Fresh air ducts including downstream filters for clean rooms

Abstract

A fresh air duct is configured to direct fresh air filtered by an air conditioning system towards a clean room downstream from the fresh air duct, the fresh air having a first level of particle density. A separate particle filter in the fresh air duct, located downstream from the air conditioning system and upstream from the clean room, is configured to further filter the fresh air to provide filtered fresh air having a second level of particle density therein that is less than the first level. Related methods are also disclosed.

1 . An apparatus for providing fresh air to a clean room, comprising: 
 a fresh air duct configured to direct fresh air filtered by an air conditioning system towards a clean room downstream from the fresh air duct, the fresh air having a first level of particle density; and    a separate particle filter in the fresh air duct, downstream from the air conditioning system and upstream from the clean room, configured to further filter the fresh air to provide filtered fresh air having a second level of particle density therein that is less than the first level.    
   
   
       2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the separate particle filter is directly in the fresh air duct.  
   
   
       3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the fresh air duct is configured to receive fresh air only from the air conditioning system.  
   
   
       4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the air conditioning system accepts external air having a third level of particle density that is greater than the first and second levels and is in a range between about 473μ/m 3  and about 999 μg/m 3 .  
   
   
       5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the separate particle filter is in an outlet section of the fresh air duct adjacent the clean room.  
   
   
       6 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the separate particle filter comprises at least one of an HEPA filter configured to filter at least about 99.97% of particles about 0.3 μm in size from the fresh air generated by the air conditioning system, an ULPA filter configured to filter at least about 99.99% of particles about 0.1 μm to about 0.17 μm in size from the fresh air generated by the air conditioning system, and an ozone filter.  
   
   
       7 . An apparatus according to  claim 6  wherein the separate particle filter comprises a first filter, the apparatus further comprising: 
 a second filter downstream from the first filter and upstream from the clean room, wherein the second filter comprises at least one of an HEPA filter configured to filter about 99.97% of particles about 0.3 μm in size from the fresh air generated by the air conditioning system, an ULPA filter configured to filter about 99.99% of particles about 0.1 μm to about 0.17 μm in size from the fresh air generated by the air conditioning system, a chemical filter and an ozone filter.    
   
   
       8 . An apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the second filter is located in an outlet section of the fresh air duct adjacent to the clean room.  
   
   
       9 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the separate particle filter comprises a detachable filter and wherein the fresh air duct further comprises: 
 a first portion of the fresh air duct configured to direct fresh air from an input of the fresh air duct to an output of the first portion; and    a second portion of the fresh air duct releaseably coupled to the output of the first portion and configured to direct fresh air from the output of the first portion along a pathway through the second portion, wherein the detachable filter is in the second portion of the fresh air duct.    
   
   
       10 . An apparatus according to  claim 9  wherein the filter is located adjacent to an input of the second portion of the fresh air duct.  
   
   
       11 . An apparatus according to  claim 9  wherein the first portion further comprises: 
 a flexible section configured to allow the first portion of the fresh air duct to move away from an input of the second portion of the fresh air duct to expose the detachable filter.    
   
   
       12 . An apparatus for providing fresh air to a clean room, comprising: 
 a fresh air duct downstream from an air conditioning system configured to direct fresh air filtered by the air conditioning system to a clean room; and    a detachable filter, in the fresh air duct, configured to filter the fresh air to provide filtered fresh air downstream of the detachable filter.    
   
   
       13 . An apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the detachable particle filter is directly in the fresh air duct.  
   
   
       14 . An apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the fresh air duct is configured to receive fresh air only from the air conditioning system.  
   
   
       15 . An apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the fresh air duct comprises: 
 a first portion of the fresh air duct configured to direct air from an input of the fresh air duct to an output of the first portion; and    a second portion of the fresh air duct releaseably coupled to the output of the first portion and configured to direct air from the output of the first portion along a pathway through the second portion, wherein the detachable filter is in the second portion of the fresh air duct.    
   
