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Operating theatres are critical environments where even the most minuscule amounts of contaminants can pose a significant risk to patients and healthcare workers. One of the primary concerns in operating theatres is the potential for airborne contaminants, such as bacteria and viruses, to spread and cause surgical site infections.
Most ventilation systems are often not sufficient to address this issue, as they are typically designed to simply circulate and filter the air. In order to address these issues, you’ll need to create a laminar air flow.
What Is Laminar Air Flow?
Laminar air flow is characterised by the movement of air in parallel layers, with little or no mixing between the layers. This type of airflow is achieved by passing air through a HEPA filter or other similar filtration systems that remove contaminants, creating a clean and sterile environment.
This makes laminar air flow particularly useful in applications that require a clean and controlled environment, such as in laboratory work, medical procedures, and microelectronics manufacturing. By maintaining a laminar air flow, we can prevent the spread of airborne contaminants and ensure that the air within a given space is as clean and pure as possible.
People often mix up laminar air flow with turbulent air flow. Laminar and turbulent air flow are two different types of air flow used in air filtration systems. Laminar air flow is a smooth, steady flow of air that moves in a parallel direction, while turbulent air flow is a flow of air characterised by eddies and vortices.
Laminar air flow is typically used in clean rooms and other controlled environments where the goal is to minimise the movement of particles in the air. On the other hand, turbulent air flow is used in environments where the goal is to mix and circulate the air to improve air quality.
The Problem With Typical Air Filtration Systems
Choosing filters with laminar air flow over typical air filtration systems is essential for maintaining high levels of air purity in medical facilities. Typical air filtration systems are unsuitable for medical facilities for several reasons. One of the most important reasons is that medical facilities require a much higher level of air purity than most other environments. The air in medical facilities must be free from dust, bacteria, and other contaminants to minimise the risk of infection.
Typical air filtration systems are not designed to handle the specific types of pollutants often found in medical facilities, such as bio-contaminants like bacteria and viruses, which are generated at high levels in hospitals. Specialised filtration methods HEPA filters in hospitals are necessary to remove these pollutants effectively.
Additionally, in a medical facility, the air is circulated in a specific way, often through unidirectional flow to reduce turbulence and to ensure a consistent flow of clean air to the patient. Typical air filtration systems are not designed to provide unidirectional air flow, which is vital for maintaining a sterile environment.
Importance Of Laminar Air Flow In Operating Theatres
Conventional operating theatre systems use individual ducting systems to supply and exhaust air in the operating room. The individual ducting systems help minimise the need for complex ductwork and reduces maintenance requirements.
These ducts are typically located in the operating room’s ceiling and circulate air throughout the space. However, these systems can be prone to contamination as the air can get mixed with the pollutants and particles in the room.
On the other hand, laminar flow air systems provide cleaner and more controlled air flow in the operating room. They are designed to create a smooth, steady flow of air that moves in a parallel direction, which helps minimise particle movement in the air.
Standard ISO Classification Parameters
Source: Around Lab News
Medical facilities are also often required to meet strict air quality standards such as ISO 5 (Class 100) or higher. Typical air filtration systems are not designed to meet these standards, making them inadequate for medical use. As such, laminar air flow filters are more suitable for medical facilities because they provide a higher level of air purity and are specifically designed to handle the specific types of pollutants often found in these environments.
Laminar air flow systems can reduce the rate of surgical site infections, energy wastage, and maintenance costs.
According to a study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, laminar flow systems can have a lower pressure drop than traditional systems, leading to up to 50% energy savings.
Laminar flow systems can also lower maintenance costs, as they don’t typically require frequent filter replacement.
Studies have also shown that laminar air flow systems can significantly reduce the rate of surgical site infections. The Journal of Hospital Infection in 2002 found that the use of laminar air flow in operating theatres was associated with a 67% reduction in the rate of surgical site infections. Another study published in the American Journal of Infection Control in 2012 found that laminar air flow systems reduced the rate of surgical site infections by 83%.
Where Do You Need Laminar Air Flow?
Laminar air flow is often used in environments where the air needs to be kept free from contaminants, such as operating theatres, veterinary surgery rooms, surgical clinics, and plastic surgery rooms. These environments require high air quality standards to protect patients and staff from infection and other health risks.
