Innovation and Future of Cleanroom Technology
2026-06-10
Cleanrooms are inseparable from the electronics, pharmaceutical, bioengineering, medical and health, food, cosmetics and military industries. They provide controlled environments that meet production requirements and directly affect product quality. With the implementation of GMP certification systems and the upgrading of China's industrial structure, cleanroom technology has gained a new round of development opportunities.
Despite the lingering impacts of the financial crisis, experts in the purification engineering industry point out that every one-meter expansion of a cleanroom increases construction costs by approximately 20%, and each upgrade of the cleanliness class raises project costs by around 30% and operating costs by roughly 35%. This means cleanroom technology must pursue innovation and evolve toward high performance and low costs.
I. Competition Between Traditional and New Cleanroom Technologies
Traditional cleanroom design mainly consists of cleaning regulations, wall, ceiling and floor surfaces, airflow, temperature, humidity, pressure control, lighting, and fan filter units. It can be categorized into two major parts: construction and installation, which is labor-intensive, and core purification equipment, which is technology-intensive. The latter has become a bottleneck restricting the sustainable development of China's cleanroom industry. Innovations in core purification equipment involve a series of factors including airflow, pressure control, filtration systems, temperature and humidity. Few enterprises or research institutions are willing to make breakthroughs in this field, leading to the long-standing traditional model of circulating purification with primary, medium and high-efficiency filters.
The new model completely subverts the conventional filtration system. It adopts a reverse high-pressure liquid spray technology, coupled with simultaneous dynamic disinfection and automatic dust removal to form an integrated cross-flow system. Fresh air is disinfected and dedusted upon entering the unit to prevent dust accumulation and secondary pollution inside ducts. Return air undergoes dedusting and disinfection before being discharged up to standard. Without compromising airflow, pressure control, filtration, temperature and humidity regulation, this system realizes stable long-term operation, automatic dust removal, energy conservation, emission reduction and cost cutting. A detailed comparison is as follows:
1. Technical Comparison
The traditional purification method using primary, medium and high-efficiency filters enjoys wide market recognition. It has long been the only solution for air purification and molecular pollutant removal in cleanrooms, supporting a mature and extensive industrial chain for filter products.
Shanghai Kangjiu Environmental Technology has developed and applied a continuously-operated automatic dedusting and purification system in multiple enterprises. This system achieves Class 10,000 cleanliness dynamically (Class 1,000 statically) without using any primary, medium or high-efficiency filters. It performs real-time dynamic disinfection and effectively eliminates drawbacks of traditional technology such as secondary microbial contamination, duct dust buildup and frequent filter replacement. The two technologies are not on the same technical level. The new technology will eventually replace the traditional one and drive faster and better development of cleanroom technology.
2. Cost Comparison
Traditional filters require frequent replacement due to efficiency and pressure drop issues, and consume substantial air power. In contrast, the new automatic dedusting purification system needs no replaceable filters and maintains a stable internal pressure of 15-20 Pa with low air power consumption.
For example, a 10,000-class cleanroom with a space of about 1120 cubic meters requires a 18 kW main unit under the traditional model, while only a 5.5 kW unit is needed with the new technology, making it affordable for both construction and operation. The new system requires no consumable replacement for three years, and its performance remains comparable to a new unit after three years of operation. Its cleanliness level improves with longer running time, a major advantage over traditional technology.
3. Functional Expansion Comparison
Conventional purification units only provide filtration and fresh air exchange. The new continuously-operated purification unit collects dust into designated containers for waste recycling. It can remove gaseous organic pollutants and odors from the air, and increase oxygen content to improve stuffy working environments in workshops.
It can also be expanded to integrate constant temperature control, sharing the same duct system with independent switch control. Constant humidity function is realized via humidity sensors: the humidifier activates automatically when humidity is low and the dehumidifier works when humidity is high to maintain preset parameters. Reserved expansion and upgrade modules inside the unit can inactivate existing pathogens and cope with emerging viruses through system upgrades, complying with biosafety isolation requirements and the Regulations on Emergency Response to Public Health Emergencies. All functional modules can be integrated into one single system to meet customized standards.
II. Application Trends of Cleanroom Technology
A cleanroom refers to an enclosed area with controlled concentrations of particulate matter and microorganisms. Its architectural structure and facilities are designed to reduce the introduction, generation and retention of pollutants. Driven by policy adjustments, worsening air pollution and growing demand for biosafety isolation, cleanrooms will be applied in more fields with enhanced compatibility and versatility. In my opinion, air purification and biosafety isolation will be incorporated into the standard cleanroom system.
-
Traditional application sectors including electronics, pharmaceuticals, bioengineering, medical care, food, cosmetics and military industries will witness a new wave of cleanroom construction and technological upgrading due to industrial refinement and new national regulations. The annual output value of this sector will reach no less than 16.5 billion yuan.
-
Frequent outbreaks of new viruses highlight the importance of biosafety isolation, and public spaces will gradually adopt cleanroom solutions. Once fully implemented, this sector will generate an annual output value of hundreds of billions of yuan, marking the prime period for cleanroom applications.
-
Some owners of private villas and high-end residences have incorporated cleanroom design concepts into interior decoration, such as pollution and dust control and purification air conditioning. Introducing industrial controlled environments into living spaces represents the broadest application of cleanroom technology.
III. Conclusion
Judging from practical application, cost performance, biosafety performance and industry trends, the new continuous-operation purification model will replace the traditional primary, medium and high-efficiency filtration system. Technological innovation brings new opportunities. The purification industry faces arduous tasks ahead. Our company will lead the cleanroom industry toward sound and rapid development.
