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Differential pressure is the difference in air pressure between two locations within a system.
A room with higher pressure than its surroundings is said to have positive pressure.
A room with lower pressure than adjacent areas is said to have negative pressure.
Positive pressure areas keep particles out, while negative pressure areas prevent the escape of potentially harmful substances.
The pressure differential is maintained according to the Standard ISO classes. ISO 14644-4 recommends a pressure differential from room to room of 5 to 20 Pascal.
According to WHO guidelines on HVAC system 10-15 of pascals.
Differential pressure is important in pharmaceutical environments.
Contamination Control : Maintaining differential pressure helps prevent the entry of contaminants, such as dust, bacteria, or viruses, into critical areas like cleanrooms or sterile processing areas.
Product Integrity : In pharmaceutical manufacturing, certain processes require specific pressure differentials to ensure the integrity of products, such as preventing cross-contamination between different drug formulations or protecting sensitive materials from exposure.
Safety: Differential pressure is crucial for the safety of personnel working with hazardous materials. Negative pressure areas can contain airborne pathogens or volatile substances, minimizing the risk of exposure.
Regulatory Compliance : Many pharmaceutical facilities must adhere to strict regulations and guidelines, such as Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Laboratory Practices (GLP). Proper differential pressure control is often a regulatory requirement.
Differential pressure is maintained between manufacturing and surrounding areas.
The aseptic area should always be highly pressurized than the non-aseptic area and air flow should be always from the aseptic to non-aseptic area.
This pressure differential is maintained by HVAC system.
In tablet production area, pressure differential helps to prevent the cross-contamination.
The pressure unit, , stands for millimeters per water column.
