HEPA testing equipment is not one type of machine. Media development, finished-filter efficiency, factory scan leak testing and installed-filter integrity verification involve different test objects, outputs and instruments. The correct system can be selected only after the test question is clearly defined.
Four test tasks that must be separated
Four test tasks that must be separated
| Test Task | Testitem | Primary Output | Typical Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Media R&D | Flat-sheet media | Fractional efficiency, drukval, MPPS | Filter media tester |
| Integral efficiency | Complete filter | Overall efficiency or penetration and pressure drop | Full-size duct test bench |
| Factory scan | Filter face and critical seal areas | Local penetration and leak location | Automatic scan leak test system |
| Installed integrity | Installed filter and installation boundary | Integrity of filter, seals and housing in the field | Portable aerosol generator with photometer or particle-counter system |
How do standards and equipment correspond?
How do standards and equipment correspond?
ISO 29463-3 applies to flat-sheet high-efficiency filter media. ISO 29463-5 covers efficiency testing of complete filter elements near MPPS, while the scan method in ISO 29463-4 is used to locate local leakage. After filters are installed in a cleanroom or controlled environment, the objective changes to verification of the installed filtration system. This is normally performed under ISO 14644-3, a project specification or an industry procedure. A field result does not replace the manufacturer’s classification, and a factory scan cannot prove that the installed system has no bypass leakage.
When is a fixed 0.3 µm test useful?
When is a fixed 0.3 µm test useful?
A fixed-particle-size efficiency or leak check can be useful for fast production quality control. Echter, if the applicable standard requires testing at MPPS or scanning against local penetration limits, A 0.3 µm result alone cannot demonstrate full compliance with ISO 29463 of EN 1822. A rapid internal method should be correlated with the standard method, and its purpose should be stated clearly in the report.
Six questions to answer before choosing a system
Six questions to answer before choosing a system
- Are you testing flat-sheet media or a complete filter?
- Do you need integral efficiency, local scanning or installed integrity verification?
- What are the product dimensions, construction, rated airflow and maximum resistance?
- What target class and edition of the standard apply?
- Which aerosol and detector will be used, and is the expected downstream concentration measurable?
- What throughput, automatisering, reporting and metrological traceability are required?
Where do SCPUR systems fit?
Where do SCPUR systems fit?
The SC-FT-1406 series is used for efficiency and pressure-drop evaluation of flat-sheet media. De SC-L8023 En SC-L8023U are designed for integral efficiency and automatic scan leak testing of complete high-efficiency filters. Installed-filter integrity verification requires portable field instruments and a procedure matched to the project. Providing the filter design, applicable clauses and expected report before quotation is the most reliable way to obtain the right configuration instead of a generic HEPA test bench.
EDITORIAL REFERENCES
Primary Standards Checked
Primary Standards Checked
The following official ISO pages were checked for this rewrite. Formal testing, contracts and compliance decisions should be based on the purchased standard text and the edition specified by the project.
- ISO 16890-1:2016 – Technical specifications, requirements and classification system based on particulate matter efficiency for general-ventilation air filters
- ISO 16890-2:2022 – Measurement of fractional efficiency and airflow resistance
- ISO 16890-3:2024 – Gravimetric efficiency and airflow resistance versus captured test-dust mass
- ISO 16890-4:2022 – Conditioning method used to determine minimum fractional test efficiency
- ISO 29463-1:2024 – Classificatie, performance testing and marking of high-efficiency filters and media
- ISO 29463-3:2011 – Testing flat-sheet filter media
- ISO 29463-4:2011 – Scan method for determining leakage of filter elements; confirmed in 2024 while a new edition is under development
- ISO 29463-5:2022 – MPPS efficiency test method for filter elements
- ISO 14644-3:2019 – Test methods for cleanrooms and clean zones, including performance verification relevant to installed systems