   
       16 . An apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the detachable filter is inside the clean room.  
   
   
       17 . An apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein the detachable filter is located in the second portion adjacent to an input thereto.  
   
   
       18 . An apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein the first portion further comprises: 
 a flexible section configured to allow the first portion of the fresh air duct to move away from the input of the second portion of the fresh air duct to expose the detachable filter.    
   
   
       19 . An apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein the detachable filter comprises an HEPA filter, an ULPA filter, a chemical filter, or an ozone filter.  
   
   
       20 . A clean room fresh air supply system comprising: 
 an air conditioning system configured to accept external air and provide fresh air therefrom filtered by the air conditioning system downstream to a clean room, the fresh air having a first level of particle density;    a fresh air duct downstream from the air conditioning system and configured to conduct the fresh air along a pathway therein;    a first filter downstream from the air conditioning system in the fresh air duct and upstream from the clean room, configured to filter the fresh air to provide fresh air having a second level of particle density that is less than the first level; and    a second filter in the fresh air duct downstream from the first filter configured to further filter the fresh air having the second level of particle density.    
   
   
       21 . An apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein the first filter is directly in the fresh air duct.  
   
   
       22 . An apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein the fresh air duct is configured to receive fresh air only from the air conditioning system.  
   
   
       23 . An apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein the first filter comprises at least one of an HEPA filter configured to filter at least about 99.97% of particles about 0.3 μm in size from the fresh air generated by the air conditioning system, an ULPA filter configured to filter at least about 99.99% of particles about 0.1 μm to about 0.17 μm in size from the fresh air generated by the air conditioning system, and an ozone filter.  
   
   
       24 . An apparatus according to  claim 23  wherein the second filter comprises at least one of an HEPA filter configured to filter at least about 99.97% of particles about 0.3 μm in size from the fresh air, an ULPA filter configured to filter at least about 99.99% of particles about 0.1 μm to about 0.17 μm in size from the fresh air, a chemical filter, and an ozone filter.  
   
   
       25 . An apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein the air conditioning system accepts external air having a third level of particle density that is greater than the first and second levels and is in a range between about 473 μg/m 3  and about 999 μg/m 3 .  
   
   
       26 . An apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein the first filter comprises a detachable filter, wherein the fresh air duct comprises: 
 a first portion of the fresh air duct configured to direct air from an input of the fresh air duct to an output of the first portion;    a second portion of the fresh air duct releaseably coupled to the output of the first portion and configured to direct air from the output of the first portion along a pathway through the second portion, wherein the detachable filter is in the second portion of the fresh air duct.    
   
   
       27 . An apparatus according to  claim 26  wherein the first filter is located adjacent to an input of the second portion of the fresh air duct.  
   
   
       28 . An apparatus according to  claim 26  wherein the first portion further comprises: 
 a flexible section configured to allow the first portion of the fresh air duct to move away from the input of the second portion of the fresh air duct to expose the detachable filter.    
   
   
       29 . An apparatus for providing fresh air to a clean room, comprising: 
 a fresh air duct configured to direct fresh air filtered by an air conditioning system towards a clean room downstream from the fresh air duct; and    a separate particle filter in the fresh air duct, downstream from the air conditioning system and upstream from the clean room, configured to further filter particles having a predetermined size from the fresh air.    
   
   
       30 . An apparatus for providing fresh air to a clean room, comprising: 
 a fresh air duct configured to direct fresh air filtered by an air conditioning system towards a clean room downstream from the fresh air duct, the fresh air duct configured to hold at least one of a plurality of interchangeable filters downstream from the air conditioning system and upstream from the clean room to provide different types of filtration.    
   
   
       31 . An apparatus according to  claim 30  wherein at least one of the plurality of interchangeable filters comprises a particle filter configured to filter particles having a predetermined size from the fresh air.  
   
   
       32 . An apparatus according to  claim 30  wherein at least one of the plurality of interchangeable filters comprises a chemical filter configured to filter chemical contaminants from the fresh air.