen exhaust cleaning Mechanical engineering Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing Mold growth, assessment, and remediation Refrigerant reclamation Testing, adjusting, balancing
Industry organizations	AHRI AMCA ASHRAE ASTM International BRE BSRIA CIBSE Institute of Refrigeration IIR LEED SMACNA
Health and safety	Indoor air quality (IAQ) Passive smoking Sick building syndrome (SBS) Volatile organic compound (VOC)
See also	ASHRAE Handbook Building science Fireproofing Glossary of HVAC terms World Refrigeration Day Template:Home automation Template:Solar energy

This technology-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

Ultra-low particulate air

Contents

Materials used in ULPA filters[]

Method of functioning[]

See also[]

References[]

External links[]