The first light-scattering device was created in 1947, making it a significant year for particle counters. Since the invention of the first light-scattering machine, the semiconductor industry has grown exponentially. The sector has been unstoppable due to the rapid advancement of technology. If you are considering a career in this industry, then the terms ‘water particle counters’ and ‘online particle counters’ may seem vaguely familiar to you. But are you unclear about what a particle counter actually is? Worry not! You have come to the right place. This article will discuss all that you need to know about particle counters and more!
What is a particle counter and what is it used for?
A particle counter, as the name suggests, counts physical particles. There are three types of particle counters – aerosol or airborne, liquid, and solid. Particle counters are employed in a wide range of applications to maintain a quality environmental monitoring system. These applications are found in the manufacturing of electronic components, pharmaceutical drugs, industrial technologies like oil and gas, biotechnology, the food and beverage industry, and so on.
Particle counters are mainly used for the following functions:
- For real-time spot checks for cleanliness during operations
- To get rid of contaminants
- To check for filter efficiency and leaks
- To check for leaks in the filter
- To create a standardised testing routine for long-term monitoring and data logging
Airborne particle counters are essential for tracking, categorising, and identifying the origin and kind of pollutants in cleanroom operations. Achieving ISO Class certification of cleanrooms, zones, and spaces specifically, depends on the control of airborne particles. Access to localised monitoring technology is crucial for determining and upholding targeted levels of cleanliness since work environments shift to accommodate changing production demands. In the semiconductor industry, liquid or water particle counters are essential for monitoring and measuring water and pure process chemicals. Solid particle counters, on the other hand, are used to measure dry particles for various industrial applications.
Particle counters and their basic fundamentals
Particle counters operate on relatively simple principles. Let’s have a look at the basic fundamentals, in order to have a better understanding of particle counters.
1. Assess the levels of cleanliness
A regulated environment, such as a cleanroom, can have its level of cleanliness measured by using particle counters. Cleanrooms are used in industries where contamination might have an adverse effect, such as in semiconductor manufacturing, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, computer technology, and other fields. Particle counters are used to test and classify a cleanroom to ensure its performance is up to the required classification standard.
2. Evaluate the particle size
Contaminant particles affect both the quality of the product and the connected components and machines. Particle counters will assess and analyse the size and number of contaminated particles present in the testing sample. Particle counters such as the water particle counter can measure the quantity and size of each individual contaminant in the water. Liquid particle counters can also be used in other systems, such as hydraulic and lubricating systems, as well as pharmaceutical fluids – for oil contamination and pharmaceutical fluid analysis. But why is it important to know the size of particles in the cleanroom? Knowing the size of the particles in a cleanroom is important for both manufacturing and certification – certification requires the sample to be below accepted limits.
3. Determine the sample volume
The required sample volume and the consequent sampling time should be taken into account to certify cleanrooms. When determining whether a cleanroom complies with the standard, ISO mandates that adequate material is taken from each site to ensure that a statistically sufficient sample is collected.
4. Calculate the required sampling time
The minimum sample volume required to collect sample data at each location must be noted. This will determine the required sampling time (minimum time) for the specific counter to collect the data.
Online particle counters
Online particle counters are usually mounted directly to the system and measure and display particulate contamination. They can also assess components such as moisture and temperature levels in samples of liquids such as hydraulic fluids.
Sintech Scientific (S.E.A.) Pte Ltd
Since its inception in 1996, Sintech Scientific has managed to become one of Singapore’s leading distributors of scientific and laboratory instruments. They specialise in the distribution of instruments for sectors involved in QA/QC, manufacturing and process control, education, research and development. They have maintained excellent ties with all their customers and manufacturers. Their dedicated team will ensure that every customer will receive a service that exceeds their expectations. Do not hesitate to get in touch with them if you have any queries or concerns.