Laminar air flow filters are required in medical facilities to prevent contamination and infection.
For example, in operating theatres, laminar air flow is used to ensure that the air is free from bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants that can increase the risk of surgical site infections. The unidirectional air flow provided by laminar air flow systems helps to prevent the spread of these contaminants and maintain the surgical area as clean as possible.
Similarly, veterinary surgery rooms and surgical clinics also require pristine air quality to protect patients and staff from infection. Laminar air flow systems in these environments can help reduce the risk of contamination from bacteria and other pathogens, preventing post-operative infections.
How CRU-II Solve Laminar Air Flow
AAF Asia’s CRU-II are a specialised type of air filtration system designed to enhance laminar air flow in clean room environments. This system utilises a unique design that provides unidirectional air flow to the patient, which helps to reduce turbulence and maintain a consistent flow of clean air. This filter also meets ISO Class 5 requirements, which is the international standard for air quality in laboratories and other critical environments.
This makes them particularly useful in applications such as surgery where a high level of air quality is critical to patient safety. Not only does it improve air flow, but it also helps promote better filtration of contaminants, providing a complete solution for clean room environments.
Benefits of The CRU-II
Benefits Of The CRU-II Operating Theatre Ceiling Module
Equipped With H14 eFRM Filter
The CRU-II from AAF Asia is equipped with H14 eFRM filters, which play a crucial role in enhancing the performance of these filters in terms of air quality. These filters are specifically designed to remove an astounding 99.995% of impurities in the air, providing an incredibly high level of filtration.
This ensures that the air in the surgical field is as clean as possible, minimising the risk of contamination from airborne microbes. The H14 eFRM filters provide an added layer of protection and ensure that the air in surgical environments is as pure as possible.
Surgical Light Path Integration
The Modular Design Of The CRU-II Allows For Simple Surgical Light Installation
Source: Freepik
Integrating a surgical light path is a key benefit of our CRU-II Air Filters. The modular design of the filter allows for a seamless, airtight passage for installing surgical lighting systems. This not only improves the functionality of the air filter but also enhances the aesthetics of the overall environment.
Integrating a surgical light path provides optimal lighting during surgical procedures, which is a crucial feature to ensure surgical precision and accuracy
Easy Filter Leak Test
The CRU-II filter is a highly advanced air filter that features an easy filter leak test that can be performed seamlessly. One of the key advantages of the CRU-II filter’s leak test is its convenience. This innovative testing method allows users to test all installed HEPA filters simultaneously. This eliminates the need for individual testing of each filter while saving time and resources.
By injecting an aerosol into the one common upstream, users can quickly and accurately test all of their HEPA filters to ensure they are functioning properly. This allows users to identify and address any issues promptly. Users can continuously maintain high level of air quality required in clean room environments.
Equipped With A Perforated Diffuser
This filter is also equipped with a perforated diffuser. This unique feature allows the filter to provide laminar air flow towards the operating table, improving the functionality and aesthetic value.
The perforated diffuser creates a uniform air flow distribution, to further reduce turbulence and maintain consistent, clean air flow.
Modular Design
The CRU-II filter is designed with a modular concept that makes it easy to handle and assemble during installation. The modular design allows quick and easy on-site assembly, significantly reducing installation time and costs. The filter’s modular design also makes it easy to replace individual components as needed, which helps extend the unit’s life and saves money on maintenance costs. This feature of the CRU-II filter makes it easy to handle, maintain, and upgrade ensuring optimal performance over time.
Room-side Replaceable Filter
It is equipped with a room-side replaceable filter feature, which allows for easy replacement of the HEPA filter on-site without needing specialised tools or equipment. Maintenance and replacement of the filter can be done quickly and easily, helping to minimise downtime so users can keep the operating theatre in operation. The roomside access housing design also makes it easy to monitor the filter’s status and perform regular inspections, ensuring that the air quality in the clean room is consistently up to par.
If you’re looking to improve the air quality in your cleanroom or other controlled environments, our CRU-II laminar air flow is an excellent choice. As a global leading air filtration company, we offer more than just HEPA Filters, we also offer gas phase filters, air purification systems, pleated filters, and many more. Contact AAF Asia today.