A negative air machine is very similar to an air scrubber. Like air scrubbers, negative air machines remove potentially dangerous particles from the air through a series of filters.
These filters prevent employees and clients from breathing in toxins that can ultimately lead to illness.
Generally, negative air machine’s are used in:
- Medical facilities
- Construction sites
- Restaurants
- Large warehouses and food plants where air quality testing is required
Negative Air Machines vs. HEPA Air Scrubbers
Knowing the difference between the two can help you make an educated decision for your next industrial rental.
Negative Air Machines
Unlike an air scrubber, a negative air machine uses ducting to remove tainted air from a closed controlled area. The filtered air is exhausted outside of the controlled area. This creates negative air pressure (some call this a vacuum effect) inside the controlled area. A negative air machine helps restrict the spread of pollutants to other areas inside the building.
HEPA Air Scrubbers
HEPA air scrubbers are used for the same purpose, but can be used as a negative air machine by adding ducting, sealed casing, specific airflow modifications, and a blower motor with speed variations to maintain the controlled area.
How do HEPA Air Scrubbers and Negative Air Machines Work?
Since both of units work to effectively trap contaminants from the air, each are equipped with a blower and a series of filters that help keep the air safe and clean.
Pre-Filters
In the first stage of filtration, pre-filters work to draw in the largest of particles in a given space. Capturing these larger particles helps the unit maintain airflow, process more cubic feet per minute, and increase filtration efficiency.
Optional Medium Filter
Some units consists of a medium filter, or a 2nd-stage filter. Medium filters have a pleaded design that helps to trap particles and protect the carbon filter.
Optional Carbon Filter
Carbon filtering is achieved when pollutants enter an activated carbon filter, undergo absorption, then gaseous pollutants and odors are trapped in the carbon substrate.
Primary Filter or HEPA Filter
The final stage of filtration works to trap the smallest of particles, like dust, mold, bacteria and other irritants that cause asthma, lung conditions or prolong illness.
HEPA systems, are specially designed to capture 99.7% of dust particles that are greater or equal to 0.3 microns in diameter, which is about 5,000 times thinner than the average human hair!
Blower
Air scrubbers require a dependable blower, which pulls air through the filters and exhausts the filtered air out of the unit. Without a blower, the filters would clog quickly and the unit would do a less effective job of cleaning the surrounding air and creating negative air pressure.
Rent a Negative Air Machine
Our Dri-Eaz HEPA 500 and Airrex HSC-HEPA2000 rentals are portable, easy to use clean air solutions perfect for your space.
Not sure which unit is right for you? Contact us for all of your air filtration questions.