The Process for Undertaking Air Particle Counts



APT Sound Testing undertakes airborne particulate testing to data centres and/or server rooms to confirm the level of air quality against the Cleanroom ISO 14644-1 standard for Cleanrooms which encompasses server rooms and Data Centres’.

The particulate tests are done using a UKAS calibrated air particle counter. APT Sound Testing aims to confirm that the Data Centre and each room within it meets the minimum ISO Class 8 for Data Centres and server rooms as per OEM best practice guidelines.



Taking the airborne particulate measurements

  1. Using a hand held or static air particle machine that has been properly calibrated collect  5 air sample per 10 square meters of room space -  in a 50m2 room a minimum of 10 tests should be taken and in 100m2 square meters 15 tests should be taken.
  2. The exact location of each particle test should be documented and if you are looking to trend the air quality in a certain room future tests should be taken at the same location each time.
  3. The air particle meter should be at an elevated height of one (1) meter above the floor surface.
  4. The air particle meter should remain static during the test.
  5. The air particle meter should be set to complete each test over a one (1) minute (sixty (60) second) period.
  6. During the test the machine will draw in one (1) cubic meter of air for analysis.
  7. The machine should be set to test particles at 0.5 microns for Class 7 & 8 and 0.3 micron for Class 5 & 6.
  8. The results of each test should be recorded. (I.e. test 1 = 3,200,000; test 2 = 2,500,012; test 3 = 832,000 etc) these results should be added together (6,532,011) and then divided by the number of tests (3) to get an average for the room (2,110.670) which in this example is a Class 8.
  9. Check against the ISO table below to identify the class achieved:



To achieve compliance with the relevant ISO standards, Cleanroom validation needs to be undertaken to ISO 14644-1:2015 - Classification of air cleanliness by particle concentration and ISO 14644-2:2015 - Monitoring to provide evidence of cleanroom performance related to air cleanliness by particle concentration.

APT Sound Testing provides a friendly and professional cleanroom validation service to the requirements of all current ISO standards and guidelines. We will issue you with test certificates containing up-to-date calibration certificates for all of the equipment used as well as recommendations for improvements that could be made to make the clean room more efficient in regards to its operation.

For more information visit our website at www.aptsoundtesting.co.uk or call us on 01525 303905 to discuss your annual cleanroom validation testing, alternately please email info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk



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