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Planning for a Contamination Control Environment Cleanroom) in a university or research environment is a complex and time-consuming activity. This process usually starts 2-3 years before construction and involves a large team consisting of Operations personnel, Principal investigators, Users, University Facilities Staff, Administration and any other stake holders. Input compiled will form a preliminary high level “view” of the facility and will form a basis of preliminary evaluation of the cost of the facility. This “view” will also form the basis for a Request for Proposal for Design Professionals (Architect / Engineer and Specialty Consultants) who will Program, Design and over-see construction of the facility.  Programming is an intense series of meetings where the design team meets with the university staff in the whole and in separate groups to fully understand and document following:

• GOALS are set for the project: These goals establish a project's direction and define the users’ operational intentions.  Relevant issues could include levels of automation, equipment utilization, yield, manufacturing reliability, substrate size, technology utilization, safety, and environmental control.  
• FACTS about the project are collected through client interviews with direct user groups of all relevant areas of the project in an effort to gather as much information as possible. Focus is given to relevant data, parameters and assumptions that influence the design of the project.   
• CONCEPTS are generated about the project for review and discussion of abstract ideas as functional solutions to the client’s performance issues.  Concepts, therefore, relate to performance such as convertibility, flexibility, etc.  Types of concepts that should be evaluated include grouping for people, services and activities; priorities; relationships; security controls; flexibility; sequential, separated and mixed flows; orientation; and energy conservation.  
• NEEDS are identified , mainly in terms of spatial needs or building area; quality of construction and finishes; furnishings; equipment; construction cost and schedule. By determining needs, what is merely desirable (wants) is differentiated and sorted out from what is truly necessary (needs). Needs are prioritized so that preliminary budgets can be established.  
• The Problem Statement is developed, which serves as both the premise for design and design criteria against which the designer will evaluate to develop design solutions. It states what the significant conditions and the general directions that the design should take

In addition to the information gathered above the preparation of a trial tool set is critical to the development of the Cleanroom Plan for the facility concept and design.This tool set is normally based on the type of operation employed in the current facility augmented with desired and anticipated tool additions.This tool list will be used to develop a Utility Matrix and ultimately a facility lay-out and utility capacity demand estimates.  This information is critical in developing a facility concept that will meet the end users and Universities requirements.  GLO Consulting will facilitate the programming of the contamination control environment, develop the Utility Matrix, including Hazardous Chemicals, Develop conceptual facility lay-outs (Cleanroom Planning) and working with the project Architect and facility operations staff develop a trial tool set lay-out for the facility.  Additionally, the utility matrix information will be used to develop an estimate of the utility and support systems capacity requirements. 

The design of a facility establishes and documents the owner’s desires and requirements for the for their new or renovation of their contamination control environment. Implementation of this design is the while the responsibility of the owners contractor required oversight to ensure that the materials used and their installation is appropriate and will fully support the intended use of the space. To ensure compliance with the design, the following activities are necessary:
 

• Shop Drawing Submission Review:  Review of critical components related to contamination control and energy efficient performance of the completed facility.
   
• Request for Information (RFI's): Responses related to questions concerning the installation of systems and components related to the energy performance and contamination control performance of the facility.
   
• Start-up Services: Services related to the oversight of OEM energization of critical system, including the burn-in of critical components.
   
• Certification: Specifications for and monitoring / review of certification services.
   
• Commissioning: Assisting the Commissioning agent in the commissioning of all contamination control environment systems.
   

GLO Consulting provides assistance to the Owner’s team (Owner, Owners A/E and Contractor(s)) to mitigate issues that occur during construction, focusing on critical components that impact the proper operation of the new space. 

In Cleanrooms and the more holistic contamination-controlled environments energy use is normally very substantial.  In many university settings this type of facility has the highest energy use density (kW/SF) of any space with the possible exception of a high-density data center.  
 

Energy consumption by air moving equipment is directly relater to the volume of air moved, system static pressure and the efficiency of the mechanical and electrical components in the system. Proper and prudent design of these systems based on sound engineering practices have proven that the application of low static design approaches, the sizing of units based on efficiency and minimization of overall system capacity energy consumption can be substantially reduced.
 

In my Energy Efficient Cleanroom Air Recirculation Systems presentation (Download link) provides a case study of the energy used by the facilities recirculation air system.  Key points are that the average 10,342 CFM/kW for the space.  A key operational parameter for the recirculation air system is that the total static pressure for the units is 0.5 inwg. When compared to a typical design (4-6 inwg) for a recirculation system this results in close to an order of magnitude reduction in recirculation air system energy consumption.

Make-up air unit (MAU) design using low static pressure design approaches and prudent capacity reduction can result in a 50 – 60% reduction in MAU energy consumption. Capacity reduction, while limited by Building Code Occupancy requirements can be achieved by proper sealing of the space perimeter and the use of lower exhaust flow wet benches. MAU Static pressure reduction is based on low face velocity (~350fpm) coils and filter banks, low static distribution ducts and open duct distribution to the space.
 

Exhaust system energy control uses similar approaches such as efficient size selection of fans, low velocity ducts and capacity control.  Exhaust system capacity is achieved by discharging equipment heat exhaust (non-chemical bearing) into the space return air stream and by the use of low exhaust flow wet benches.  Application of these approaches can result in an overall exhaust requirement of 1.5 – 2 CFM SF with a point of use static pressure of ~5inwg. Typical energy reduction for exhaust systems is in the range of 20 – 25%. Application of the energy saving approaches outlined above can result in an overall energy of approximately 20%.

Chilled water systems are also a major user of energy ids a contamination-controlled environment.  Typical Chilled Water systems do not operate at or near the design temperature differential.  This results in the system operating at an apparent operating capacity of less than the installed capacity.  For example, if the system design temperatures are 40oF – 52oF and the system is operating at 50oF – 48oF, the apparent capacity is only 66% of the installed capacity.  When this occurs, the classical approach is to increase the system flow, which drives up pump heads and pump energy consumption, and generally drives system differential temperature lower. A system review focuses on identifying minor system operational changes that result in increasing the system differential temperature primarily by decreasing supply side bypass flow, controlling utilization flow and maximizing use of return chilled water.  Increased differential temperature on previous facilities has resulted in the ability of maintain space conditions, while reducing the number of operating chillers.

Refer to enclosed presentation.

Activities performed in a Contamination Control Environment generally modify materials using chemicals. Building and Fire Codes identify many of these chemicals as Hazardous Materials (Hazardous Production Materials – HPM’s in the International Building and Fire Codes). Hazardous Materials have properties that are detrimental to individuals that come into contact with the chemical. The quantity and hazard category of the HPM’s determine the occupancy of the interior space and the construction of the enclosing building. GLO Consulting prepares a Utility Matrix based on the trial tool list for projects early in the programming and planning phases. This Utility Matrix identifies chemicals used, their hazard category and the quantities in use open, use closed and storage. This information will be used to establish the Occupancy of the Contamination Controlled Environment and its enclosing building. Additionally, the occupancy of Chemical and Gas storage rooms, bulk cryogenic liquid storage and pyrophoric storage will be defined by the Utility Matrix.

 GLO Consulting has significant experience in the development of HPM Suites in University and Industry environments. Pyrophoric Storage is a special focus using the IBC / IFC Mandated Compressed Gas Association Standard CGA – G – 13. Refer to enclosed presentation.