Electronics and optics

Data Centers

Pollution has a negative impact on data centers, causing system failures and increasing operational costs.

Unfortunately, air pollution is an ever-increasing problem due to traffic, industries… The problem is even more complicated when we talk about data centers located in busy urban centers such as Los Angeles or Beijing.

Frequent contaminants

There are different pollutants prevalent in data centers that will affect circuits in different, but equally costly ways.

First of all, outdoor air pollution affects inside data centers. So we will find pollutants coming from vehicle exhaust, pollutants created by industries… Airborne particles such as dust, pollen, hair and other small particles can enter electronic equipment and cause problems such as clogged fans, electrical interference or damage to circuits.

Corrosion is one of the main challenges inside data centers. Contaminants such as sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide are responsible for this problem. These contaminants can come from backup equipment, battery systems, fire suppression systems or other environmental elements. In addition, the air accumulates salt, which also accelerates the corrosion process.

Problems generated by corrosion

Corrosion in data centers is the main threat because it can generate system failures. These failures are generated by outside air entering the facility through the ventilation system, opening doors, etc. These contaminants can corrode computer circuits and metal. Therefore, good air filtration is crucial.

Corrosion can generate…

• Malfunctions in the flow of electricity
• Power outages and short circuits
• Burning of electronic components
• Electrical discharges
• Physical deterioration of equipment

Cooling and air quality

The area where data centers are installed is small and large amounts of heat are generated as watts of power are shot into the air in the form of heat.

It is essential that high temperatures are managed correctly and cooling is applied at a specific temperature to avoid costly physical equipment failures.

If the correct filtration system is not used, contaminants will affect the cooling system causing damage and even equipment downtime.

Advantages of a good air filtration system

A good air filtration system in data centers has numerous advantages:

• Smooth operation of equipment
• Avoid costly repairs
• Avoidance of downtime
• Avoiding breakdowns that adversely affect the system
• Avoiding problems with companies linked to the data center

Electronic Components Manufacturing

Air filtration plays a crucial role in the manufacture of electronic components to maintain a clean and contaminant-free environment.

Particulate Matter Control

Airborne particles, such as dust, hair, fibers and other solid contaminants, can affect the quality and functionality of electronic components. Air filtration systems use high-efficiency filters, such as HEPA filters, to remove airborne particles and maintain a clean environment. These filters are capable of trapping extremely small particles, preventing their deposition on components and minimizing the risk of failure or damage.

Control of chemical contaminants

Chemical contaminants can be detrimental to the manufacture of electronic components. These contaminants can include corrosive gases, chemical vapors, fumes and solvents. Air filtration systems can use activated carbon filters or other specific media to capture and neutralize these chemical contaminants and prevent their interaction with electronic components.

The Need for Good Filtration in Clean Rooms

In electronics manufacturing, it is common to use clean rooms to maintain a highly controlled, particle-free environment. These rooms are designed with advanced air filtration systems, including HEPA filters and laminar airflow systems, to ensure exceptionally high air quality. In addition, stringent gowning, cleaning and access control protocols are in place to minimize contamination.

Temperature and humidity control

In addition to air filtration, precise control of temperature and humidity is essential in the manufacture of electronic components. Environmental conditions can affect the stability and reliability of manufacturing processes. Air filtration systems can be integrated with climate and humidity control systems to maintain optimal and stable conditions.

Microelectronics

The microelectronics sector is rapidly changing due to its ever-increasing demand. The role of microelectronics is to deal with mini-components or macro-components to manufacture devices such as televisions, cell phones, microwave ovens…

Electronic devices, such as integrated circuits, microprocessors and other sensitive electronic components, are extremely sensitive to dust, particulates and other airborne contaminants. These particles can adversely affect the performance, lifetime and reliability of electronic devices. That is why fine particulate and molecular contamination control (AMC) is critical to this industry.

What is the origin of air pollution in microelectronics?

There are several reasons why a microelectronics laboratory can be contaminated.

• Gases from chemicals.
• Exhaust gases from other industries and processes.
• Exhaust gases from vehicles.
• Seasonal factors.
• Solvent leaks or spills.
• Organic contamination, such as moisture and dust

Consequences of poor air quality

There are three types of failures that can lead to poor air quality:

Chemical effects

An example of chemical effects of poor air quality is corrosion of electrical components due to dust containing sulfur salts.

Chemical effects

Chemical effects caused by poor air quality include obstruction of cooling air circulation, interference with the movement of optical parts and deformation of surfaces.

Electrical effects

Impedance changes and the formation of bridges for electronic circuit conductors are some examples of electronic effects caused by poor air quality.

How can air filtration help you?

To address this problem, air filtration systems are used in microelectronics manufacturing and assembly facilities. These systems are designed to remove airborne particles and maintain a clean and controlled environment.

Without this particulate contamination, we eliminate dust and other particles that damage and reject stock, contaminate processes and cause short circuits in microprocessors, chips and wafers.

Clean rooms as our greatest ally

Clean rooms are designed to have a very low particle concentration. Therefore, they become the best ally of microelectronics, since it is an isolated space that controls contamination.

For this type of clean rooms, Venfilter recommends a double filtration system with pre-filters that will help to remove fine particles. But, also with a HEPA and molecular filtration system to control the finest particles and odors given off by the chemicals.

In summary, air filtration plays a crucial role in the microelectronics industry to maintain a clean environment free of particles that can damage electronic devices. Filtration systems, such as HEPA and ULPA filters, are used to retain particles and ensure the quality and reliability of manufactured products.

Lens manufacturing 

Lens manufacturing is a highly specialized process that requires controlled environmental conditions to ensure the quality and optimum performance of the final products. Air filtration plays a crucial role in this process by removing particles and contaminants that could affect lens quality.

Lens manufacturing involves processes such as sputtering, polishing, anti-reflective coating and finishing.

Particle Control

During the manufacturing of optical lenses, even the smallest particles can cause imperfections in the lenses, affecting their quality and optical performance. Air filtration helps maintain a clean, particle-free environment, efficiently removing dust, hairs, aerosols and submicron particles that could adhere to lens surfaces.

Coating Protection

During the process of applying anti-reflective coatings to lenses, air filtration plays an essential role. Any particles present in the air could adhere to the lens surface and adversely affect its optical properties. Highly efficient air filtration systems remove these particles, ensuring a uniform and quality application of coatings.

The effects of microplastics on human health

During the production of these lenses, particles are released from materials such as polycarbonate or plastic dust. In addition, during the polishing process, a mist is generated by process compounds, plastic dust and water that can be very harmful to health.

Although the specific direct effects of microplastics are not clear, it is known for sure that it affects the lung capacity of the operators, also the skin, eyes and can create infections.

Eliminate metals with proper filtration

• Silicon dioxide, which has an effect on the lung capacity of operators.
• Titanium oxide, its inhalation causes nausea, irritation of the respiratory system or dyspnea.
• Zirconium oxide, causes irritation of the respiratory system.

Compliance with Norms and Standards

The optical lens manufacturing industry is subject to strict regulations and standards to ensure product quality and safety. Implementing proper air filtration systems helps to comply with these regulations and ensures that manufactured lenses meet established optical and quality requirements.

In short, air filtration plays a crucial role in the lens manufacturing industry to maintain a clean environment free of particles that can damage lenses and lens equipment. Filtration systems, such as HEPA and ULPA filters, are used to retain particles and ensure the quality and reliability of manufactured products.