Purpose of Air lock:
The main purpose of the airlock system is to prevent cross-contamination.
To prevent the entry of contaminants from less classified area to a highly classified area.
In a sterile area prevent the entry of less clean air to high clean area.
In a sterile area prevent the entry of microbes from the less clean area to the high clean area.
In oral solid dosage forms, manufacturing areas prevent the outflow of powders.
Note: In most of the pharmaceutical industries, a common airlock system is used for the entry of men and materials it is wrong practice.
Types Of Air Locks:
There are three types of an airlock system
- Bubble Airlock
- Sink Air Lock
- Cascade Air Lock
- Bubble Air Lock
In bubble airlock pressure inside the airlock is high or positive and in adjacent sides, the pressure is less or negative.
- Sink Air Lock:
In sink airlock, the pressure inside airlock is negative and in adjacent areas pressure is positive so air moves from higher pressure area to lower pressure area mean from adjacent rooms to the airlock.
- Cascade Airlock:
In cascade airlock system pressure increases or decreases in ascending or descending order for example from 30 Pa to 20 Pa to 10 Pa or 10 Pa to 20 Pa to 30 Pa. So air moves from higher pressure to lower pressure side and prevent cross-contamination.
Note:
- In oral solid dosage form areas, we keep inside of the manufacturing area at negative pressure to prevent our flow of powders. So critical monitoring of air pressure maintenance is required in all areas because any drop or increase in the pressure of any area may result in cross-contamination.
- For sterile areas inside is maintained at positive pressure, so air moves from the high clean area to outside low clean area.
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