ISO 5 Cleanrooms | ISO Class 5 | Class 100 Cleanrooms

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ISO class 5 cleanrooms are essential tools for industries where minimal contamination is critical to ensure product quality and process reliability. An ISO 5 cleanroom allows a maximum of 3,520 particles per cubic meter, each measuring 0.5 microns or larger. ISO 5 corresponds to Class 100 in the older Federal Standard 209E, indicating that the room permits up to 100 particles per cubic foot.

ISO 5 Cleanroom Requirements, Standards & Regulations

Cleanrooms are classified according to the number and size of particles permitted per air volume in a specific space and time. An ISO 5 class 100 cleanroom must maintain 240-600 air changes per hour with a ceiling coverage of 35-70% while meeting the following standards and regulations:

100,000 particles per cubic meter or less ≥0.1 µm sized particles
23,700 particles per cubic meter or less ≥0.2 µm sized particles
10,200 particles per cubic meter or less ≥0.3 µm sized particles
3,520 particles per cubic meter or less ≥0.5 µm sized particles
835 particles per cubic meter or less ≥1 µm sized particles
29 particles per cubic meter or less ≥5 µm sized particles

Maximum Number of Particles in Air (particles per cubic meter)
ISO Class	FED-STD 209E Equivalent	Particle Size
ISO Class	FED-STD 209E Equivalent	>0.1µm	>0.2µm	>0.3µm	>0.5µm	>1µm	>5µm
ISO 1		10	2
ISO 2		100	24	10	4
ISO 3 \| Class 1		1,000	237	102	35	8
ISO 4 \| Class 10		10,000	2,370	1,020	352	83
ISO 5 \| Class 100		100,000	23,700	10,200	3,520	832	29
ISO 6 \| Class 1,000			237,000	102,000	35,200	8,320	293
ISO 7 \| Class 10,000					352,000	83,200	2,930
ISO 8 \| Class 100,000					3,520,000	832,000	29,300

ISO 5 Cleanroom Filtration Requirements

ISO class 5 cleanrooms demand a high level of air cleanliness, achieved through advanced filtration systems. The filtration requirements focus on minimizing airborne contaminants to maintain compliance with the stringent standards outlined in ISO 14644-1.

Air Change Rates for ISO 5 Class 100 Cleanrooms

ISO 5 cleanroom requirements dictate 240-600 air changes per hour to rapidly replace contaminated air with filtered air to maintain cleanliness levels on par with ISO 5 requirements. These air changes are accomplished through laminar airflow that ensures unidirectional air movement that rapidly removes contaminants.

HEPA & ULPA Filtration

ISO 5 cleanrooms utilize high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters or ultra-low particulate air (ULPA) filters to remove 99.99% or more of particles. These filters are installed within the ceiling structure of the cleanroom to ensure uniform air distribution.

Strict Environmental Controls

Class 100 cleanrooms demand regulated temperature, humidity, and pressure to maintain a stable environment. Positive pressure is also used to prevent outside contaminants from entering the cleanroom’s controlled environment.

Gowning Specifications

Protective measures such as coveralls, hoods, gloves, booties, and other protective apparel must be used to ensure a stable class 100 environment is maintained within the enclosure to minimize contamination.

Specialized Construction

ISO 5 cleanrooms are built with smooth, non-porous surfaces that minimize particle accumulation and allow for easy cleaning. The structure’s seamless flooring and walls also reduce contamination risks.

ISO Class 5 Cleanroom Industries Served

NCI offers modular cleanrooms ranging from ISO 4 (class 10) to ISO 8 (class 100,000). Our ISO 5 (class 100) cleanrooms are commonly used within the following industries: